limp dick racing

[DemoDave]

GTR, what involvement does DJ have with engineering of the cars now - do you know? I recall that DJ's humble workshop at his Shell service station was the site where Dick built both cars and engines in the 70's and 80's. Even after the rock in 1980 when DJ had his brother and one or two other dudes working for him, he still was the man working on getting the most from donk and car.

I believe that even when Rosco and Jimmy came on board, DJ was still playing at mechanic. What engineering role does he play now?

[GTRMagic]

In any of the debriefs out of the car, usually held in the race truck, the drivers tend to be taken away separately with their race engineer, and the team manager. DJ is in the truck as well, but not sure what the contribution is as it is usually a closed session.

In looking at the body language of DJ on a race weekend though, he is more involved in the hospitality side of the operation than the engineering. Sponsor maintenance, and indeed VIP support is well noted... as well as signing a few autographs now and again.

Thats not to suggest that this is all DJ does, but where his previous role involved him being minister for everything, involved in the racing, the engineering, looking at times, watching other cars, acting as spotter and the like, it now seems to be more withdrawn than that.

Likely part of Mr Chalker's requirement for DJ to take a few steps back

[Amaroo Park]

Originally posted by GTRMagic
The Shell-SuperCheap DJR Falcons with Max Wilson and Bob Thorn aboard... does that sounds like a winning combination?

Maybe Supercheap will be replacing new SBR sponsor SHELL

[GTRMagic]

As much as I would like the enormous dollars from Shell to go to SBR, it seems they are contractually obligated not to run cars with competing sponsors to their existing collection

A 4 car SBR megateam with Mark Winterbottom and Craig Lowndes in the 3rd & 4th seats would be phenomenal from a strategic point of view... but not with Shell dollars

[Amaroo Park]

Who said anything about Caltex being at SBR next year

[GTRMagic]

Caltex certainly isnt going anywhere.

Caltex and Pirtek have already designed the livery of the 2004 cars, which will see all the current sponsors spread across both vehicles.

Both sponsors are over the moon at the wins of Marcos and Rusty, Caltex finally has something to cheer about after 3 years of heartache, Qld500 not withstanding.

[Mattracer]

Originally posted by GTRMagic


A 4 car SBR megateam with Mark Winterbottom and Craig Lowndes in the 3rd & 4th seats would be phenomenal from a strategic point of view...

Clearly Lowndes must have the patience of a statue to submit to effectively three different teams in as many years, but another change, this time to SBR?

Arguably, a few years of his career proved fruitless after the 00 Motorsport adventure folded. This is his best chance so far with Ford in FPR, and I think he should not change teams any more for quite a while.

I realise SBR is a highly unlikely destination for Lowmdes anyway, but he needs to gets the best out of FPR resources after dong all the groundwork (all over again).

[GTRMagic]

The nature of the sale of the assets of Steve Ellery Racing seems far more complex in the detail than first appears.

I understand that the the contract to supply racing services, and car signage to the SuperCheap Autos business was not renewed by that company, for reasons many and varied.

I am also led to believe that the SuperCheap dollars are not actually headed to DJR at all. Instead, these monies are supposedly lined up for a car entered under the Rod Nash franchise, prepared by Perkins Engineering as a 3rd car. Drver unknown, but rumoured to be driving the #2 car in the enduros, now that Murf turned LP down.

Now here's the interesting bit.

It seems that the buyer of the BA Falcon, the truck, the trailer, the racing equipment and spare parts, is indeed DJR.

As I understand it, there is a strategic difference between the entity known as DJR and that of Shell Helix Racing.

Shell Helix Racing as an entity is the holder of the L1 franchise, owner of the Shell Helix BA Falcons, the transporters, the merchandise trailer, racing equipment, the innards of the Stapylton workshop etc etc. This entity I believe is owned in some way, shape or form by Shell Australia, or indeed one of its subsidiaries.

DJR on the other hand seems different. This entity seems to own the Stapylton building, the AU Falcons in the team, and seemingly not a whole load else.

So if you put this back into context for a minute, DJR has a number of cars, and an apparent desire to get back into franchise ownership.

Which it seems to have done in picking up the ownership of SER's franchise, car, transporter etc etc as above.

But the odd part is that this all seems to be with immediate effect, or after Sandown at least.

So the DJR entity, the same entity who entered Tony Ricciardello in Konica this year, looks as if they will run a BA Ford built by Ian Walburn and powered by a Cragar Performance engine, under their own steam at Bathurst and the rest of the year.

With what sponsorship isnt known, what driver pairing, what longer term drivers, it all seems up in the air.

Where does this leave the main sponsor of the old DJR? Well Shell would own the cars and junk, but I am betting has no desire to run them on their own. So they pick up their L1 franchise and look elsewhere.

Which team has not got enough franchises now that Mr Nash has made it clear he wants to reclaim his L2 for next year? Which team wants to run 4 cars in 2005? The logical answer to all of the above is FPR...

How messy and convoluted... and I seriously hope I am wrong.

[Sol]

Whoa GTR!

This is effective when? Now?

[ford boy]

Is Steve Ellery's franchise a level 1 or 2:confused:

[GTRMagic]

After Sandown is what I have heard. As I said I hope it isnt true.

SER is a L2, single car franchise fordboy

[ford boy]

I hope Shell keeps their money at DJR rather than jumping ship to FPR as well
But if it turns out that way and DJR have Ellery's franchise will they go and look for another L2, or just run the one car next year.
Alot of variables to be answered yet!

[Amaroo Park]

In the early Ninties Shell had lets say a little issue with the way money was being spent at DJR. From what I undestand from a senior oil company exec the alarm bells started to ring when the Johnsons bought a brand new Cruiser that would make the QEII look like a dinghy. It was around this time that Neal Lowe left or was asked to leave the team and Wayne Cattch was hired (By Shell) to manage the operation.

[Brock]

Originally posted by djrno1
what way djr spend their money has nothing to do with you idiots,i worked it out you have a few good members on this site,as for the rest of you djr baggers your all losers,and your site doesnt offer much,its ****.

I read a lot of post but don't reply much myself, until I see the rubbish you write. If you don't like what is being said then go away and don't post it is that simple, if you want to post settle down with the tone and launguage

[GTRMagic]

I always thought the concept was attack the post and not the poster....

[TheGspot]

GTR won a couple of friends there,,,,,,I gues it dont matter you have broad shoulders. Did you get to Mallala.

[GTRMagic]

I am glad not to be at Mallala, raining and cold and windy is the current weather prognosis. Much nicer here in Sunny Sydney.

[TheGspot]

There seems to be a lot of chat in relation to the positioning of the Shell monies for 2004. I would have thought that as they own the transporters 50% of the current cars and all the intellectual properties including merchadise they would stay where they are and move someone in. Maybe dick would sell his 50% of the premises. It would be a shame to see the demise of the iconic team in aussie motorsport however I know not which is worse. There demise or the current situation..either situation does not sit well with the supporters.

[racer69]

So let me see if i have this right....

- Shell Helix Racing are/will now be a seperate team to Dick Johnson Racing....

- Dick Johnson Racing to run one car (ex-Ellery franchise, and car?)

- Shell Helix Racing to run cars run by whom at Bathurst? Sell franchise to SBR/FPR......how about Triple 8, or a rebuilding Briggs maybe?

- Where does Steve Ellery end up in all this, 3rd Perkins Commodore (Rod Nash franchise)....

- Who gets #17?

Now i hope that makes sense to someone

[The Tool Man]

What happens at DJR and SER etc over then next few months i s going to be amusing, some of us have an idea ( Not 100 percent sure) what is going to happen, from what we have been told recently.

I say well done to Luffy at Mallala at least he was consistently up there for most of the weekend.

On the SER DJR Shell Supercheap matters lets just say Im looking forward to 2004.

[Dirk]

Shell Helix racing own nothing, that is just a name that has been used for a sponsor license so that they can put the name in the official program. DJR own the lot.

[ford boy]

Hopefully i should be hearing back soon from DJR about who owns what within the team.

[Group'C']

So Dick's getting out?

Dragging the old Greens Tuff Falcon out of moth balls and going Group'C' racing

"THE BIG BANGERS ARE BACK" Baskerville 13/14th March 2004

[sevi]

NOt getting out, from what I understand there will be 2 Konica cars and 2 maingame cars next year.

[GTRMagic]

Under whose sponsorshop?