Targa Tas 2010 Leg 1 Update

Steve Glenney,  Bernie Webb in the 2009 Mazda RX-8 SP

Currently in 2ND PLACE!   00:09 seconds behind the leading Gallardo!!!!


. Who needs 4wd?

Mazda Austalia & Targa Tasmania

As the 2010 Targa Tasmania event draws closer. ADVAN have joined Mazda teams by giving Steve Glenny and the Horsley run teams some decent gear. The 8 will run RG2 and AO50 tyres for the event. Previously they have sponsored other RX7 teams so this was no surprise.

Expect big things from the giant killing Mazda RX8

http://www.mazdamotorsport.com.au/

F1 2010

F1 in 2010. Why is everyone excited. A few reasons. The cars are the closest they have been in years, so that means the driver gets more cred. There are many on top of their game.

The cars actually race, rather than the pit boss's strategy. I hated the previous seasons, where most cars ran light or heavy and the field spread out searching for fresh air so they could set lap times rather than racing anyone. If somewas was close, they'd pit and get fresh air. B O R I N G!

But this year seems to have a decent formula to allow racing from the start to finish.

A small mistake and you'll lose. Consistency will win. Drivers can make their car better.

So after the first race, there are few clear indications except that the top guys we expected will be the top guys.

I hope it's the Young Vettel (New blood) or the Older Webber (Go Aussie!) that take the championship.

Should be interesting year with sooooo many races. One thing about F1, they can market their stuff well.

Didn't  someone say "recession?" F1 Splitting? F1 dying?

I can't relate to F1 speed and feeling and I guess I never will, but it's a spectacle.

Russ.

V8 Supercars '10R1

Well, I'm a lover of V8 supercars and I am almost over it before it starts in 2010.

Race 1

Top Ten V8 Supercar Race 1 Results

1. Jamie Whincup, 150pts
2. Craig Lowndes, 138pts
3. Mark Winterbottom, 129pts
4. James Courtney, 120pts
5. Lee Holdsworth, 111pts
6. Shane Van Gisbergen, 102pts
7. Paul Dumbrell, 96pts
8. Jonathon Webb, 90pts
9. Alex Davison, 84pts
10.Rick Kelly, 78pts

1st... They run the first two rounds of the Aussie series in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain because Chevy also runs a V8 series there with the Aussie holden's exported there.

So with teams outlaying enormous expense to get there, they are taken to a superb venue that isn't so great as it seams.

One team was excluded from the race because their on board in car air jacks penetrated an expansion crack in the concrete on pit lane. Then stupid stewards refused to consider their track could cause such incident and handed a penalty to the leading team car which suffered substantial damage as a result.

That kills interest and faith in fairness of competition.

The cars are close in times (less than 1 second covered the top 10), and that brings close racing.
things happen, rubbing is racing and all that...

Typical car setup
5.0-litre V8  Estimated 635 + bhp limited to maximum 7,500 RPM
1355kg
=
294+kph (182+mph), 0-100kph: 3.8 seconds

If you feel like following... hit up http://v8supercars.com.au/. some of the teams such as Kelly racing have great galleries.

These links are basically for my own clicky clicky.

If you want to watch the events outside australia. you need to cough up $70US to see them.
V8 Supercars runs this series as a business! and sometimes, that just sucks.
If you want to see some pics... good luck.
After clicking around I discovered that the V8 series uses a couple of photographers and the images are divied up to all concerned. Same angles. Same shots, same boredom.
Some teams lock everything down and others are open to sharing.

I won't post anymore on V8 this year. Just see for yourselves.

Do some research.
http://v8supercars.com.au/teamsdrivers/championshipseries/tabid/93/default.aspx

Get started here.

Holden Fans.
HRT
http://www.hrt.com.au/racing/2010/home/

Ford Fans

FPR. ( Prodrive )
http://www.fpr.com.au/

http://www.teamvodafone.com/

Craig Lowndes
Jamie Whincup

http://www.kellyracing.com.au/ Jack Daniels
Rick Kelly
Todd Kelly

http://www.kellyracing.com.au/kr/ Rock & Supermax
Jason Bargwanna
Tony Ricciardello

http://www.djr.com.au/index.asp Jim Beam
Steven Johnson
James Courtney

http://www.tradingpostracing.com.au/
Jason Bright

http://www.bradjonesracing.com.au/
Brad Jones?

http://www.stonebrothersracing.com.au/
Alex Davison http://www.irwinracing.com.au/
Shane Van Gisbergen

Honda CR-Z GT Concept

The Honda CR-Z is supposed to make people feel enthusiastic about "sporty" hybrids.

GO FU!

If they make the CR-Z GT then maybe I'll get emotive. I lowered this car about 6-8 inches before it looked good.

The design is ruled by government regulations that stop automakers being emotive. When the front of the car has to be this high, it throws sh1t in the face of anyone trying to build streamlines cars.

The FT-86 also has fallen in to this category and is now being changed to match regulations.

Pretty soon well all be driving in a box with a polymer virtual exterior anyway, so it doesn't really matter.

I just hope eveyone with a car can afford to change to an alternate energy source.

I'll wait for the suitcase sized 1000hp electric drive converter that propels my old Honda CRX to warp speed.

BEFORE you get excited and think the normal one is OK. I have increased wheel size 2" and dumper this 3 inches also. Massive size also means massive wheels and that equals weight and drain.

What ever happened to the lightweight challenge of the past and refinement.

Here is a version with small front overhang, lower nose and the whole car is back to crx-dimensions.

I cut a whole stack out of the centre of the body.

It looks different, compact and something tuners could have fun with.

Russ. 

Tsuchiya and the FC

Few would know that dori dori-chan, as I call Keiichi Tsuchiya used to race in the FC3s in the JSS Japan Super Sport Sedan championship in the mid-late eighties. The FC3s in these events were PP versions and very fast.

Here is a final at fuji. He finished third after leading for a while at the super fast (old) Fuji speedway course. Last corner and straight line speeds were crazy.!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2ykGckF_NE

This is an FC only race here half way through the vid..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4eXgV70RVc

Some of these cars prepared by famous RE-tuners, ERC, RE Sugiyama and Yours Sports. These guys are still around you know, they just don't feature like the RE-Amemiya's of today as they focus on older models or less funding.

more pics here here.

Russ.

Limosuineious

This was one of my absolute favourite cars at TAS. Not because of the lovely accompanyment. But because of the black out treatment and uniqueness.

I'm pretty sure not many people have heard of the Galue. It's a Nissa Fuga sedan base thats turned into a limo. Kind of.

The black out treatment on this car is phenomenal. Black crome and black. Black and more black.

It is also sooooo slammed on air sus that it looks tough!

The ordinary version is one of the ugliest things on the plannet, but this thing has awesome pressence.

It's kind of what you'd do if your father drove one and handed it down.