MMOOOOORRRRRRIIIIIIISSSSSS!!!

[Crash Test]

The Farce continues!! Hmmm...i pick Morris for a few race wins, unless his engine falls out (or something similar)

MORRIS WINS POLE POSITION AT ORAN PARK

Queensland's Paul Morris today extended his lead in this year's BOC Gases Australian Super Touring Championship to 34 points when he won pole position for both races in tomorrow's third round of the series at Oran Park in Sydney. Morris, who is chasing a record fourth Super Touring title, scored a bonus point for each pole position at Oran Park in his rear-drive Mount Cotton Estate Winery BMW 320i. The 33-year-old Gold Coast driver boosted his championship tally to 80 points, while Brisbane's David Auger is second on 46 in a Leatherman Racing Alfa Romeo.

Morris claimed pole position for the first of the two 23-lap races at Oran Park when he clocked the fastest lap time of 1-min 12.36-secs in the opening qualifying session in fine conditions. He earned the top grid position for race two by recording the quickest lap of 1-min 12.22-secs in the second qualifying session around the 2.6km circuit.

Joining Morris on the front-row of the grid for both races is Sydney policeman John Henderson, who qualified second in both sessions in his upgraded front-drive Sydney Cranes & Transport Holden Vectra. Signature Security Systems Ford Mondeo team-mates Peter Hills and Alan Gurr, both from Sydney, will start race one on the second row. The second row for race two comprises Sydney's Jamie Miller in a Phoenix Motorsport Toyota Camry, and Gurr.

New Zealand's Dwayne Bewley continued his impressive championship comeback by qualifying on the third row in both races in the TC Motorsport Peugeot 406. Bewley, who has not raced in the championship since 1998, is racing at Oran Park as a replacement for the team's regular driver, fellow-New Zealander Tony Newman, who is ill.

Sydney's Jim Cornish will start the first race from the rear of the grid after being excluded from the opening qualifying session. Cornish, who clocked the sixth fastest time in the session, had his lap times deleted because he drove his Visit Your Vet Honda Accord to the pit area while the session was in progress.

Morris won all five races in the previous two rounds of this year's championship. He has now won a record 24 pole positions, all in BMWs, in the championship since his debut in 1994.

DRIVER QUOTES:

PAUL MORRIS (Mount Cotton Estate Winery BMW 320i):
"The weather was good today, but the track was still slippery from all the rain they've had in Sydney. Once more rubber goes down the grip will improve for everyone. The BMW is always competitive at Oran Park, so we're aiming for a couple more wins tomorrow."

JOHN HENDERSON (Sydney Cranes & Transport Holden Vectra):
"We've had some improvements and repairs made to the front uprights and brakes on the Vectra and it feels fast and strong all around the circuit. The most important thing for me is to try and beat the BMW into the first corner. If I can do that it's going to give me a much better chance of winning."

JIM CORNISH (Visit Your Vet Honda Accord):
"There was an unfortunate mix-up on the radio, which has put me at the back of the grid for the first race. One of the guys told me to come back to the pits (in the first qualifying session). He meant return to the pit-lane area, but I thought I had to park the car in the paddock beside the transporter so I did. There was some confusion, but what I did was against the rules so I've got to cop the punishment."

QUALIFYING - SESSION 1 LAP TIMES (starting positions Race 1):

POS DRIVER CAR TIME
1. Paul Morris (Qld) Mount Cotton Estate Winery BMW 320i 1:12.36
2. John Henderson (NSW) Henderson Racing Holden Vectra 1:12.77
3. Peter Hills (NSW) Signature Security Systems Ford Mondeo 1:13.50
4. Alan Gurr (NSW) Signature Security Systems Ford Mondeo 1:13.89
5. Dwayne Bewley (NZ) TC Motorsport Peugeot 406 1:14.06
6. David Auger (Qld) Leatherman Racing Alfa Romeo 1:14.47
7. Jamie Miller (NSW) Phoenix Motorsport Toyota Camry 1:14.55
8. Aaron McGill (NSW) Trinovin Nissan Primera 1:14.89
9. Anthony Robson (NSW) Grid Motorsport BMW 318i 1:15.09
10. Allan Letcher (WA) McGill Motorsport Ford Mondeo 1:15.69

QUALIFYING - SESSION 2 LAP TIMES (starting positions Race 2):

POS DRIVER CAR TIME
1. Paul Morris (Qld) Mount Cotton Estate Winery BMW 320i 1:12.22
2. John Henderson (NSW) Henderson Racing Holden Vectra 1:12.71
3. Jamie Miller (NSW) Phoenix Motorsport Toyota Camry 1:12.89
4. Alan Gurr (NSW) Signature Security Systems Ford Mondeo 1:13.45
5. Peter Hills (NSW) Signature Security Systems Ford Mondeo 1:13.55
6. Dwayne Bewley (NZ) TC Motorsport Peugeot 406 1:13.68
7. David Auger (Qld) Leatherman Racing Alfa Romeo 1:14.14
8. Jim Cornish (NSW) Visit Your Vet Honda Accord 1:14.24
9. Aaron McGill (NSW) Trinovin Nissan Primera 1:14.86
10. Anthony Robson (NSW) Grid Motorsport BMW 318i 1:14.98

[Crash Test]

ORAN PARK, NSW: Race Report, Sunday, July 9
MORRIS EXTENDS UNBEATEN RECORD

Queensland's Paul Morris extended his unbeaten record in this year's BOC Gases Australian Super Touring Championship by winning both races in the third round at Oran Park in Sydney today.

Morris's results in fine conditions at Oran Park left him with seven victories from as many starts in the opening three rounds of the championship in his all-conquering Mount Cotton Estate Winery BMW 320i, and he leads the series by 50 points.

The 33-year-old Gold Coast driver won the opening race at Oran Park over 28 laps in 39-mins 47.32-secs, and he finished 0.56-secs clear of second-placed Sydney policeman John Henderson in a Sydney Cranes & Transport Holden Vectra. Sydney teenager Allan Gurr was third in a Signature Security Systems Ford Mondeo, followed by Queensland's David Auger in a Leatherman Racing Alfa Romeo.

In the second race, over 23, laps, Morris took the chequered flag in 28-mins 42.70-secs, and had an advantage of 0.32-secs ahead of Henderson at the finish. Gurr provided further evidence of his ability and composure by again finishing third, followed by New Zealand's Dwayne Bewley, who made a creditable comeback to the championship after a two-year absence in the TC Motorsport Peugeot 406.

Morris scored 32 points for the round, and boosted his championship tally to 110. Gurr, who had contested only three race meetings before the start of the championship, is now second in the series on 60 points, two clear of Auger, with Henderson fourth on 52. Auger leads the Independents Cup on 101 points, with Perth-based Trinovin Ford Mondeo driver Alan Letcher second on 66, and Newcastle's Luke Searle third on 47 in a SAE College-Roadchill Express BMW 318i.

The first race included five laps under Safety Car conditions following an accident on the final corner of the opening lap involving Jamie Miller in a Phoenix Motorsport Toyota Camry, fellow-Sydney driver Paul Leabeater in a Redline Motorsport Hyundai Lantra, and Victorian James Brock in a Holden Commodore Future Tourer. The right rear wheel of Miller's Toyota was badly damaged, and there was a lengthy delay while the car was removed from the circuit by marshals. Earlier in the lap Miller was also involved in an incident with Bewley, which spun the Peugeot.

Sydney's Jim Cornish, who drove impressively in the previous round at Lakeside in Queensland on June 18, was forced out of the Oran Park meeting after his Visit Your Vet Honda Accord developed engine problems in race one. Aaron McGill, driving a Trinovin Nissan Primera, made a spectacular exit from the second race at the end of the main straight after the seat was dislodged in his car.

DRIVER QUOTES:

PAUL MORRIS (Mount Cotton Estate Winery BMW 320i):
"We came away with a couple more wins, but John (Henderson) pushed me hard in both races. It seemed we were never more than 100m apart - there were places on the track where the BMW was quicker and other sections where he could make up time. It's good to have a points buffer in the championship because that could be important at the end of the season. Yesterday I had a sore throat in qualifying, but I felt much better today."

JOHN HENDERSON (Sydney Cranes & Transport Holden Vectra):
"I can't be too disappointed with second because we threw everything at the BMW and our car was the best it's ever been. I tried to put as much pressure on Paul (Morris) as I could and force a mistake, but he kept it together."

ALAN GURR (Signature Security Systems Ford Mondeo):
"In the first race I couldn't quite run with the two guys in front of me (Morris and Henderson), so I concentrated on staying ahead of the group behind me. My lap times were consistent so third was a good result. The Peugeot was close to me in the last few laps of the second race, but I managed to stay ahead. It was good, clean racing. I didn't expect to be second in the championship at this stage, but the car is reliable and we're scoring points."

JAMIE MILER (Phoenix Motorsport Toyota Camry):
"It was a disappointing day - I didn't even finish a lap! The accident happened when James (Brock) tried to do the right thing and move over to let us through. I think his clutch was slipping. I tried to go up the inside of the Hyundai and then we touched. After that cars were spinning everywhere and I'm not sure what happened. My car is badly damaged."

RESULTS - RACE 1 (28 laps):

POS DRIVER CAR TIME
1. Paul Morris (Qld) Mount Cotton Estate Winery BMW 320i 39:47.32
2. John Henderson (NSW) Sydney Cranes & Transport Holden Vectra 39:47.88
3. Allan Gurr (NSW) Signature Security Systems Ford Mondeo 39:50.65
4. David Auger (Qld) Leatherman Racing Alfa Romeo 39:53.41
5. Peter Hills (NSW) Signature Security Systems Ford Mondeo 40:02.71
6. Aaron McGill (NSW) Trinovin Nissan Primera 40:14.25
7. Allan Letcher (WA) McGill Motorsport Ford Mondeo 40:37.69
8. Anthony Robson (NSW) Grid Motorsport BMW 318i 3 laps down
9. Dwayne Bewley (NZ) TC Motorsport Peugeot 406 5 laps down

FASTEST LAP: Henderson 1-min 13.561-secs

NOTE: Race 1 included 5 laps under Safety Car conditions

RESULTS - RACE 2 (23 laps):

POS DRIVER CAR TIME
1. Paul Morris (Qld) Mount Cotton Estate Winery BMW 320i 28:42.70
2. John Henderson (NSW) Sydney Cranes & Transport Holden Vectra 28:43.02
3. Alan Gurr (NSW) Signature Security Systems Ford Mondeo 28:45.11
4. Dwayne Bewley (NZ) TC Motorsport Peugeot 406 28:45.67
5. Luke Searle (NSW) SAE College-Roadchill Express BMW 318i 29:00.26
6. Peter Hills (NSW) Signature Security Systems Ford Mondeo 29:01.87
7. David Auger (Qld) Leatherman Racing Alfa Romeo 29:01.95
8. Anthony Robson (NSW) Grid Motorsport BMW 318i 29:19.83
9. Allan Letcher (WA) Trinovin Ford Mondeo 29:47.20

FASTEST LAP: Morris 1-min 13.15-secs

DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (after round 3):
Morris 110, Gurr 60, Auger 58, Henderson 52, Hills 33, Letcher 31, Searle 24, McGill 18, Downard 14, Miller 11, Bewley 10, Cornish 10, Leabeater 8, Robson 6, Stratton 5, Rolfo 3, Fitzgerald 2

INDEPENDENTS CUP POINTS (after round 3):
Auger 101, Letcher 66, Searle 47, Downard 33, Leabeater 24, Miller 23, Cornish 20, Robson 20, Stratton 8, Rolfo 6, Fitzgerald 6

TEAMS CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (after round 3):
Knight Racing 141, McGill Motorsport 112, Motorsport Developments 12

FUTURE TOURERS POINTS (after round 2):
Shaw 72, D'Agostin 49, Webb 30, Domaschenz 22, Hagward, Wade 18, Brock 16, Holt 12, Sidebottom 10

[kmchow]

Hey, Crash Test, Morris is already saddled with the maximum 40kg win penalty right? It can't be increased anymore? Perhaps TOCA Australia should continue to increase the weight further? Also, his car is a '96 chassis, 97 spec aero, 99 engine update? He's just running away with the championship.

Henderson's car is a '95 chassis, what year engine or aero aids? Was Henderon's car the ex-Greenfield mowers one

[Crash Test]

They can't do too much more to Morris other than telling him to park the car for a flewlaps to let them catch up....isn't it interesting that you can breeze in qualifying, at least 1/2 a second faster than the rest, but then only win the race by 0.3 second?? I dunno...draw your own conclusions from that...

Yep, it's Cameron's old car, but im pretty sure it has a great deal of updated bits in it...

[elephino]

From the look of it at the track, Morris never got out of third gear. Miller's accident has been rather understated in that release. Miller came up the inside of Leabeater, they touched and went a little wide, into Brock. Brock then came across infront of the other two and Miller went to the right then the car went left suddenly then started bouncing when the wheel came off. He ended up sitting the car on top of the wheel. A difficult job for them to remove, they ended up lifting the back end of the car and rolling the car and wheel (still attached by hoses) off to the side of the track in about the only place around the track it could be done easily too.

[kmchow]

>They can't do too much more to Morris other than telling >him to park the car for a flewlaps to let them catch up....
>
hee,hee , lol...that would be hilarious. yeah, drive into pits, catch a cold beer or drink, then go back out? =)

>isn't it interesting that you can breeze in qualifying, at >least 1/2 a second faster than the rest,
>
hmmm, I guess Morris wants the car to be for sure on the pole.

>but then only win the race by 0.3 second?? I dunno...draw >your own conclusions from that...
>
no, I don't think Morris is purposely driving slow per se... There's no need to push the car to the limits when the competition isn't forcing you? he could conserve his tires and only push when he has to. Drive too hard, make a mistake and he could lose his lead? I would do the same?

Alternatively, Morris could start running older/used tires to save money?

I wonder what the other drivers personally think off the camera/record. Do you they want Morris car with more weight penalty??

Yeah, I wonder how is Henderson financing the car, let alone the parts to upgrade it? All this racing takes money??

[Crash Test]

"catch a cold beer or drink, then go back out? =)"
-Maybe they should give him his champagne before the race (extra large bottle), make him drink then make him race...heck, i'd pay money to see that!!
He would be rather erratic for the first few laps(like the rest of the field...), but then he'd have to drive really quickly to go and have a leak

Even these days he gives most of the practice and warm up sessions a miss...but he would still by a very long way the biggest budget in the field...why would you bother saving money if you have too much of it to deal with?

"no, I don't think Morris is purposely driving slow per se..."
-Well some of the spots he was taking his foot off the accelerator is just unheard of...that wasn't saving the car...it was fudging..

"Drive too hard, make a mistake and he could lose his lead?"
-The problem is that he casn comfortably lead the race by a lap, and then if for some reason he falls asleep, he would still have a verrry long time until the next car catchs up...

"I wonder what the other drivers personally think off the camera/record. Do you they want Morris car with more weight penalty??"
-Of course they would want Morris out of their site, but to be honest, no Morris means no series....you see his old man is apparently bank rolling the series...

[kmchow]

Crash Test wrote:

>but he would still by a very long way the biggest budget >in the field...why would you bother saving money if you >have too much of it to deal with?
>
Well, if he could save money here and there and STILL win the championship, why not save it? It could be put to much better use should for a rainy (bad) day when no sponsors are lined up to back him? Use the saved money to race in another series, possibly another try at US Indy lights or CART?

Do you think there is a chance that ST cars will continue to race in Australia next year, despite ST being officially over? Could it last just another year or two??? I wish it could!! Plus, what else could all those ST car owners do with their cars???
Hey, we should all send emails to plead with TOCA Australia to plan for a '01 season???

[Crash Test]

The day there is a rainy day in the Morris household...well..lets just say that the world would be in an awful lot of trouble... Yes he has a lot of sponsors, but a great deal of them would have connections with his father, he is a big mover and shaker in the business and motorsport world, and the word is that he is the money behind Toca. Aust....

"Use the saved money to race in another series, possibly another try at US Indy lights or CART"
-I don't think we'll see him in Lights again, he is too big for it, and that was his problem last time. I think he'd like to go overseas, remember he came within a bees dick of a second Dynamics seat last year....but then again he has a growing V8 team, which is nearly about to get their third car, so he might want to pour everything into that...

"...what else could all those ST car owners do with their cars???"
- Well from what i hear...do other things...i guess it all depends on what Morris wants to do next year, if he wants to stay in it, there will be a series. I guess the cars would be absorbed into Sports Sedans, or have a little series based around Oran Park (isn't that what it is at the moment?) supporting the trucks etc...im not too sure if the tracks would want them back when they only draw a couple 100 spectators...

From a spectator point of view i would love to see a competitive field of cars, that would be good. But what i saw a few weekends ago made me very sad indeed, you can see much better races every second weekend at a club meet. From an organisational stand point, the super tourers have caused sooo much trouble with the local calendar, i almost wish they would nat off...

Oh well...

[Danielsun]

You know, it's such a tragedy that I'm not in Oz to witness such a wonderful and exciting series. So long, Super Touring...

I'll stick my neck out, as Murray would say, and make a bold prediction: Paul Morris will win the ASTC this year. Anyone wishing to bet against him is welcome; you'd make a fortune if you bet on David Auger and he did win!!

[Crash Test]

I approached my friendly book maker about this one....he wouldn't even gaurantee a 5cent return on my life saving on a Morris victory...

[kmchow]

Crash Test wrote:

Wow, I am suprised to hear the Morris family is keeping ST alive in the ASTC. That is pretty amazing! Do the Morrises own other business to support the series? BOC Gases by any chance???

>- Well from what i hear...do other things...i guess it all >depends on what Morris wants to do next year, if he wants >to stay in it, there will be a series.
>
I hope he stays then!!!

>I guess the cars would be absorbed into Sports Sedans, or >have a little series based around Oran Park (isn't that >what it is at the moment?) supporting the trucks etc...
>
OTOH, that probably means an end to overseas televeision coverage!!! I guess I would have to follow it online, but it's not the same!

>From a spectator point of view i would love to see a >competitive field of cars, that would be good.
>
I thought everyone agreed with me??? ;-) That the field is totally competitive among themselves if you take out Morris??? ;-) Henderson is kinda semi competitive against Morris if Morris is having a bad day??? =)

Or maybe we could see Morris in DTM? Some of those guys are pretty big as well?

[Danielsun]

... or maybe he could just move full-time into the V8 Supercar ranks. He was, as far as I know, going to built in-house a VT for the end of the season. This may or may not happen, but he'll probably decide that he's had enough of testing the Bimmer -- sorry, racing it -- come season's end.

And just when they were going to hold the second 'Celebration' thing next Easter. Tragic...

Sports Sedans is about all the cars could become, slightly uncompetitive examples at that. Not that that would be any different for most of them still with the ASTC. I fear not even the new BTCC rules could save this series...

[Crash Test]

"I fear not even the new BTCC rules could save this series..."
-Could the new BTCC rules save the BTCC though

"Wow, I am suprised to hear the Morris family is keeping ST alive in the ASTC. That is pretty amazing! Do the Morrises own other business to support the series? BOC Gases by any chance???"

- I don't think they have BOC involvement...but nothing surprises me.

To be very honest with you, the Morris's are some of the nicest folk around. I'll never ever forget in Bathurst 97. I was at the bottom of the hill on the Wednesday (i was the one and only spectator) and doing to good old hike to the top of the mountain (mind you, not only is it a few 100 metres tall, but it is a bloody long way around). Then pulled up a white range rover, it pulled up next to me, i hoped in, and who else is it but Terry Morris. Anyways we were having a bit of a chat, and i realised who it was. He asked "who do you think will win on the weekend?", I said "I think Baird and Morris will kick butt"....he got a good laugh out of it!!

Anyways he drove me around the top of the hill and pointed a lot of the stuff out to me, which was really nice. Anyways as things went, Morris and Baird did kick butt, but got outed because Baird had a stint that was a little over the legal limit..

Anyways, a couple of weeks later, the ASTC had their second last round at Lakeside. Anyways, Terry introduced me to Paul and we all had a big chit chat. And Paul went onto to win both races...boy times have changed!!

"That the field is totally competitive among themselves if you take out Morris??? ;-) Henderson is kinda semi competitive against Morris if Morris is having a bad day??? =)"
-As i've said before, it is rigged. But i guess if thats what people want...well so be it. Appart from the top few drivers, the quality of drivers is rather poor...or the quality of car is not there....

[Danielsun]

You're not having a go at our dear Mal Rea, are you, Sir?

I would tend to say it's a combination of the cars not being up to the job - look at some of them: update through update means nothing. The fact is, these cars have done a few Championship challenges too many. Even the rest-of-world beating Mondeos are from 1994. Paint scheme changes do not a faster car make, I'm sorry to say.

Yes, some of the drivers aren't quite up to the job of taking on Paul Morris, but that's nothing especially newsworthy in Super Touring ranks - he's been on top of it since 1995, the series' second season. But, yes, it is more the cars than the drivers...

But don't rest on my thoughts, why not ask Hillsy about it? I'm sure he'll tell you what's going on.

[Crash Test]

Dont even start me on Mal Rea... i could go on and on...

lets just say the man doesnt have $500 in the bank...

I think he went to Oran Park (well he wasnt up the coast, or wasn't answering the phone) but his 2 beasts were no shows for the race meeting....

Nono....some of the driving out there was Shyte at best. people driving all over the shop....the safest place to be was sitting on the apex of the corners...

[Danielsun]

Apex. That's the outside of a corner, right?

Sorry, I had no idea the ASTC had turned into that much of a farce. I take it that it could now be likened to a State Championship meeting, rather than the supposed international Touring Car formula that it should be...

[Crash Test]

Dn't knock state championship drivers...more HQ and Gemini drivers know where the apex is

[kmchow]

Crash Test wrote:

>Appart from the top few drivers, the quality of drivers is >rather poor...or the quality of car is not there....
>
hmmm, is it just me or are you overseas fans too spoiled???
C'mon, why are you guys so hard on older cars? I don't mind watching a '93 or '94 spec ST car racing as long as it's racing. As long as 90% of the cars are poor quality, everyone is on a level playing field, right? That's what we want right? A "good" race between equally old and tired cars?

OTOH, I'm probably so defensive and offended because we in NA lost our ST series back in '98!! Those will be the best 2 years of my (motorsport) fan life!!! So I apologize if I sound like I'm going ballistic...

And as in the Blair discussion, at least Malcom Rea can proudly (I would be VERY PROUD) say he RACES AND OWNS a ST car!!! How many of us can say that??

[Crash Test]

"at least Malcom Rea can proudly (I would be VERY PROUD) say he RACES AND OWNS a ST car!!! How many of us can say that??"
-He may own a few race cars, but they don't always race

"C'mon, why are you guys so hard on older cars? I don't mind watching a '93 or '94 spec ST car racing as long as it's racing. As long as 90% of the cars are poor quality, everyone is on a level playing field, right? That's what we want right?"
-I guess i didnt phrase that very well, for some competitors with quick cars, the quality of the driver is a huge draw back, but for other drivers, who are of high quality, old machinery slow them down. David Auger falls into this class. He was fighting soooo hard out there, but the car just wasnt good enough. Meanwhile behind him, there were some much faster cars, but the driving was very erratic...

[kmchow]

Crash Test wrote:

>-He may own a few race cars, but they don't always race
>
I'm sure Mal Rea is trying his best. I think he wants to race just as much as Morris and Henderson does. He's already racing only one car versus two cars in earlier years? The second car has become a donor parts car for the first one?

>Meanwhile behind him, there were some much faster cars, >but the driving was very erratic...
>
Alternatively, even some talented drivers may just need time to get used to such power (if coming from lower production racing series) or a sequential gearbox?

[Crash Test]

WRT Mr Rea. For the first meeting at OP, i believe that he went down, but didn't race. At Lakeside they turned up late on Saturday morning, but they didnt qualify. Mals car had horrendous electrical problems and the car wouldnt budge, so they had to call in a sparky. im not sure about the other car, but i think that it just wasnt ready. Anyways, the 2nd car, being driven by Brad Strattin, finished 6th, but only after the engine cut itself in half, not only over its width, but along the length of the block, a few 100 metres short of the line.

Apparently Mal had some spares to fix it at the shop, and they took off to OP, but obviously they didnt race...

"Alternatively, even some talented drivers may just need time to get used to such power (if coming from lower production racing series) or a sequential gearbox?"

-Most of the field have experience in the cars from previous seasons and race meetings...Gurr would be one who didnt, but he was one of the better quality drivers out there...

[kmchow]

Crash Test wrote:

>Mals car had horrendous electrical problems and the car >wouldnt budge, so they had to call in a sparky.
>
Sorry, but what's a sparky? A technician to diagnose the car or a jumpstart in order to make the grid?

>Apparently Mal had some spares to fix it at the shop, and >they took off to OP, but obviously they didnt race...
>
Sorry, I didn't follow you. You mean Mal knew the car had problems, didn't bother fixing it and went to the OP race?

Also, I'm sure Mal would like to upgrade to a newer car, but that would cost a lot of money. And to make matters worse, as you know, ST is going extinct which makes it a very expensive hobby.

>-Most of the field have experience in the cars from >previous seasons and race meetings...Gurr would be one who >didnt, but he was one of the better quality drivers out >there...
>
Yes, Gurr is one one of those exceptional student who seem to have no problem adjusting? BTW, do the drivers than Hill choose to guest drive every year come with sponsorship (pay their way?) or is the drive free from Hill? It looks like Gurr came with Konica(??) sponsorship compared to the other Hills drivers?

[Crash Test]

"Sorry, but what's a sparky?"
-Aussie term for electrician

"Sorry, I didn't follow you. You mean Mal knew the car had problems, didn't bother fixing it and went to the OP race?"
-Ok, their second cut destroyed an engineat Lakeside, but Mal had the parts in the workshop to fix it. Talking to a few people, they aren't sure that they had time to fix it. Anyways, nobody could get onto anyone at the workshop the week before hand, so we presume that he went off to OP with at least one car that should have had a working engine. But as we've seen, neither of his cars were starters there...so your guess is as good as mine...

"Yes, Gurr is one one of those exceptional student who seem to have no problem adjusting? BTW, do the drivers than Hill choose to guest drive every year come with sponsorship (pay their way?) or is the drive free from Hill? It looks like Gurr came with Konica(??) sponsorship compared to the other Hills drivers?"
-Yep, they all have to pay their way into a drive. I think this year Hills may have tested a few people and picked the best one from them....

[DAVID PATERSON]

Very, very few Touring car drivers get their start for free, almost all of them are expected to bring money to the team, the teams however like not to mention this too much to the media and public.