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IndyCar
V8: Supercars News Briefs
Jacques Villeneuve to focus on NASCAR and all of the latest V8 Supercars news items from Down Under...
The 1997 F1 world champion would like to return for next year's Gold Coast 600, but has set his sights on an increased NASCAR presence rather than pursuing a career as a V8 driver. (LAT)
Jacques Villeneuve to focus on NASCAR
Jacques Villeneuve has reaffirmed his commitment to NASCAR after returning home from his debut V8 Supercar appearance at last weekend’s Armor All Gold Coast 600.
The Canadian finished a strong fifth alongside Paul Dumbrell in Sunday’s Race 20 of the V8 Supercar Championship Series, amidst talk that he could be on the grid full-time in the near future.
The rumours were fuelled by Ford Australia’s motorsport manager Chris Styring declaring he’d held talks with the 1997 Formula One World Champion about moving to Australia.
While Villeneuve’s ambitious bid to join the Formula One grid in 2011 via his own team has now officially been scrapped, the 39-year-old says he’s focussed on creating more opportunities in NASCAR.
Villeneuve has made three starts in the Sprint Cup over the last four seasons (including this year’s Brickyard 400), along with five starts in the Nationwide Series and seven starts in the Truck Series.
“The Gold Coast race was the perfect opportunity to try those sort of cars (V8 Supercars) on a track I knew, with other international guests, so less pressure,” he told the NZ Herald from his Montreal base.
“We did pretty well, especially in race two where we finished fifth, which made the weekend enjoyable.
“If the opportunity arose I would like to do a full season. It’s a good championship and it’s in a good part of the world basically, but NASCAR comes first.”
“There’s quite a big difference between the cars, and there’s a lot more money being spent in NASCAR.”
Whincup: One eye on Courtney, one on points
V8 title contender Jamie Whincup says that he’ll have one eye on rival James Courtney and one eye on the points situation as the 2010 V8 Supercars Championship approaches its final six races of the season.
The TeamVodafone star currently sits 71 points behind leader James Courtney, and even though there’s still 900 points on offer, Whincup says that his task now is to reel in and manage the gap to the Jim Beam Racing driver.
“We’re definitely looking at the points. I’ve ignored them all year, but after Bathurst, we’ve realised that we’re still in contention, and now it’s about trying to get as many points as we possibly can,” he told Speedcafe.com.au.
“It might sound a bit boring, but that’s what it’s all about at this time of year.
“71 points – in some ways it’s a lot, in some ways it’s not many. It’s a lot to get back if James is consistently at the front, but if he has a bit of my luck that’s been going on this year, then it’s not a big gap at all.
“Time will tell. I feel it will be close. I reckon we’ll go to Sydney and it will be down top the wire for the last race.”
Gold Coast driver regulations to change
The international format for the Armor All Gold 600 is set to continue, however, a number of key tweaks to the format have been mooted by V8 Supercars Australia.
At the recent Team’s Forum, V8 Supercars chairman Tony Cochrane told the assembled team owners that the international driver format will stay, with all 29 entries set to be filled by international drivers.
Also, to even up the playing field and reduce costs, it was mooted that the international guests will not be able to come to test for the respective teams, or drive in the Phillip Island or Bathurst endurance races.
Under the proposed rules, the only pre-Gold Coast 600 V8 laps the internationals would receive is at the Wednesday test session at Queensland Raceway, prior to the Gold Coast street race.
IRWIN Racing’s David Brabham was the only international to compete in all three enduros at Phillip Island, Bathurst and the Gold Coast, while Ryan Briscoe drove for Bundaberg Red Racing (Bathurst) and Toll HRT (Gold Coast).
The proposed rules are yet to be ratified by the V8 Supercars board.
Wilson Security Racing’s international driver Helio Castroneves told V8XTRA that he loved his debut in the class, but would like to see every car filled with an international driver.
“You’ve got to have everyone with the international drivers, not just the 18 drivers,” said the three-time Indy 500 champion.
“It needs to be the full field. It’s not fair for the others. I understand that everybodfy is fighting for the championship. We’re professional. We don’t want to mess these guys around, but at the end of the day, it was a great concept. There were people really enjoying having us around.
“Hopefully we’ll be invited back next year and we’ll go even better.”
Luff: Aiming to be the best one-car V8 team
New Gulf Western Oils Racing driver Warren Luff has outlined his first goal with his new team – to be the best single-car entry in the V8 Supercars Championship Series.
Luff was announced last week as the driver of the #30 Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport-prepared Commodore VE, placing him in the seat for the final three events of 2010 and the entire 2011 season.
The Gold Coast resident, who has driven with James Courtney in the Jim Beam Racing Falcon for the past three events, said that he wants to drag the Gulf Western Oils car to be the best of the single car entries.
“My expectation for the tail end of this year is really just for me to learn the team, learn the car,” he told Speedcafe.com.au.
“We’re not really going into it with any expectation.
“The next three race meetings is a great learning opportunity and the perfect test bed for next year.
“Our goal for next year is to be the best one car team out there. We believe that we have the right people and the right equipment to be that best one car team and consistently outperform the bigger, fancier teams.
“For us, we’re aiming for top 10 race results, and during the year, if we can stick it in the top 10 in a few shootouts, that would certainly put smiles on the team’s face.”
LDM’s new driver will reunite Luff with former Dick Johnson Racing team manager Dean Orr, who now heads up LDM’s racing operations.
Luff said that it is simply a coincidence that Orr is there, saying that all all his dealings were done exclusively with Dumbrell.
“Dean and I worked together back when I did the enduros in 2003 and the full season in 2004. Dean is a great guy and we get along well,” he said.
“Dean has been part of the whole process, but all the dealing for the drive have been through Lucas. Dean has given his opinion, but Lucas makes all of the decisions. Lucas and I have been talking for a while and I’m very happy that we’ve been able do a deal.”
While Luff has a lot of experience in the V8 Supercars Championship Series, next year will only be his third full-time season.
He drove made his V8 debut at the Queensland 500 in 1999, but didn’t get a full-time start until 2004 with DJR. In 2006, he drove a full season with Britek Motorsport.
For the past three years, Luff has been a key part of DJR’s endurance line-up. This year, he was given the responsibility of partnering title leader Courtney.
“I’ve been with DJR doing the enduros for the past three years, and this year has been a big year for the team,” he said.
“It has been great to be a part of the journey and being a part of getting them to the front of the grid where they belong. Hopefully I’ve been able to play a small part in what will be James’s championship-winning year.
“I had some great times there and made a lot of great friends. It is sad to leave, but obviously I’ve had something present itself more full-time for myself. They’ve wished me all the best. It is exciting to be back part of the championship full-time, rather than just an enduro driver.”
Luff will get his first drive of the Gulf Western Oils Commodore VE at Symmons Plains for the Falken Tasmania Challenge in two weeks time.
Dick Johnson and Tru Blu Documentary
Jacques Villeneuve has reaffirmed his commitment to NASCAR after returning home from his debut V8 Supercar appearance at last weekend’s Armor All Gold Coast 600.
The Canadian finished a strong fifth alongside Paul Dumbrell in Sunday’s Race 20 of the V8 Supercar Championship Series, amidst talk that he could be on the grid full-time in the near future.
The rumours were fuelled by Ford Australia’s motorsport manager Chris Styring declaring he’d held talks with the 1997 Formula One World Champion about moving to Australia.
While Villeneuve’s ambitious bid to join the Formula One grid in 2011 via his own team has now officially been scrapped, the 39-year-old says he’s focussed on creating more opportunities in NASCAR.
Villeneuve has made three starts in the Sprint Cup over the last four seasons (including this year’s Brickyard 400), along with five starts in the Nationwide Series and seven starts in the Truck Series.
“The Gold Coast race was the perfect opportunity to try those sort of cars (V8 Supercars) on a track I knew, with other international guests, so less pressure,” he told the NZ Herald from his Montreal base.
“We did pretty well, especially in race two where we finished fifth, which made the weekend enjoyable.
“If the opportunity arose I would like to do a full season. It’s a good championship and it’s in a good part of the world basically, but NASCAR comes first.”
“There’s quite a big difference between the cars, and there’s a lot more money being spent in NASCAR.”
Whincup: One eye on Courtney, one on points
V8 title contender Jamie Whincup says that he’ll have one eye on rival James Courtney and one eye on the points situation as the 2010 V8 Supercars Championship approaches its final six races of the season.
The TeamVodafone star currently sits 71 points behind leader James Courtney, and even though there’s still 900 points on offer, Whincup says that his task now is to reel in and manage the gap to the Jim Beam Racing driver.
“We’re definitely looking at the points. I’ve ignored them all year, but after Bathurst, we’ve realised that we’re still in contention, and now it’s about trying to get as many points as we possibly can,” he told Speedcafe.com.au.
“It might sound a bit boring, but that’s what it’s all about at this time of year.
“71 points – in some ways it’s a lot, in some ways it’s not many. It’s a lot to get back if James is consistently at the front, but if he has a bit of my luck that’s been going on this year, then it’s not a big gap at all.
“Time will tell. I feel it will be close. I reckon we’ll go to Sydney and it will be down top the wire for the last race.”
Gold Coast driver regulations to change
The international format for the Armor All Gold 600 is set to continue, however, a number of key tweaks to the format have been mooted by V8 Supercars Australia.
At the recent Team’s Forum, V8 Supercars chairman Tony Cochrane told the assembled team owners that the international driver format will stay, with all 29 entries set to be filled by international drivers.
Also, to even up the playing field and reduce costs, it was mooted that the international guests will not be able to come to test for the respective teams, or drive in the Phillip Island or Bathurst endurance races.
Under the proposed rules, the only pre-Gold Coast 600 V8 laps the internationals would receive is at the Wednesday test session at Queensland Raceway, prior to the Gold Coast street race.
IRWIN Racing’s David Brabham was the only international to compete in all three enduros at Phillip Island, Bathurst and the Gold Coast, while Ryan Briscoe drove for Bundaberg Red Racing (Bathurst) and Toll HRT (Gold Coast).
The proposed rules are yet to be ratified by the V8 Supercars board.
Wilson Security Racing’s international driver Helio Castroneves told V8XTRA that he loved his debut in the class, but would like to see every car filled with an international driver.
“You’ve got to have everyone with the international drivers, not just the 18 drivers,” said the three-time Indy 500 champion.
“It needs to be the full field. It’s not fair for the others. I understand that everybodfy is fighting for the championship. We’re professional. We don’t want to mess these guys around, but at the end of the day, it was a great concept. There were people really enjoying having us around.
“Hopefully we’ll be invited back next year and we’ll go even better.”
Luff: Aiming to be the best one-car V8 team
New Gulf Western Oils Racing driver Warren Luff has outlined his first goal with his new team – to be the best single-car entry in the V8 Supercars Championship Series.
Luff was announced last week as the driver of the #30 Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport-prepared Commodore VE, placing him in the seat for the final three events of 2010 and the entire 2011 season.
The Gold Coast resident, who has driven with James Courtney in the Jim Beam Racing Falcon for the past three events, said that he wants to drag the Gulf Western Oils car to be the best of the single car entries.
“My expectation for the tail end of this year is really just for me to learn the team, learn the car,” he told Speedcafe.com.au.
“We’re not really going into it with any expectation.
“The next three race meetings is a great learning opportunity and the perfect test bed for next year.
“Our goal for next year is to be the best one car team out there. We believe that we have the right people and the right equipment to be that best one car team and consistently outperform the bigger, fancier teams.
“For us, we’re aiming for top 10 race results, and during the year, if we can stick it in the top 10 in a few shootouts, that would certainly put smiles on the team’s face.”
LDM’s new driver will reunite Luff with former Dick Johnson Racing team manager Dean Orr, who now heads up LDM’s racing operations.
Luff said that it is simply a coincidence that Orr is there, saying that all all his dealings were done exclusively with Dumbrell.
“Dean and I worked together back when I did the enduros in 2003 and the full season in 2004. Dean is a great guy and we get along well,” he said.
“Dean has been part of the whole process, but all the dealing for the drive have been through Lucas. Dean has given his opinion, but Lucas makes all of the decisions. Lucas and I have been talking for a while and I’m very happy that we’ve been able do a deal.”
While Luff has a lot of experience in the V8 Supercars Championship Series, next year will only be his third full-time season.
He drove made his V8 debut at the Queensland 500 in 1999, but didn’t get a full-time start until 2004 with DJR. In 2006, he drove a full season with Britek Motorsport.
For the past three years, Luff has been a key part of DJR’s endurance line-up. This year, he was given the responsibility of partnering title leader Courtney.
“I’ve been with DJR doing the enduros for the past three years, and this year has been a big year for the team,” he said.
“It has been great to be a part of the journey and being a part of getting them to the front of the grid where they belong. Hopefully I’ve been able to play a small part in what will be James’s championship-winning year.
“I had some great times there and made a lot of great friends. It is sad to leave, but obviously I’ve had something present itself more full-time for myself. They’ve wished me all the best. It is exciting to be back part of the championship full-time, rather than just an enduro driver.”
Luff will get his first drive of the Gulf Western Oils Commodore VE at Symmons Plains for the Falken Tasmania Challenge in two weeks time.
Dick Johnson and Tru Blu Documentary
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