2022 Supercars and Supports

[Everso Biggyballies]

Bottom post of the previous page:

ADP under investigation for pit lane infringement.

It seems ADP ran a wheelgun over

De Pasquale, DJR cleared of pit lane breach

ADP and the team have avoided penalty, with no docking of points or fines handed out.

The stewards’ statement reads:

"Following the Race the DRD conducted an investigation into a report from that the left rear wheel of Car 11, Anton de Pasquale, ran over a Rattle Gun whilst leaving the Pit Box following its Pit Stop.

"The DRD heard from the Authorised Representative of Racing Team (Aust) Pty Ltd who tendered footage from the Pit Boom camera and data from the MoTeC rear shock absorber of Car 11.

"The DRD also reviewed Broadcast footage of the alleged Incident.

"The Authorised Representative of Racing Team (Aust) Pty Ltd maintained that the Pit Boom camera footage, in conjunction with the Broadcast vision and the data from MoTeC, did not establish that the rear left wheel of Car 11 rolled or passed over the Rattle Gun.

"The DRD determined that the evidence could not substantiate that a breach of the Rules had been committed in this instance."

[Everso Biggyballies]

The rumour mill has kicked off in Darwin.....

Jacobson linked to PremiAir Racing split

Garry Jacobson could exit PremiAir Racing ahead of the next Supercars event in Townsville, according to paddock speculation.

Zane Goddard and Kurt Kostecki have both been linked to the drive.

Last weekend wasnt his finest hour, and at best he had a difficult weekend..... he was involved in a number of on-track altercations.

[Everso Biggyballies]

The rumour mill has kicked off in Darwin.....

Jacobson linked to PremiAir Racing split

Garry Jacobson could exit PremiAir Racing ahead of the next Supercars event in Townsville, according to paddock speculation.

**CONFIRMED**

Well, that didnt take long to go from rumour to fact....

PremiAir Racing has confirmed Garry Jacobson has been let go by the team, effective immediately.

“PremiAir Racing wishes to confirm that effective immediately, Garry Jacobson and PremiAir Racing have parted ways,”

“Jacobson’s contract has been officially ended this afternoon (21 June 2022), and PremiAir Racing is exploring its options regarding a replacement driver for the #76 Subway PremiAir Racing Supercar.

“Announcements regarding the new driver for the #76 will be made at the earliest possible opportunity. PremiAir Racing will be making no further comment regarding Garry’s departure and wishes him well for his future endeavours.”

As mentioned Zane Goddard and Kurt Kostecki have been mentioned in relation to replacing Jacobson..... but Goddard is already contracted to Tickford for the Enduros, and PremiAir are a T888 customer team.

On the other hand Kurt K is thought to be close with PremiAir team principal Matt Cook.

Recently PremiAir Racing completed a test at QIR with a list of drivers that included Goddard, and Super2 front-runners Cameron Hill and Tyler Everingham.


One thing I found strange.... just a few weeks ago at the Aus GP weekend, Jacobson had 3 x top 10 finishes, and the team were raving about him. Something else must have gone down for him to go from the best thing since sliced bread to a turd on the pillow in a few weeks. Yes he had an awful weekend but that has to be a factor more than a reason. Especially mid year.

I guess the full story will come out one day..

[Everso Biggyballies]

I swear I saw a stat about the round wins on wikipedia before but I can't find it anymore. Peter Brock held the old record at 37 round wins until Mark Skaife beat it at Eastern Creek 2007. He has 42 round wins if my maths is correct. It seems like Clipsal 500 was subject to some unorthodox decisions when the winner of race two was automatically listed as round winner. I've re-watched some of the late 90s races and the double heat format was strange that DNFs from the first part could still score points if they finished race two but race two DNFs scored 0 points anyway or something like that. In 2000 Skaife suffered a DNF in the first race (38th out of 40 cars) but won heat two (from 38th on the grid) and that gave him a round victory.

Obviously the likes of Whincup & Lowndes have probably passed Skaife's 42 round wins total but even when Whincup retired they didn't list how many rounds he has actually won or I can't find it.

@theracer120 @Vassago

We were discussing a source of "Round Winner" info.

I came across this stats website which seems to show the info.
https://www.revcounter.online/race-winners/4-wheels/

It covers many different championships and categories, 2 wheels and 4, but from that page linked scroll down a little and you will see Supercars shown in right side column) with all the historical (and current) venues listed alphabetically. If you click on a venue it will show by event (year) all the round winners. It will also give the Team and on the same page the best qualifying time and driver.

ie first venue is Adelaide.
Click on Adelaide ( https://www.revcounter.online/race-winn ... -adelaide/ ) to show what I mean.

I haven't explored the options so there may be a way to do it by driver / overall.

Edit: Found a listing on the site of Championships Race wins and poles but not round wins.
https://www.revcounter.online/all-serie ... mpionship/

Also it may not be complete..... for instance no mention of Amaroo in the venue lists. Also Calder, Canberra COTA, Gnoo Blas Homebush Lakeside Longford Surfers International and Warwick Farm, so many of the Historical pre 'Supercars' venues. But then it does by title say its Supercars not ATCC.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Adelaide 500’s long-term future formally sealed

The Adelaide 500 will become the new annual Repco Supercars Championship closer after the announcement of a five-year deal to secure the event’s future.

That arrangement includes concrete confirmation that the popular street race will go ahead this year, across December 1-4, and will retain finale status until at least 2026.

Adelaide will also host Supercars’ gala awards night on the Monday after the event on each of those occasions, ensuring the City of Churches is the go-to place for deciding and distributing the major silverware.

The 2022 Adelaide 500 is also set to feature the final round of this year’s Dunlop Super2 Series.


Around half of ‘dilapidated’ Adelaide 500 track to be resurfaced

Details have emerged of resurfacing work which will be undertaken before the Adelaide 500 returns to the Supercars calendar in December.

Resurfacing was flagged in tender documents issued in recent weeks, and South Australian Motorsport Board CEO Mark Warren has now briefed Adelaide City Council on the works.

Beginning on August 1, they will be undertaken from the Britannia Roundabout, all the way through the Victoria Park section where pit lane is located, and back around to the corner of Hutt Street and Bartels Road.

In race track terms, that is Turn 9 all the way back to Turn 7, with just the sections either side of Turn 8, sometimes referred to as ‘Adelaide Straight’ and ‘Brabham Straight’, untouched.

The works are needed to ensure that the Adelaide Parklands Circuit gets its FIA track licence, which expired on February 26, 2021. Since the last event in 2020, the integrity of the circuit has declined and works are required to enable the Adelaide 500 in December

[Everso Biggyballies]

Hmmm, methinks Xiberras might have acted a bit prematurely with Jacobson's dismissal.

Goddard, Kostecki withdraw from race for PremiAir vacancy


Zane Goddard and Kurt Kostecki have ruled themselves out as contenders to fill the PremiAir Racing seat suddenly vacated by Garry Jacobson.

The duo were quickly installed as the favourites to be handed the reins of the #76 Subway-backed ZB Commodore, despite being contracted to Tickford Racing to co-drive in the Repco Bathurst 1000.

Both have decided to remain loyal to Tickford, basically as I see it looking at a good showing in the Enduro to springboard their career back to full time in the same way as Holdsworth did last year.

I believe the reason for the withdrawal is that PremiAir made no guarantee for 2023 to whoever comes in. In essence come the end of the year it could be all over again. Although it seems likely that both had exit clauses in their Tickford deals should a full time gig come up, the risk of the PremiAir deals offering no future beyond Bathurst 2022 was too much.

As mentioned before Goddard made a surprise appearance at a recent PremiAir test, which seemed to put him as favourite. But today he put it beyond doubt that he will remain loyal to Tickford, and throw everything at a strong Great Race result in October.

There, he will partner 2010 Supercars champion James Courtney, the pair of Gold Coasters sharing a long friendship.

“I really appreciate PremiAir Racing considering me to drive for them this year but unfortunately that couldn’t work at this time,” Goddardsaid

“That said I’m a big fan of Peter [Xiberras, team owner] and Matt [Cook, team principal]’s vision and would very much like to work with PremiAir Racing in the future.”

One thing Goddard has got up his sleeve is that not being full time this year he has been able to test both the Ford. and General Motors Gen 3 cars due for launch next year which could prove a carrot for an opportunity on either side.

Kostecki also pulled the pin to instead team up with brother Jake at Mount Panorama in the Tickford line up.

Whatever happens time is short for PremiAir to decide on a replacement , as with Jacobson. dumped with immediate effect that leaves PremiAir with an empty car for the NTI Townsville 500 fast approaching for July 8-10.

With the news of Goddard and Kostecki's lack of interest, the favourite has become James Golding one time. GRM full time driver ho now has been doing S5000 races along with other one offs.

Having been out of the loop in V8SC will he be any better than the dumped Jacobson? There are other names of course, many of them in feeder series gigs atm. I guess we will know who the 'lucky' incumbent is in a few days.

.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Tickford quick to respond lock in their Bathurst driver pairings

Given the rumours that either Goddard or Jake Kostecki (2 of the Tickford nominated Bathurst co-drivers) might be offered the seat vacated by Jacobson at PremiAir in the V8SC championship, and the now confirmed withdrawal of that pair from consideration Tickford have today confirmed their pairings for the great race, with both Goddard and Kostecki confirmed in cars #5 aand #56.

It means a level stability for Tickford’s Bathurst 1000 campaign of 2022, including an unchanged duo in its lead car, the #6 Monster Energy Mustang. In that entry, Cameron Waters will continue to be partnered by James Moffat, who has become a stalwart of the Campbellfield outfit.

James Courtney is joined by Goddard in Car #5, Thomas Randle by Tickford Dunlop Super2 Series driver Zak Best in Car #55, and Jake Kostecki by brother Kurt in Car #56.

[theracer120]

You'd think you'd have someone concrete lined up to replace a driver if you fired them mid-season, maybe there's more going on that we don't know about although I don't think anything weird would be going on with Jacobson.

[Everso Biggyballies]

I see the V8SC Silly Season rumours are off to an early start....

..... the hottest one being that Will Brown will replace Davison at DJR thus replicating the move made by ADP when he 'replaced' Scotty Mac at DJR.

Ironically Betty Klimenko last week was reiterating her position of never standing in the way of progress and how the ADP move was all done above board with nothing sneaky in the background. She also mentioned that her hopes were her current pairing would hang around to win Erebus a title in the next couple of years.

Brown for his part has come up with the "Qui Moi" statement of being flattered at the interest blah blah blah,not buying into the matter, but did note that any such talk was hopefully a position reflection on the job he and his #9 crew are doing. “There’s obviously plenty of rumours going around, But they are just that..."

Smoke Fire? Who knows.

Having said all this Will Davison is showing some good form at the moment, and last weekend finished a second behind ADP in a DJR 1-2 in one of the races. Indeed more so than Brown, Davo has stood on the top step this year, scored many podiums and is within 80 points of ADP.....

Brown on the other hand languishes down in 16th place, some 200 points behind his 8th placed teamate Brodie K.

Anyway the rumours have started in Supercars land.....

[Vassago]

Will Davison will be 40yo this year. It's better to book a new talent rather than wait until God knows when. T8 put Feeney in the car obviously not for any short-term gains either.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Will Davison will be 40yo this year. It's better to book a new talent rather than wait until God knows when. T8 put Feeney in the car obviously not for any short-term gains either.

Fair point.

[Everso Biggyballies]

WAU confirm they will continue their indigenous livery for Townsville.....Townsville coincides with NAIDOC Week, which celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

WAU are not alone as Dick Johnson Racing and Team 18 are also carrying its Darwin liveries for Townsville.

Personally I quite enjoyed seeing the Indigenous liveries. Be good to see others carry them over too. (Make it happen @ PremiAir, especially the Coke variation. I thought that quite an improvement over the standard livery)

[theracer120]

Townsville is this week. There's still no news on who's replacing Jacobson.

In Bathurst news, Matt Chahda will be running a 4th wildcard with minor support from WAU. Also announced today is that Aaron Seton will be partnering Jack Le Brocq, becoming the first third-generation driver to take part in the race.

[Everso Biggyballies]

That puts it up to 28 entries for Bathurst, with Erebus running Stanaway and Murphy and last year's Super3 runner up Michael Anderson running Fabian Coulthard's old Penske Mustang for himself and a co-driver tba.

Apparently trouble with Anderson's Superlicence, puts his running in doubt. It seems a few porkies told in his application re career to date have had his Superlicence revoked.

Motorsport Australia confirmed earlier today that Anderson did not have the necessary Superlicence to race at Supercars Championship level.

That led to Anderson claiming his application for a dispensation had previously been approved, backed up by him possessing a hard-copy Superlicence. That licence Motorsports Aus say is now revoked

Needless to say a bit of he said they said going on.

Motorsport Australia in response has elaborated on the cause of its decision.

“Once it was discovered that incorrect information about his racing history was provided in the application, we withdrew the provision of a Superlicence,” said an M A spokesperson.

Quizzed on that front, Anderson denied any wrongdoing, and reiterated that he had officially been given the green light from Motorsport Australia for a Superlicence, and subsequently from Supercars to run a Bathurst 1000 wildcard.

“The application was straightforward,” said Anderson.

“It was basically, do I meet the requirements of it? Do I have enough points?

“I have got all the points I needed, so I thought ‘oh well, I may as well put the application in’.

“I then got it approved and we announced the drive.”

Anderson has since outlaid funds to acquire the Mustang Supercar specifically on the basis of competing in the Bathurst 1000 – although that car will then also be eligible to compete in the 2023 Super2 Series.

“At the end of the day, I’ve been approved a Superlicence so I purchased a car on the basis of Motorsport Australia giving me that,” he said.

Clearly more will be going on in relation to what he outcome is. He either has the points required or not. Maybe some earlier points have expired? He has not driven at all this year.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Re Jacobson's PremiAir replacement no confirmation yet but the favourite Golding seems to have got the gig all set judging by other confirmations.... he was due to drive as a co-driver for Team 18 at Bathurst...... [

Team 18 this afternoon confirmed Golding will not form part of its Bathurst 1000 roster as had been planned.

“Look, selfishly it’s disappointing for Team 18 because it was a good package with Scotty Pye and James, but certainly James deserves to be in the sport and I really wish him well,” Schwerkolt said

Now they (Team18) have probably the most coveted co-drive yet to be filled, Schwerkolt is in a position where he needn’t rush a decision.

The only other full-time cars without completed Bathurst rosters are the #35 of Matt Stone Racing, the #4 of Brad Jones Racing, and both PremiAir Racing entries. And the Anderson entry re previous post.

I guess confirmation will come from PremiAir pretty soon re Golding.

[Everso Biggyballies]

I guess confirmation will come from PremiAir pretty soon re Golding.

Didnt take long!
Golding lands seven-round PremiAir Racing deal. *Confirmed*

This weekend at Townsville, Golding will step into the Subway-backed ZB Commodore, which will undergo a number change to reflect its new driver’s preferred #31.
Golding’s first time in the car will be Practice 1 at the NTI Townsville 500 on Friday morning, and early expectations are being kept in check accordingly.

“We’re not expecting too much of him in the first one or two race meetings, but I just get the feeling he is going to do his thing and all of a sudden the car is going to be a lot further up the field, so it’s exciting,” said Matt Cook Team Principal..

“The biggest thing is, we need to focus on the rest of the year and try to put together a good, solid back half of the year.

“We feel that Jimmy is going to be a good part of that and he is going to march the car further up the field towards the pointy end.”

Asked whether there is scope for a seven-round trial to blossom into a full season next year when Gen3 debuts, Cook responded: “There’s no reason to say that he won’t be.

“Obviously that seat, it’s available now and he’s filling it, so if he does a fantastic job, definitely he’ll have his best foot forward to maintaining that seat for next year.”

Was Golding right to quit a half decent seat for Bathurst for a few rounds in an at best mid grid hopeful outfit, with no guarantee for next year? Time will tell. I hope it all goes well as he has had the rough end of the stick in Supercars, with his unscheduled exit along with GRM just as he was showing some promise.