ATCC News

Saillard Aiming to Continue 2008 Success Heading into Queensland Raceway

2008-05-13T01:38:00.000-07:00

Current Australian Touring Car Champion Darren Saillard heads into the third round of the championship this weekend (May 17 and 18) at Queensland Raceway (Ipswich, QLD) looking to continue his 2008 winning ways.

So far in 2008 Saillard has blitzed the field in both rounds, Wakefield Park and Calder Park Raceways, and heads into the third round brimming with confidence in what will be only his second visit to the 3.13km circuit.

Adding to Saillard’s confidence levels was the fine performance of his ex Ford Performance Racing (FPR) BA Ford Falcon V8 Supercar during its debut at the Calder Park round only a few weeks ago.

During last year’s corresponding round of the Australian Touring Car Championship, Saillard made his first appearance in the Garry Willmington owned at the time AU Ford Falcon, which later on was purchased by the Saillard Racing team, and was lucky not to come away with the round victory, but he ended up finishing in third place on the podium at the completion of the weekend.

With the main goal being to continue his winning run in 2008, Saillard is also looking forward to further developing the BA Ford Falcon.

“The aim for this weekend is to consolidate my lead in the championship, and also get some more track time with my new car,” Saillard explained.

“There is still so much to learn about the new car, and that is something I’m very much looking forward to, especially considering the speed we showed during its debut, we can only improve from here on in.

“With the goals this year being to contest a few Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series rounds it’s going to be really exciting to see how my lap times compare around Queensland Raceway as that is a circuit that they compete at.”

Saillard and his team will arrive at Queensland Raceway on Thursday night, where they plan to get a full day of testing on Friday, followed by official practice and qualifying on Saturday, and the three races on Sunday.

In 2008 Saillard Racing is proudly sponsored by:

Hayters Timber & Sawmill Products
• Abels Smash Repairs
• Baker’s Precision Race Engines
• Dent Solutions
• Driving Force
• RAD Designs

Saillard Extends Lead

2008-05-03T22:26:00.000-07:00

Darren Saillard has extended his championship lead during Round 2 at Calder Park, while Darren Formosa took his first ATCC race win.

Friday evening at Calder Park brought showers, but fine conditions returned on Saturday. Darren Saillard had brought a brand new car with him - an ex-FPR BA Falcon, now bearing Hayters Timbers signage - and was intent on maintaining his championship lead. Darren Formosa was equally intent on neutralising the lead Saillard took away from Round One, and with Calder being his home circuit, the PowerPlus 98-backed Formosa was looking confident.

The circuit was a little greasy in the opening practice session, with both Saillard and Formosa just missing out on breaking the 1 minute barrier, and Saillard getting the upper hand by half a second. Just a fraction behind was newcomer Peter McNiven in his stark white VX Commodore ex-Supercar. John English had the Budget Height Access V8 Magna honking to take 4th, ahead of his team mate Gary Leaton in the Elite Fleet Monaro. Rounding out the six was Sean Holmes in his slick-shod, slick looking Subaru WRX STi. Holmes was finding his feet on the newly fitted Kumho slicks, never having run on slicks before, and the swsports.com.au Subaru having had somewhat of a transformation since the previous round.

In the official qualifying session, Saillard and Formosa traded fastest laps throughout the session. Saillard burst through the 1 minute barrier after just three laps, with a 59.7, then followed with a string of quick laps to eventually get down to 58.9s. Formosa was a little slower to hit his stride, not breaking the 1m barrier until his second run, but his first flying lap on that run was a 58.9, which he later improved to a 58.8 to take the top spot from Saillard. Saillard then rejoined the session, and just managed a 58.6 in the dying moments of the session to return to the front of the field. McNiven continually improved his times throughout the session in an impressive debut, ultimately setting a 1m00 time. John English was next up, followed by Gary Leaton and Sean Holmes.

The circuit received another downpour on Saturday night, and was greasy again for the first race on Sunday morning. Sean Holmes got an amazing launch at the start, to be challenging for the lead into the first corner. Saillard and Formosa overpowered Holmes fairly quickly, and John English held out Peter McNiven until the second lap. Holmes was able to hold onto 5th until the fourth lap. At the front, Saillard settled into the lead, with Formosa keeping in touch. The order stayed that way until Saillard came up on Holmes (set to be lapped after a mid-race error). Saillard slipped through at the second last corner, but Formosa made contact sending the Subaru into the wall, and severely damaging the left-front of Formosa's car. The race was red flagged, with the final order: Saillard, Formosa, McNiven, English and Leaton.

Holmes was taken to the medical centre, and ultimately to hospital. The Subaru that had looked so fantastic at the start of the weekend was also in a bad way. Formosa's car also sustained significant damage, but the PowerPlus 98 team pulled together and got to work on the car. With a fair amount of brute force, and some strategically placed race tape, they managed to get it together in time for the next race!

For the second race Formosa could have been forgiven for being a little conservative, but he had no such intention. Whilst Saillard powered away into the lead, Formosa brought the fight to him, and slipped through to take the number one position. The two battled hard throughout the race, Saillard challenging under brakes a number of times, but Formosa was able to hold on and take the win. Behind them, McNiven drove hard all race, only to be forced to retire with two laps to go. This elevated English and Leaton into 3rd and 4th respectively.

In the final race, Saillard made his intentions clear early, by taking the lead, and not offering any opportunity for Formosa to get past. The order was unchanged throughout the race, with Saillard leading Formosa home by just under 10 seconds after 16 laps. English and Leaton again finished 3rd and 4th.

Overall it was Saillard who took the round win, Formosa a delighted second (and with his first ATCC race win), and John English third (also the first of the Division 4 finishers).

The next round of the AASA Australian Touring Car Championship will be held at Ipswich's Queensland Raceway, 17-18 May.

First Race Win for Powerplus 98 in ATCC

2008-05-02T22:14:00.000-07:00

Calder Park Raceway welcomed round 2 of the AASA Australian Touring Car Challenge on the 26th - 27th of April. For Power Plus 98 Racing, returning to Calder brought high hopes of a good result with a home track advantage on their side.

Friday began the weekend with three private practice sessions spread throughout the day. Session one was used as a warm-up to make-sure all parts that had been modified since round 1 at Wakefield Park were all in running order for the forthcoming weekend.

With all parts tested, Darren Formosa used the remainder of Friday to tune the car into race-ready mode, though soon it would become clear for the crew back in pit-lane the car was struggling with the bumps over Jane Hill, which were unsettling the rear of the car making it want to go into wheel spin. At the end of the session the crew set to work, hoping to iron out the issue with the rear suspension.

Slightly overcast conditions met the 6 ATCC entries for the weekend, with rain in the distance looking like it could arrive at any moment. While it may have been cold it never hampered the result for Formosa, finishing the day with the quickest time with the only main issue still being the wheel spin that was causing Darren to lose time over the back of the circuit.

Saturday saw the first day of serious hard-hitting action with official practice and qualifying for the weekend taking place.

Practice got underway with the skies once again looking like rain could come down at a moment’s notice, plus wind was also going to be a challenge. From the start of the session Darren Saillard in his new BA Falcon looked strong and setting quick times, and while they came close, neither Saillard nor Formosa could crack the 1:00.0000 barrier around the circuit. An off at turn 1 caused by a slight brake issue broke the front left panel on the Power Plus 98 Holden Commodore left the crew with some work to do in the lead-up to qualifying.

Could qualifying produce the all important pole position for Sunday's race 1 for Power Plus 98 Racing? The 20 minute session would soon tell. In the first few minutes of the session, the opening laps were spent getting tyres up to pressure and ready for some hard fast laps, but before that could happen the brake issue that had been hampering the weekend’s progress sparked up again, with Darren having to pull into the pits. Five minutes later he returned to the track to push the changes to the maximum and that he did, setting a 58.9772 at the outset, and then bettering his time just three laps later with a 58.8081. Meanwhile Darren Saillard was also setting quick times, sneaking into 1st place by 0.00.1167 with a 58.6914, oil on the track from Gary Leaton's car ended any late runs of quick times.

Two days worth of setting up the car would be pushed to its limit come Sunday morning, with race 1 setting up a battle between Saillard and Formosa into turn 1. A surprise when the lights went green was Sean Holmes getting the jump from 6th position battling for the lead heading into turn one, but the power of the Subaru WRX would soon be overpowered by the speed of the two V8 Supercars by the end of lap 1. By that time Saillard had the lead and looked in no hurry to give it away but Formosa stayed in touch. After a hard fought battle, disaster would strike near the end of the race, resulting in the race being red flagged. As Saillard passed Holmes at the second last corner with Formosa closely behind, Holmes would come to a sudden halt leaving the Power Plus 98 Racing car with nowhere to go. Formosa's left side clipped the Subaru at 90km/h sending it into a sideways motion, for Holmes the weekend would end there, hitting the tyre barrier and coming to rest along the pit-lane entry.

Returning to the pits after the race was red flagged, the Power Plus 98 Racing Crew set to work with major damage to the front of the car; a new front splitter, right and left guards damaged and a few rails needing some repair work. At one stage hopes of starting race 2 looked slim, but the crew worked hard and with race tape used to the maximum, a sore and sorry Holden Commodore was pushed out of the garage with the crew getting a very big loud applause from all the supporters on hand for the start of race 2.

Lining up on the grid in second position for the second race of the day was going to be a challenge for Formosa, after the incident in race 1 the car was not in the best shape it had been all weekend. As the lights went green, any thinking that Saillard would drive away with another race win was put to rest with Formosa taking the lead, much to the delight of most of the grandstand. Saillard and Formosa would go head to head for the opening laps, with Saillard trying to find a opening on the inside of Formosa heading into turn 1 after getting a good run onto the front straight, but Formosa held his ground managing to break away from Sailllard. His break lasted only a short time before Saillard once again got close, with one of his strong points being how good his BA was in the braking points of each turn. Gary Leaton would get lapped as the leaders got quicker and quicker, this time it would be a clean pass for both on the lapped car, with Leaton giving room for both heading into turn 1.

With two laps to go it looked as though anyone could win, Formosa was pushing his car to his limit trying to hold onto the lead to score his first ever win. With two laps remaining Saillard tried one last move down the inside into the second last turn but could not find a way past. Crossing the finish line in first position broke the long awaited race win drought for Darren Formosa and Power Plus 98 Racing, after long nights and days and close results. A car that had suffered damage, survived major repair jobs and even triumphed over damage earlier in the day, managed to get up and win against a brand new BA Falcon, shocking a lot of people but made one team the happiest they have ever been.

Returning to the pits to celebrate the race win and get ready for the final race, minimum changes were done to the car, with the tyres being rotated so that the best rubber was on the car for the final race of the day.

Race 3 would see a slightly smaller field, with only 4 cars starting the race. Overcast conditions would also change conditions with the track cooling down. Saillard would get the jump from the start and holding onto the lead for the remainder of the race, while Formosa was good under brakes it was not enough to get past Saillard who would take the lead out to 5 seconds at one point. With the rear bumper on his Holden Commodore flapping Formosa did not want to risk any further damage to his car and settled for second position.

Overall for the round, Darren Saillard won finishing on 88 points, Formosa in 2nd with 86 and John English a surprise 3rd with 76.

Another surprise win for Power Plus 98 Racing was winning the best presented team for the weekend.

Round 3 of the AASA Australian Touring Car Challenge Series gets underway at Queensland Raceway from the 18th to 19th of May.

Best Wishes to Sean Holmes

2008-04-29T00:20:00.000-07:00

We at www.australiantouringcarchampionship.net.au would like to extend our best wishes to Giant Killers driver Sean Holmes.

Sean suffered an impact with the wall in his Subaru Impreza WRX Giant Killer, after contact with the V8 Giant of Darren Formosa.

Sean has received treatment at hospital, and has said he expects to be back at full strength in around a month. His WRX should just be ready in time for his comeback, as his fantastic crew have put the estimate for repairs at around a month.

Before the accident, Sean was enjoying his strongest performance in the AASA Australian Touring Car Championship to date, with a range of improvements to the WRX paying off. It was a premature end to this performance, but we look forward to welcoming Sean back in the near future.

Get well soon Sean!

Saillard and BA Ford Falcon Make a Winning Debut

2008-04-28T17:41:00.000-07:00

He may have been making his debut aboard a new BA Ford Falcon V8 Supercar, but it certainly didn’t prevent Darren Saillard from continuing his dominance of the 2008 Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC) when the second round took place at Melbourne’s Calder Park Raceway in Victoria last weekend.

Although he didn’t take a clean sweep of the ATCC round like he did back in the opening round, Saillard managed to qualify on pole position and take a victory in both race one and three, and finished second behind Darren Formosa during the second race despite being the quickest car out on the track.

Saillard’s second place finish during the second race was the only spoiler of the perfect weekend, but it was also a very promising debut in the ex Ford Performance Racing (FPR) BA Ford Falcon V8 Supercar.

With a new car and a fresh engine Saillard was certainly able to show his skill as a driver and the raw potential of the car itself over the course of the weekend.
“I had an absolute ball out there with the new car and with the more time I spent in the car, the more comfortable I felt with it and the faster we became,” said Saillard, who had set a new lap record in both qualifying and then again in both race one and three.

“I’m confident to say that there are still plenty of gains to be made with both the car and myself as a driver, and if that is the case then we are certainly looking good heading into the next round.”

In total Saillard has now taken two pole positions and five from six race wins after two completed rounds of the ATCC, and now holds down a comfortable lead in the ATCC point standings.

The third round of the ATCC is to be held at Queensland Raceway in Ipswich QLD on the weekend May 17 to 18.

In 2008 Saillard Racing is proudly sponsored by:
- Hayters Timber & Sawmill Products
- Abels Smash Repairs
- Baker’s Precision Race Engines
- Dent Solutions
- Driving Force
- RAD Designs

AMRC Presentation Lifted by Super Hoist Plus

2008-03-16T02:34:00.000-07:00

The presentation of teams racing in the 2008 Australian Motor Racing Championships is set to be raised to a new level, with support and prizes from Super Hoist Plus.

The presentation of the cars and teams will be judged by scrutineers at each race weekend. The best three cars will be announced at each event, and will then gain points that will be added to a tally to determine the top three cars at the end of the year. The top three cars in the final tally will be eligible for the following fantastic prizes:

First Place: Tyre Changer and Wheel Balancer Package. The fantastic NHT-821 Tyre Changer makes changing tyres a breeze. Adjustable for wheel diameters from 12" to 23", and widths upto 13", with a bead breaker force of 2500kg, this tyre changer makes a welcome addition to any workshop. And it is complemented perfectly by the NHT-251 Wheel Balancer. Suitable for wheel diameters from 10" to 24", and widths up to 20", and with an amazing accuracy of +/- 1g, the tyre changer will help you totally eliminate vibrations.

Second Place: Two Post Hoist. The Super Hoist Plus YSJ-3000 is the perfect two post hoist for any workshop. With a lifting capacity of 3000kg, and capable of lifting to a height of 1.8 metres, this two post hoist will help the second best presented competitor to be even better presented and prepared.

Third Place: Moveable Hoist. The Super Hoist Plus YYJ-2800 is the ideal solution for lifting cars where space or installation is limited. The moveable hoist can be used on any flat (and hard) surface, and has a lifting capacity of 2800kg, and can lift to a height of 1.2 metres. This hoist will be awarded to third placegetter in the Super Hoist Plus Best Presented competition.

A fantastic prize pool from the terrific guys at Super Hoist Plus, valued at over $10,000, this provides even more incentive to turn out a well presented car and team.

In addition, Super Hoist Plus are offering a 10% discount to all AMRC competitors. Just quote this article when discussing your purchase.

Super Hoist Plus P/L is a national company with distributors in all states of Australia. They offer a great range of top quality, Australian Standards compliant workshop equipment at very competitive prices. For more information on the company, check out their website: www.superhoistplus.com

The Super Hoist Plus Best Presented Competition will be judged at each round of the Australian Motor Racing Championships, with the scrutineers nominating the top three cars at each event. Judging criteria will include the presentation and preparation of the car, as well as the preparation of the team. First place at each round will be awarded 10 points. Second place will be awarded 5 points, and Third will be awarded 3 points.

The next round of the Australian Motor Racing Championships will be held at Melbourne's Calder Park, 26-27 April. Keep track of all the latest news via the official website: www.amrc.net.au

Free Private Practice and Garages at Round 2 of the 2008 AMRC

2008-03-13T00:21:00.001-07:00

Melbourne's Calder Park Raceway will host the second round of the Bob Jane T-Marts Australian Motor Racing Championships (AMRC) on April 26 and 27.

Calder Park has thrown in a couple of major competitor incentives to further promote the fact that the AMRC has been designed to provide low cost, highly enjoyable motor racing competition for all entrants.

Calder Park will provide FREE private practice for all AMRC round entered competitors on Friday April 25 and in an added value incentive, the popular Melbourne motor racing complex will also supply pit garages (until all available garages are allocated on a first in, first served basis) to all AMRC competitors at no further cost throughout the weekend of April 26 and 27.

The venue will also host a free barbecue for all entrants and officials on Saturday evening, April 26 to further enhance the social interaction that is enjoyed at all AMRC rounds.

According to Calder Park Raceway CEO Bryan Nokes, "The main aim of the Australian Motorsport Club and the AMRC is to provide an affordable and enjoyable national motor racing alternative for everyone from the grass roots levels of the sport to the professional competitor. By providing free private practice and garage use until they are all taken up, we are delivering on our promise to make the 2008 Bob Jane T-Marts AMRC the most affordable and enjoyable national motor racing series in the country. We are expecting a bumper number of entries for our first Victorian round of the year."

Calder Park's AMRC round on April 25 and 26 is the first of two AMRC rounds to be held at Melbourne's traditional home of motorsport. Categories that will be competing over the weekend include:

AASA Australian Touring Car Championship - highly competitive racing with fields containing V8 Giants (V8-powered sedans from all major manufacturers, with older 5 litre V8 Supercar specification cars, 4-litre, quad-cam cars, all the way up to 7-litre pushrod engines, plus the newly introduced 3 litre turbo Giant Killer class.

AASA Production Touring Car Championship - any street legal sedan, fitted with roll-over protection, fire extinguisher and racing seat belt is eligible.

OzBoss ("Big Open Single Seaters") such as F4000, F3000, F/Atlantic and ANF2 cars, plus Prototype Sports Cars - with makes such as Saker (NZ), Minetti, Radicals and West in these fields this year.

Thundersports - Motorcycle engined cars with a fiberglass body, super-fast high power to weight designed cars that allow for extremely low cost racing.

Super TT - Utes, Commodore Cup, Sports Sedans and 3.3 Litre Holdens - popular old classic Touring Cars, also including HQ Holdens.

Of course, the all new 2008 Pirelli Gran Turismo Championship returns to Calder Park at Round 2, with a number of exotic Maserati, Porsche and Dodge sportscars taking part.

Round One Television Coverage

2008-03-06T16:29:00.000-08:00

The first round of the 2008 AASA Australian Touring Car Championship will be aired on SBS Speedweek this Sunday.

The episode will also feature the first round of the Pirelli Gran Turismo Championship.

Speedweek is due to air at 1pm Sunday 9 March. As always, check your local guide for details.

Saillard Reigns Supreme

2008-03-03T23:01:00.000-08:00

Canberra driver Darren Saillard has powered his EL Falcon V8 Giant to victory at Goulburn's Wakefield Park circuit at the weekend.

Saillard dominated from the outset, setting the fastest time in both practice sessions and going on to set a scorching pole time of 1m00.7s. John Vergotis was close behind with a 1m01.3, and Darren Formosa overcame earlier adversity to set a 1m01.5. In Division 4, Philip Groeneveld had the upper hand over Gary Leaton. Sean Holmes was the sole Giant Killer.

For Race One, Sean Holmes missed the start, and Darren Formosa was into the pits after the warmup lap, with a faulty distributor cap. This gave Saillard clear air, and he was able to dominate proceedings from the front, setting a new lap record as he did so (1m00.8s). The Division 4 battle was intense, with Groeneveld and Leaton duking it out, and the latter ultimately gaining the upper hand. John Vergotis pushed hard, but a broken gearbox saw him spin to

retirement and out for the weekend.

For the 17 lap Race Two, Saillard pushed hard early on. Formosa did a good job of staying with him in the PowerPlus 98 Commodore, but wasn't able to apply enough pressure to take the lead. It was Groeneveld in Division 4 this time after Leaton completed a lurid spin late in the race. Holmes made the grid this time, and took the Giant Killers honours.

The finale was almost a carbon-copy of the previous race, with Saillard leading all the way, from Formosa, Groeneveld, Leaton and Holmes.

With three wins, Saillard took the outright round victory, followed by Formosa, Groeneveld, Leaton and Holmes. V8 Giants Division 3 winner was Saillard, with Groeneveld winning Division 4. Holmes won Giant Killers.

The next round of the AASA Australian Touring Car Championship heads to Melbournes Calder Park 26-27 April.

Saillard wins the Round

2008-03-02T01:29:00.000-08:00

Darren Saillard has won the opening round of the 2008 AASA Australian Touring Car Championship on a fine day at Goulburn's Wakefield Park.

Check back tomorrow for a full report, and the full results.

R1 Preview

2008-02-27T21:47:00.000-08:00

The 2008 AASA Australian Touring Car Championship heads to Goulburn's Wakefield Park, and sees the introduction of a brand new category.

The V8 Giants are familiar from the 2007 Championship - V8-powered touring cars from a range of manufacturers, with a range of allowed engine configurations/capacities, and accompanying weight limits. The majority of the field is ex-V8 Supercars, and ex-Future Tourers. In the V8 Giants class, Darren Saillard (in his 5-litre Falcon), John Vergotis (also in a 5-litre Falcon), Philip Groeneveld (in a slightly lower-spec ex-Future Tourer V8 Commodore) and Gary Leaton (driving a 5.7-litre Monaro) are expected to be the main challengers.

This year though, they won't have it all their own way. The Giant Killers are here, and planning to make the V8 Giants work for every result. Leading Giant Killer for Round One is Sean Holmes, in a Subaru WRX. The Giant Killers can be upto 3-litres engine capacity, and turbocharging and four-wheel drive is allowed (as are a number of other modificiations). Sean's WRX is very quick, but the scope for development is huge. He's already expected to fight hard against the V8 Giants, and as the year progresses, and the car is developed, will the Giants be able to keep up?

The cars hit the circuit for unofficial practice on Friday. Official practice and qualifying is scheduled for Saturday (1 March), and the new longer race format will have it's first showing on Sunday (2 March). Head to Goulburn's Wakefield Park to catch all the action live.

If you can't make it to the circuit, keep up-to-date via the official website: www.australiantouringcarchampionship.net.au - the News section, and Live Gallery should receive updates during the weekend.

Technical Bulletin Issued

2008-02-27T15:50:00.000-08:00

A Technical Bulletin for the AASA Australian Touring Car Championship has been issued, addressing the inclusion of a new addition to Division 4 of the V8 Giants Subcategory. To access the bulletin please visit Regulations section of the Admin page.

Recognising the Unsung Heroes

2008-02-21T03:18:00.000-08:00

From its very first days as the AMRS, the Australian Motor Racing Championships has been about innovation and pioneering new paths in Australian Motorsport. And in 2008, the tradition continues - the latest development is about recognising the often overlooked efforts of the officials that make our events possible.

Every race meeting has an army of officials working behind the scenes, working in race control, working on the circuit, manning flagpoints and recovery vehicles, driving the course car, and keeping things in order in pitlane. Without these hardworking, and for the most part volunteer, people, there could be no racing.

Quite frequently, drivers will thank the officials when accepting awards, and give them a wave on the slow down lap, but now, in 2008, the AMRC, in conjunction with V8RACE Experience and QR Raceway RACE Experience, officials at Australian Motor Racing Championships events will have the chance to enjoy one of the fantastic experiences on offer from V8RACE Experience and QR Raceway RACE Experience.

The experience includes Pre-Drive Tuition, Use of Race Suit and Helmet, a Personal in-car coach, and the chance to drive a V8RACE car, at one of Australia's premier circuits. One experience will be up for grabs at each AMRC round by way of a raffle draw.

For more information on V8RACE Experience, head to the official website: www.v8race.com.au
For information on QR Raceway RACE Experience, head to the official website: www.qldraceways.com.au

For information on how you can become an official, head to the AASA Contact Us page, and get in touch with the AASA staff.

To our officials we say THANK YOU, and good luck in the next draw to win a V8RACE Experience!

Rubber Meets the Road - Kumho Tyres for ATCC

2008-02-15T18:44:00.000-08:00

In an exciting development for the 2008 AASA Australian Touring Car Championship, Kumho Tyres have been announced as suppliers of the control tyre for the 2008 Championship, and also as supporters of the Championship Prize Pool.

Competitors in the Australian Touring Car Championship will use the excellent Kumho S700 slicks throughout the season, the tyres having been tested in various sizes throughout 2007. Vehicles in the ATCC will wear Kumho logos below their door number panels (and on the front and rear of the car).

Kumho will also be supporting a generous prize pool for the Championship victors. The 2008 AASA Australian Touring Car Champion will take home a $5,000 winners cheque, while the second place-getter in the Championship will win $3,000, and third place will be awarded $2,000. All up an extremely attractive proposition, and the battle is bound to be extremely exciting.

The AASA Australian Touring Car Championship moves to longer races in 2008, and introduces a new category - the "Giant Killers" - upto 3-litre turbos, with four-wheel-drive permitted. These high-tech, potent machines are set to mix things up amongst the "V8 Giants" - V8-powered sedans from a range of manufacturers, and with a variety of specifications. The cars are subject to a weight versus power versus configuration method of ensuring parity, which allows the cars to show different strengths and weaknesses, but aims for overall performance to be the same.

The Championship will visit five different circuits, across nine rounds, between March and November. It will be televised on Free-to-air (SBS Speedweek) and Pay TV (Fox Sports Inside Speed). It will be run within the newly evolved Australian Motor Racing Championships, alongside categories for Production Cars, Sports Cars, Open Wheelers, GT Cars and the Super Tin Tops. Kumho have also extended their support to a number of the other categories.

Round One of the 2008 AASA Australian Touring Car Championship heads to Goulburn's Wakefield Park, in two weeks time - 1-2 March. Keep track of all the action via the official category website: www.australiantouringcarchampionship.net.au

Due to the late confirmation of the control-tyre arrangement, ATCC competitors will have free choice of tyres for Round One. There will be some Kumho tyres available for those competitors wishing to get a head start on development with the new tyres, and Kumhos will be compulsory from Round Two.

Getting the most out of this website

2008-02-13T01:25:00.000-08:00

For 2008, the AASA ATCC website has had a major overhaul, and raced ahead into the leading edge of website technology to bring you more accessible content and a better experience when visiting the site. To help you get the most out of the new features of the site, we've added an article to the "About" page, highlighting some key areas for attention, including:
• Using the latest version of a good web browser
• Staying up to the minute by accessing the latest news a number of different ways
• Exploring the various areas of the website, and making the navigation system work for you
• Giving us your feedback
• Making a contribution to the site

To read the full article, click here. Or access it at any time through the "About" page.

2008 Regs and Forms Finally Out of the Box!

2008-02-01T01:42:00.000-08:00

After many hours of work and review, and plenty of anticipation from the competitors, the 2008 AASA Australian Touring Car Championship Sporting and Technical Rules are now available for download.

For those who just want to go to the download, click on the image to the right. To save, right click and select "Save file/target as".

For a brief rundown of the highlights, please read on.

Two major classes - "V8 Giants" and the brand new "Giant Killers"
Change of race format, with more track time, and no more handicap starts
V8 Giants features a streamlined system of divisions, with a specific division for 4-barrel induction cars
Giant Killers allows for 4WD cars, and upto 3 litre turbo
Overhauled points system

The rules are available by clicking here, or clicking the image on the right. They are also available from the "Admin" page, by clicking on the "Regulations" section.

In other news, the Round One entry form is now available to download from the "Forms" section of the "Admin" page. To access the form directly, click here.

The entry fee for ATCC competitors is $1130. This includes increased track time from 2007, as well, as greatly increased TV time - 30 minutes on BOTH SBS Speedweek AND Fox Sports Inside Speed.

Meeting Rules for Round One are expected to be available in the next couple of days. The schedule is available now though. Click here, or access it through the Admin page.

Driver Profiles and 2008 Registration Being Taken Now

2008-01-14T18:35:00.000-08:00

Drivers intending to compete in 2008 are requested to complete a Driver Profile & Registration Form.

This information will be passed to TV commentary teams, circuit commentators, print media and will form the basis of some "Featured Driver" articles on this website. The form also doubles as a registration form for the 2008 Championship, and is an opportunity for drivers to request their preferred race number.

The form can be found by clicking here or clicking the icon on the right. There is also an opportunity at the bottom to attach a headshot of yourself.

If you can't submit the form over the internet, please email profiles@amrs.net.au and request a form you can print out. Or, you can visit the website and print it from your browser, and fill it in by hand. Then post to: PO Box 163, WEST KEMPSEY, NSW, 2440. If you can't send an email call 0412 785 486 and request a printed form.

2008 Calendar Available for Download

2008-01-13T14:12:00.001-08:00

The 2008 AASA Australian Touring Car Championship Calendar is now available for download. Click here to view the document. (Right-click the same link, and select 'Save target/link as' to download the file.)

The Calendar is as follows:

Round 1 - Wakefield Park, NSW - 1-2 March
Round 2 - Calder Park, VIC - 26-27 April
Round 3 - Queensland Raceway, QLD - 17-18 May
Round 4 - Winton Raceway, VIC - 14-15 June
Round 5 - Adelaide International Raceway, SA - 26-27 July
Round 6 - Calder Park, VIC - 30-31 August
Round 7 - Queensland Raceway, QLD - 27-28 September
Round 8 - Winton Raceway, VIC - 1-2 November
Round 9 - Wakefield Park, NSW - 29-30 November

2008 AASA Australian Touring Car Championship Website Launched

2008-01-13T04:27:00.001-08:00

The 2008 AASA Australian Touring Car Championship website has officially launched today. With a slick new look, and plenty of nice features, the ATCC website is the place to go for all the latest news and information regarding the ATCC. It's also the central place for competitors to get all their information, and keep up-to-date on everything.

The new website is laid out to provide a wealth of information on the ATCC to fans, and provide important information and documents to the competitors.

The website is arranged into the following areas:

Home: The page you are viewing now, and providing a brief outline of the ATCC.

News: The central location for all the latest developments. Press releases, information bulletins and category and series news items will be available from the News page.

Results: All the results from the year will be available here. Round results will appear as the events occur, and the Championship standings will be available on this page.

Features: From time to time, the ATCC site will publish feature articles. In the past we've had articles on a lap of various circuits, a comparison of data-logging from a V8 Supercar and a Super Tourer, and analysis of how tyres work. We plan to have more of these technical articles in 2008, and also feature articles on some of the drivers of the ATCC.

Multimedia: Previously known as the Gallery, this part of the site has been renamed to better reflect it's true content. As we move into 2008, the Multimedia section will feature not only photos from all the rounds, but will also feature selected videos, and possibly some other multimedia downloads like wallpapers and screensavers. If you have anything special you would like to see on the Multimedia page, visit the Contact Us page, and share your ideas with us.

Admin: Previously known as Competitor Info and/or Downloads, the Admin section of the site groups together all the administrative aspects of the ATCC that competitors need to know about. From Registration and Application Forms, to access to the online Entry Form System, to Technical and Sporting Rules, to Event Information like Schedules and Meeting Rules, and even to logos for use by signwriters or graphic artists, the Admin section of the site is a one stop shop for all the little bits and pieces competitors might need throughout the year. The Admin page also features a for to Contact Us. The contact us page provides a contact form that allows readers to send a message to the Category Director, and/or Webmaster. If you have feedback about the site, a question, or a suggestion on how to make it better, head to the Contact Us page, and let us know your thoughts. The Admin page also features Links.

For those who need to access the older information, everything from www.amrs.net.au has been archived, and can be accessed by clicking this link.

AMRS Evolved

2007-02-15T15:42:00.001-08:00

For three years, the Australian Motor Racing Series has brought exciting, affordable and accessible racing to competitors and fans across Australia. The AMRS accomplished this task with a small team of dedicated personnel, and in order to keep costs to a minimum, with relatively modest marketing and promotion. Despite this, the series has built an excellent reputation, and a strong core of top-quality competitors and categories.

Today sees the announcement of the evolution of the AMRS into the newly titled AUSTRALIAN MOTOR RACING CHAMPIONSHIPS (AMRC), a development that is designed to promote further growth, and secure the future of the series into the future.

The series will cater for Racing, Touring, Sports and GT cars at five different circuits through 2008, commencing 1-2 March. The rounds will be sanctioned by the Australian Auto Sport Alliance (AASA) and run under the auspices of the Calder Park-based Australian Motorsport Club (AMC). The 2008 series will be the first season of a five-year plan that will provide competitors with Australia’s most affordable National competition.

Sponsored by Australia's leading tyre, wheel and battery retail group, Bob Jane T-Marts, the series will comprise of nine meetings at the following AMC circuits: Calder Park (VIC), Winton Motor Raceway (VIC), Adelaide International Raceway (SA), Wakefield Park (NSW) and Queensland Raceway.

Owner of the Calder Park and Adelaide raceways, Bob Jane, joined with Michael Ronke of Winton Motor Raceway and Wakefield Park in announcing details of the exciting new Championship programme.

"This series answers the call by drivers and fans for affordable motor racing," Mr Ronke said, "and they'll find it friendly and enjoyable as well."

"With the inclusion of Queensland Raceway, the rounds will be run on circuits right along the Eastern seaboard," Bob Jane added, "enabling competitors and their sponsors to reach a huge market of enthusiasts."

It is planned that a highlights package from all nine rounds will be televised nationally, with details yet to be announced.

Principal categories in the Series, with rounds run at each of the nine meetings, will be the AASA Australian Touring Car Championship and the AASA Australian Production Car Championship.

The ATCC will cater for such categories as V8 Giants, while the inclusion of the 3-litre Turbo "Giant Killer" class is expected to rapidly swell the existing field of around 15 cars.

"We plan to have longer races," Mr Ronke said, "and handicaps will be eliminated, so competition will be close and rewarding."

A similar number of cars will be on hand to start the 2008 Production Car Championship, Bob Jane said. With "hot hatches" ideally suited, growing fields are expected.

"This category will also contest every one of the nine rounds," he said, "and there will be handsome rewards for them," Bob added.

The popular Rod Dale, creator and director of the original AMRS, will continue to play an important part in the running of the series, with his primary responsibility as competitor liaison, ensuring that the re-developed series is smooth running and enjoyable.

"Rod will also work with us to cost out entry fees," Mr Ronke said, "as well as to innovate and manage the website for the various categories."

An exciting new category will be competing for the Pirelli Gran Turismo Championship, with organisers expecting to flag away at least 15 cars.

"Most of them initially will be high performance, late model Maseratis," Mr Ronke enthused, "with a few Lotus and Porsche models ready to register.

"One innovation we'll be looking at," said Rod, "is an online entry system - and anything else to make life easier for competitors."

Despite the health of the categories, AASA and AMC are on the lookout for new racing categories for entrants to compete in and lift the profile of the Championships.

"This is a big step forward and the AMRC for 2008 looks very exciting," Mick Ronke offered. "There's still a long road ahead, but with us all committed to making it work I am certain that it will get there."

As might be expected, Bob Jane had the final word: "We're here to conduct a series with no bullshit," he said, "with everything done in a friendly and enjoyable manner that excites people to come to the events.

"This is the affordable future of Australian motor racing," he said with the same colour and enthusiasm that has marked the 50-year career of the legendary racer!

THE Australian Motor Racing Championships includes a comprehensive line-up of classes designed to cater for just about everything racing on four wheels.

The principal categories are:

AASA Australian Touring Car Championship - highly competitive racing with fields containing V8 Giants (V8-powered sedans from all major manufacturers, with older 5 litre V8 Supercar specification cars, 4-litre, quad-cam cars, all the way up to 7-litre pushrod engines, plus the newly introduced 3-litre turbo "Giant Killer" class.

AASA Production Car Championship - any street legal sedan, fitted with roll-over protection, fire extinguisher and racing seat belt is eligible.

Pirelli Gran Turismo Championship – Maserati, Porsche, Lotus and many more GT Sports cars fight for the prestigious title.

Oz BOSS - "Big Open Single Seaters" such as F4000, F3000, F/Atlantic and ANF2. Seriously the fastest cars in Australia.

Thunder Sports - Motorcycle engined cars with a fiberglass body, super-fast, high power to weight designed cars that allow for extremely low cost racing. This category was well represented in 2007 and fields of approximately 15-20 cars are expected to take part in 2008.

Prototype Sports Cars - with makes such as Saker (NZ), Minetti, Radical and West in the fields this year, and with several new Wests coming off the jigs, 2008 will be a great year for Sports Cars.

Super TT - in the closing 2007 races there were excellent fields, culminating in 27 cars at Oran Park. Areas of growth are older Utes, Commodore Cup, Sports Sedans and 3.3 Litre Holdens, with the latter representing an important base for the category. The popular old Classic Touring Cars are well catered for as well, with everthing from Utes to HQ Holdens ready to burn rubber in "Super TT".

THE 2008 BOB JANE T-MARTS AMRC CALENDAR

March 1-2 - WAKEFIELD PARK (NSW)
April 25-27 - CALDER PARK (VIC)
May 17-18 - QUEENSLAND RACEWAY
June 14-15 - WINTON RACEWAY (VIC)
July 26-27 - ADELAIDE INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY (SA)
August 30-31 - CALDER PARK (VIC)
September 27-28 - QUEENSLAND RACEWAY
November 1-2 - WINTON RACEWAY (VIC)
November 29-30 - WAKEFIELD PARK (NSW)