limp dick racing

[Alan Jones]

What the hell has happened over at DJR ?
Can anyone offer any insght or behind the scenes rumours they'd care to share ?
Has Dick no longer got the budget ? Was the secret of his success the Stone Bros and his abilty behind the wheel ?
I know he has many new faces in the team but he has had a shocker this year.The engines seem to be giving them grief, as is the setup and I'm left here wondering is it just down to inexperience of the new crew, or....?

SO, what does Dick need to do to put a little iron in his pecker and make the team stand up and be counted again ?

[GTRMagic]

This weekend past it seems Mr Ron Tauranac was brought into the team to help get the engineering on an even keel, and that a consultant on the technical side was brought in from overseas to help get the boat facing the right direction.

[FFOracing]

I predict the end (or atleast a MAJOR change) at the end of the year. The team has been going backwards for the last 3 or so years. Shell is not happy, along with many other folk. DJ will always be around in one form or another, but not as we know it now.

Its a shame, as given their experience, should be way up there. As it stands now, they would be back markers in the Konika series.

[GTRMagic]

I wonder if Mr Ricciardello is rocking up at Mallala in a few weeks time

[Quested]

Maybe motorsport is just not a family business?

[Mattracer]

Can I take that to mean a change somewhere in the ranks?

[GTRMagic]

You would have to wonder with Don Panoz apparently retiring to these shores, and David Brabham in the box seat for a permanent role at DJR, whether there isnt some kind of synergistic benefit already thought about to combine the business and financial acumen of Mr Panoz, the driving skills of Mr Brabham, and indeed the L1 franchise of Shell Development Australia into one big parlay.....

[Dirk]

V8 Supercar racing is very very competitive these days, just one second off the pace can put you back in 25th position these days. I think maybe Stephen needs to take it a little more seriously, and well Max has a lot to prove in my eyes. He was very ordinary last year, and then for DJ to sign him up, I am lost??? Look for some new drivers!

[RRR]

I hope there is substance to your claims of Panoz and Dick joining together Mr GTRMagic.
Sounds good for Dick, it would be great to have D.Brabs over here ful-time and to have another International motorsport figure head involved with V8Supercars would be excellent.

[GTRMagic]

I hope there is too RRR.... Mr Panoz has put up with a car that didnt suit his own regulations for a number of seasons, and seems to be a big fan of Brabs.....

Here's hoping

[Mattracer]

Does Panoz run an engineering cosultamcy firm similar to the now defunct TWR organisation?

If this is so, I am sure that there would be much mutual benefir to both parties involoved. DJR gets some engineering/technical input and Panoz joins the party here in Australia.

[racer69]

Isn't Brabham meant to be running a Rohan Skea Porsche in Europe next year?

After the Panoz/AVESCO stoush a few years back, why would Panoz want to get involved? (though the same could be said of Kelvin O'Reilly and Terry Morris)

[GTRMagic]

Is Rohan Skea actually running a Porsche team? It has been much rumoured that a car will rock up for the 24hr, but most people in the know dont think its actually happening

[bondy_racing]

I dont actually think he is havent really heard much of him in awhile

[jetsetter]

Unfortunately DJR's days look numbered unless something is done & that includes getting rid of his two current drivers who have both shown no reason why the should keep their seats. I certainly think the team could benefit from someone like Panoz running the show as that guy knows how to get success & won't accept anything less.

[GTRMagic]

There seem to be more reasons than drivers, to expect a consultant and an elderly statesman of the sport to whip a team with a 2 year run of outs into shape in one weekend is a tad optimistic....

[FFOracing]

Originally posted by GTRMagic
There seem to be more reasons than drivers, to expect a consultant and an elderly statesman of the sport to whip a team with a 2 year run of outs into shape in one weekend is a tad optimistic....

Yeah, have to agree with that. Whilst I don't think Junior and Max are the right choice at the moment, DJR's problems are far deeper than just the drivers. It is going to take alot more than some consultant to fix their problems. Usually when someone brings in a consultant, they are well and truly stuffed, and do it as a last resort.

Its obvious they can't get the car to handle right. Not just BA, they never worked out the AU either. Maybe they are using too much data from AU days? Maybe they have gone a particular development path that is just way off the mark?

Nothing seems to be working right at all. Their reliabilty stinks, their car speed is not there, and they don't seem to be making any improvements whatsoever. One can even say that 2003 is way worse that 2002. Something has to give, and when it does, it will be big. Like I said, DJR as we know it today won't be around much longer.

Its a shame that probably to second most experienced outfit are being outdone by rookies and underfunded teams.

[racer69]

What can they do to improve it? This years re-structure hasn't worked. The drivers aren't the major problem either, they have shown they have the speed in the past.

Whats Neal Lowe doing?

Should they purchase someone else's cars (eg..SBR used BA's) instead of building their own.

[Lyris]

Is SBR selling??? :confused:

I'm out of ideas where DJR is concerned, haven't they tried everything including replacing the kitchen sink???? Maybe when they get the broom out this year they should try sweeping some good stuff in instead of just sweeping the rubbish out.....?

[GTRMagic]

SBR are contractually obligated to Caltex, with I presume a no-compete clause for similar companies in the industries they are sponsored by.

Which means no other oil companies, no other hose and fittings, no other foods and beverages, no other pet foods.

It seems there is some integrity in this area with this team, while others (all eyes to SHRT, dont seem to mind the sponsor competition)

[paydriver]

Is this team all that relevant any more? Like Glenn Seton's mob, the successes of the nineties seem to have gone AWOL in the naughties.... maybe its just the mindset of that era's managers. If you dont reinvent yourself and your team every few years, it does tend to get stale.

[Conrod Kieron]

Maybe DJR have gone down a development path and cannot see the wood from the trees.

Bringing in fresh outside help from people who won't be directly employeed by the team might just be the ticket.

Outside contracted consultants can come in, analyse the current situation and recommend changes, this is different to pushing the broom through the place and introducing new employees who will be 'yes men' by comparison .
Of course, it up to the team to want to change and listen to the consultants views and good staff skills from the management is highly important here.

[GTRMagic]

Its still a novel approach for an Australian racing team though, to use external people to suggest operational and structural changes. I thought thats why they brought in Mr Chalker from CUB....

They have a number of people still interested in driving there, so there has to still be some confidence in the racing industry that the team can turn it around.

[Conrod Kieron]

Certainly a novel approach but I can see the reasoning, RT is being bought in for his engineering skills I would imagine, so the engineering guys may get told they are doing the wrong thing which could get a persons back up unless its managed correctly.

Is Chalker in charge of the day to day running/staff management issues or is it more on the corporate/PR side?

[GTRMagic]

The position title is General Manager, which to me would imply control over the whole show