2009 V8 Supercars Season

[Warren Dawes]

Thanks Josh.

Good to see Jason Bargwanna back in V8"s, and I'd expect big improvements from Garry Rogers Motorsport this year, two talented young guys with a very experienced and well managed Team.

 

[Rhys Gardiner]

Guys, according to the Wikipedia article on the 2009 V8 Supercars Season, there will be 30 cars this year. Check the reference at the bottom of the page for a link to the article on the official V8 site. The Wiki article also says that Paul Dumbrell is supposedly joining HRT to make it a three-car team. Not that I'd trust this info, I'm just putting it out there so you guys know.

Rhys

 

[Eric Nelson]

post V8 supercar races?

This is by far my favorite series world wide. However, in America, we don't get the broadcast anymore.

Last season we got a 1 hour show for each round but doesn't appear it will continue in 09 for us.

Can or does anyone have a way for a yankee to get access to this?

TIA

Eric

 

[Rhys Gardiner]

You got SPEED Channel? I believe they cover the races over in Yankee-land. Though, I could be wrong if that is the channel you're talking about.

 

[Wido Rossen]

Skaife`s replacement

Rising V8 Supercar talent Will Davison has joined the Toll Holden Racing Team (HRT) for the 2009 season.
Davison will team with 2007 series champion Garth Tander at the factory Holden squad to fill the seat vacated by retired great Mark Skaife.

Davison, 26, arrives at HRT following three seasons at Dick Johnson Racing where he claimed a round victory – last year at Eastern Creek – and a Bathurst podium finish in 2007.

A former open-wheel star that test drove Formula One, Davison began his V8 Supercar career in 2004 driving a Holden.

The grandson of Australian Grand Prix legend, Lex Davison, said he was delighted to claim the most coveted seat in V8 Supercar racing.

“It’s a wonderful honour to drive for the Holden Racing Team, the absolute highlight of my career to date,” Davison said.

“HRT is the elite motorsport outfit in Australia and the team every young driver wants to join.

“It is renowned for its professionalism and has a proud track record of success.

“I can’t wait to be a part of that.”

Tander is also hungry for success, determined to regain the title he won in 2007.

“I began my preparation for the season immediately after the final round of 2008 at Oran Park,” Tander said.

“I’ve kept my fitness up since then, I didn’t take any time off over the break and I’m working through a solid pre-season.

“Having Will on board this year and being able to push each other to success will be great for our team.

“He’s on the verge of some real success in this category, so that’s going to be good for the team, good for Holden and all our sponsors.”

Davison and Tander will pilot identical VE Commodores featuring the striking day-glo red and white elements of last season’s livery, with added black and grey accents to create a fresh new look.

HRT’s trademark “helmet and lion” graphic returns to the cars’ flanks this year.
The HRT Commodores will also carry EcoLine branding on the roof and rear diffuser, signalling GM Holden’s new range of vehicles that use alternative fuels or fuel-saving technology.

The signage reinforces the category’s move to an environmentally friendlier E85 ethanol-blended fuel this season.

GM Holden Chairman and Managing Director Mark Reuss said Holden’s tradition of taking knowledge from its motorsport program for the development of its road cars will become even more important in 2009.


source: www.touringcartimes.com

 

[Warren Dawes]

Will Davison is an extremely talented young race driver, and already has a proven record in V8 Supercars. He is sure to be a top contender in the coming seasons, especially being teamed with HRT.

 

[Ben Tusting]

Wasn't this seat supposed to be going to VIllenuve?

 

[Eric Nelson]

rhys,

Sorry mate but SPEED TV(channel) no longer brings it over here.

BOLLOCKS BOLLOCKS BOLLOCKS!

 

[Eric Nelson]

VIllneuve in Supercars? god how awful would that be! HE has not lived up to any massive level in pro racing even though he did seat in F1 for quite some time.

I suspect he is a man without a home on Pro motorsport as a driver any longer. UNLESS he goes to DTM but thats not happeneing neither.

In regards to Davison, if you get a podium at Bathhurst, well thats worth a top flight seat for sure.

 

[Ben Tusting]

VIllneuve in Supercars? god how awful would that be! HE has not lived up to any massive level in pro racing even though he did seat in F1 for quite some time.

I suspect he is a man without a home on Pro motorsport as a driver any longer. UNLESS he goes to DTM but thats not happeneing neither.

In regards to Davison, if you get a podium at Bathhurst, well thats worth a top flight seat for sure.

Here's the link Eric it was super cheap
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72664

:focus: now sorry

 

[Eric Nelson]

well I'll be damned! It would be great to have him in the seat representing North America...........

so hard to find work once you leave F1........

 

[Wido Rossen]

V8 Supercar makeover

The V8 Supercar Championship Series will receive its biggest makeover in its 12 year history after a raft of changes were made to the on track rules and overall feel of the 14 events in 2009.
A series of format changes coupled with the introduction of an 85 per cent CSR ethanol blended fuel and a dual compound tyre are the most dramatic steps taken by the sport to further build the excitement and spectacle.

The changes include:

· Two individual races, one on Saturday and one on Sunday, across 12 Championship events

· Individual victory to every race winner across 26 races in the season

· A podium to duly recognise 26 race winners across the Championship

· Qualifying determines both Saturday and Sunday grids

· The Top Ten Shootout returns for the final leg of qualifying

· The Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 and the L&H 500 at Phillip Island remain as the only single race events

· The L&H 500 will retain two Saturday qualifying races which count for Championship points but not a race result

· Removing all reference to the term ‘round’ and referring to all race weekends as events

· No compulsory pit stop window meaning that teams can stop whenever they choose

· There will be at least one fuel stop in every race

· A ‘soft’ compound tyre at select weekends that teams must use at least once during racing

· Each race, outside of the two endurance races, are worth 150 points to the winner on a sliding scale (see attached)

· Teams being free to utilise any tyre from their allocation as they see fit across an event

The emphasis of the changes is to enhance the racing, increase on-track passing opportunities, emphasise team strategy and teamwork and create a better fan experience.

“In any sport this amount of wide-ranging changes and their respective impacts are enormous,” V8 Supercars Australia CEO Cameron Levick said.

“The board has spent more than four months on this total overhaul of our racing and this is a fantastic result considering the extent of the changes.

“I applaud the board for their forward-thinking approach and an outcome that is great for all concerned.”

Separating the Championship season into 26 individual races was indicative of the intense competition and recognising that each and every victory is hard fought. Previously the Championship was based on ‘round’ victories where combined points across multiple races decided the winner.

“With the field split by hundredths of seconds winning a race and the enormous amount of hard work that goes into it should be rewarded,” Mr Levick said. “Our teams battle every single lap for the smallest of gains. A race win in itself is a remarkable team effort.”

Naming race weekend events and recognising individual race victories is designed to simplify the sport and give fans clear winners on each day. Where individual trophies are up for grabs such as at the Clipsal 500 and the Hamilton 400 first across the line on Sunday will generally be regarded as the winner.

The board debated adding an additional qualifying session for the Sunday race before determining that the Saturday session would determine both grids as the fairest and least demanding system for the teams.

Additional technical changes including removing the compulsory pit window, the use of a soft compound tyre option at select events and ‘free’ tyre allocation are designed to further spice up the on-track spectacle.

“Teams will have to refuel at least once in a 100km race and twice in a race of 200km or more so that will really mix up the field and create far more winning opportunities,” Mr Levick said.

“Some teams may choose to start a race with a full tank and other may start with a small amount of fuel, race hard and then come back in to fill the tank. Then on top of that you throw in a soft compound tyre that may be several second faster per lap than a hard compound tyre.

“That’s what we want – faster cars, slower cars, plenty of passing and more on-track drama.”

Mr Levick said the change was in direct response to fans and stakeholders who wanted more action when they are at the track or watching the telecast live on Seven and also via BigPond Sport.

“After 11 years of building itself into one of the country’s biggest sporting shows and infiltrating millions of Australian households it was time to take the next step forward,” Mr Levick said.

“The opportunity for change initially presented itself with the more environmentally friendly CSR Ethanol then morphed into a far more significant review of the entire sport and what we can do to make it better.”

The changes will be first reflected at the Clipsal 500 from March 19-22 in Adelaide. Last year the event attracted a four-day attendance of just under 300,000 people.


( source TCT )

 

[Rhys Gardiner]

Wasn't this seat supposed to be going to VIllenuve?

Jacques is rumored to be getting a seat at Supercheap Auto, not HRT.

Grats to Will, he's destined for greatness. Garth and Will should be unstoppable. :victory:

 

[Wido Rossen]

Ford performance goes blue

V8SC: Blueprint for success as FPR unveils livery
Ford Performance Racing is hoping Friday the 13th proves an auspicious date for the team after today launching its 2009 livery to the public.
The two-car V8 Supercar Championship Series team will be predominantly blue for the coming season to represent its key partnership with Ford as the primary manufacturer-backed team.

Cars five and six each carry separate title sponsors, with Orrcon Steel’s corporate silver and Castrol’s green and red giving each car respectively a distinct and striking character.

The cars will hit the track for the first time at Winton Raceway on March 3 for the team’s official shake down before 2009 testing officially begins.

Mark Winterbottom said: "I love the livery this year; Said Mark Winterbottom.

"We definitely look like a team. This and the 2007 Cobra are the two best looking cars I've driven and if it goes anything like that Cobra car did then 2009 should be a good year!"



Steve Richards went on to say: “Not many teams along the pitlane have managed to retain their sponsor line-up for as long as we have.

"The cars are packed with partners and we’re very lucky that we’ve got such great relationships but by the same token, we give them really good value as well.

“I can’t wait to get back in the car, particularly since it’s a new model and a brand new car; it’s like every driver’s dream so I feel like I’ve got a second Christmas present coming!”

Team Principal Tim Edwards said: “We’ve always looked like two separate teams running within a team so for the first time in the team’s history we’ve got two quite uniform liveries. That was our primary objective; to have two blue cars.

“Preparations are going very well for the start of the season. We’ll have three FG race cars ready by the end of this month, which is right on schedule. It’s all looking good.”


source: www.touringcartimes.com

 

[Christophe Berton]

nice

 

[Rhys Gardiner]

Hmmm... not bad at all. Me like! :laugh2:

 

[Josh Healy]

I am very happy with alot of the changes made....even if some are very confusing.
Some of the changes are not the best, I say that for the shortest races have no pitstop at all...

 

[Josh Healy]

HE has not lived up to any massive level in pro racing even though he did seat in F1 for quite some time.

You mean other then the fact he is the 1997 Formula 1 World Champion?
:quiet:

 

[Josh Healy]

Well the Orron car is nice....but the Castrol Edge one..
Not so nice

 

[Wido Rossen]

Ducati champ Bayliss tests V8 Supercar

Retired three-time World Superbike champion and MotoGP race winner Troy Bayliss will test with a V8 Supercar team in May and has been invited to race in the Audi Star Series in Europe.
"Cars are something that I love and I've been watching the V8s for many years," Bayliss said in Brisbane reports the Courier Mail.

He will not disclose the team he will test with until March 11, but he is now living on the Gold Coast so it is expected to be a southeast Queensland team, possibly Triple 8, which shares management links with Bayliss.

He follows world and American supercross champion Chad Reed of Newcastle, who has also tested with Triple 8 and Toyota's rally team and plans to go four-wheel racing in his retirement.

Bayliss said his commitments with Ducati as the current world champion meant he would have several overseas duties this year, but said it should leave him free for wildcard entries in V8 endurance events such as Bathurst or the Fujitsu development series.

"Bathurst would be good. I've done my time there on a bike. It would be my favourite place," he said.

Bayliss is hoping for a permanent driving post in 2010.

"I finished World Superbikes on top and in my heart I know I still have a lot of racing left in me," he said.

"I've done tests in a race car before and I know the V8s are quite hard to drive, but I know how to race. I just have to get used to four wheels.

"I'm under no illusions how difficult it will be. I've been thinking about this for a while so (racing) is not an easy thing to pack up and just stop."

Bayliss said he wasn't too old for a change of racing format.

"You don't have to be young. I feel at the top of my game at 39," he said.

"I tried to put a few kilos on at Christmas but I didn't sit well with it so I'm back in training again."

Bayliss ruled out a return to motorcycle racing and said that a challenge by MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi for a one-off race at Qatar had now lapsed.

"I won the last race in Valencia in MotoGP in 2006 and Valentino finds that a little hard to take," Bayliss said.

"My team has now been assigned to (Noriyuki) Haga and they can't just pull that team away from him now just before the season starts."

But Bayliss hasn't hung up his leathers entirely.

"It's that time of year when things start to click into gear so I'm starting to feel a little edgy," he said.

"I might do a test at Mugello on the superbike and GP bike just to keep my eye in, but I won't be an official test rider for Ducati."


( Source www.TouringcarTimes.com )