Testing Bans??

**GTRMagic** · 23 Mar 2005, 09:11 (Ref:1259566)

I am curious about an article in the motorsport press this week.

It seems Mr Smith and his VS Commodore 6 Litre Supercar, and the ex-GMS VX Commodore did a little high speed running at Lake Gardiner in SA last week, in the interests of testing top speeds of these particular vehicles.

It was suggested in the article that Mr Smith drove one of the cars himself, enlisted 2004 pilot Lee Holdsworth for some steering and a couple of other people as well.

What has me interested here, is that unless I am very much mistaken, that any V8 Supercar with a TEGA logbook is not able to test anywhere except a race circuit nominated at a point late in the previous year, and always with the attendance of a TEGA technical bod....

.. which I saw as odd to see a current model (well Development series-eligible anyway) V8Supercar being run along the white salt lakes in SA...

Now Team Dynamik allegedly did something similar at an airfield in SA... and have been labelled cheats, crooks and scoundrels... while if Mr Smith's equipe does something not entirely dissimilar, running race rubber presumably from their 2004 Konica series stock, then it is somehow enobled in the name of pursuit of a land speed record.

The pic in MN shows that the Supercar logos, including the series sponsor ones, the telecaster, and other required branding has been removed from that race car. However this car is for sale in AA at the moment and is acknowledged and labelled as a genuine V8Supercar, not a deregistered one...

But the big question is... when is Kelvinmonster and TEGA planning on having a quiet word with a big stick to Mr Smith for fundamentally breaching the testing rules?

Or are there different rules for different players?

mixxer · 23 Mar 2005, 09:55 (Ref:1259596)

C'mon GTR its a stretch to compare this to a team who was currently racing, using a chassis they intend on using and who tried to hide the fact.

**GTRMagic** · 23 Mar 2005, 09:57 (Ref:1259598)

I dont think its a stretch at all...

A car that is homologated for a V8Supercar series (and advertised for sale as such) was used on a racing surface that does not conform to any definition of a race circuit I could discover... seemingly without V8Supercar branding... and seemingly without the permission/attention of TEGA

Sounds very much like the Dynamik case to me.... the only difference is that Mr Smith has stood up and said what he and his team actually did....

mixxer · 23 Mar 2005, 10:11 (Ref:1259606)

I'll leave it to you then, if you think thats the only difference.

Rombles1 · 23 Mar 2005, 10:15 (Ref:1259610)

What other differences can you see in this, mixxer?

**GTRMagic** · 23 Mar 2005, 10:23 (Ref:1259615)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mixxer

I'll leave it to you then, if you think thats the only difference.

Ignore that Dynamik's view of what they were doing is different to Mr Smith's... it seems to have more similarities than differences...

James63 · 23 Mar 2005, 10:48 (Ref:1259635)

I thought smiths were going to enter a VY this season..

mixxer · 23 Mar 2005, 10:52 (Ref:1259640)

lets start with it being in the press, IE open not closed, then lets move onto the illegal sensors, the attempted disguising of the transporter, team uniforms, team sponsors logo's covered.

retro · 23 Mar 2005, 10:56 (Ref:1259644)

There is a speed week thing on a Lake Gairdner every 2 years.....was it in relation to that.
edit..along the lines of the Bonneville Salt Flats.

**GTRMagic** · 23 Mar 2005, 11:00 (Ref:1259648)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mixxer

lets start with it being in the press, IE open not closed, then lets move onto the illegal sensors, the attempted disguising of the transporter, team uniforms, team sponsors logo's covered.

The Supercar logos have fallen off the #73 car in the pic in AA... so arguably they are being hidden too...

mixxer · 23 Mar 2005, 11:12 (Ref:1259653)

I wasnt talking about the supercar logo's

, but seeing as how Retro has let the cat out of the bag, the smiths team was at Lake Gairdner for the DLRA speed week, apparently the car was clocked at 313 KPH. Watch for a segment on CH9 as they had people there inside working with the team.
Before anybody ask's I havent a clue on what mods to car the team performed.

Rombles1 · 23 Mar 2005, 11:15 (Ref:1259658)

So the secret to getting away with doing the wrong thing is to do it in the open?

mixxer · 23 Mar 2005, 11:16 (Ref:1259659)

If thats your take on it. Im only stating facts.

Rombles1 · 23 Mar 2005, 11:34 (Ref:1259665)

Hmmm, outback SA once again. Maybe there is an industry here that the state government should be exploiting? Come for the race, stay for the testing.....

mixxer · 23 Mar 2005, 11:37 (Ref:1259667)

mitchie · 23 Mar 2005, 11:49 (Ref:1259684)

Thinking logically, these cars have also ran as Sports Sedans, so I will take a punt and say they have been de-registered.

Didnt the VS have a rather larger than Supercar spec engine in it at one stage?

pete60 · 23 Mar 2005, 12:00 (Ref:1259691)

I believe the VS has a 6 litre Chev aboard...although it ran in the TCC last year, it's definitely not a Supercar.

I don't know if the VT/VX is a registered supercar...if it isn't, then there is nothing to see here folks..move along.

By the way, if it is deregistered, can it be re-registered by a new owner???

motormad · 26 Mar 2005, 02:55 (Ref:1262051)

Maby they used this as one of there alocated test days.

the man · 26 Mar 2005, 09:33 (Ref:1262156)

Quote:

Originally Posted by pete60

I believe the VS has a 6 litre Chev aboard...although it ran in the TCC last year, it's definitely not a Supercar.

I don't know if the VT/VX is a registered supercar...if it isn't, then there is nothing to see here folks..move along.

By the way, if it is deregistered, can it be re-registered by a new owner???

The car does have a 6 litre chev in it but
TCC rules state that the car has to be run under the rules of the series from where the came from So the car would be illegal. But the Smiths Trucks VS Commodore ran in sports sedans most of last year with Lee Holdsworth at the wheel

Quote:

Originally Posted by James63

I thought smiths were going to enter a VY this season..

They were going to but he pulled out because the vy still had to run the 18 degree motors and not the new holden motorsport engine which the main series uses. So he pulled out because he thought they were favouring ford i beleive.

**GTRMagic** · 26 Mar 2005, 10:25 (Ref:1262174)

Quote:

Originally Posted by the man

They were going to but he pulled out because the vy still had to run the 18 degree motors and not the new holden motorsport engine which the main series uses. So he pulled out because he thought they were favouring ford i beleive.

Or perhaps more succinctly... their proposed lead driver found a gig driving Formula Ford, running for the factory Spectrum outfit...

Rombles1 · 26 Mar 2005, 12:59 (Ref:1262273)

Is Formula Ford really a more desirable option than HPDC V8SC?

racer69 · 26 Mar 2005, 15:42 (Ref:1262357)

Worked for Steve Owen

mayhem · 26 Mar 2005, 21:51 (Ref:1262562)

Some would say that his one-off drive in a HYL car turned more heads than the rest of his year in a FF though...

**GTRMagic** · 26 Mar 2005, 22:04 (Ref:1262567)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rombles1

Is Formula Ford really a more desirable option than HPDC V8SC?

I know which one's cheaper, and it isnt the one with the roof....

mixxer · 27 Mar 2005, 00:01 (Ref:1262624)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Or perhaps more succinctly... their proposed lead driver found a gig driving Formula Ford, running for the factory Spectrum outfit...

Or perhaps your guessing, drivers are a "dime a dozen" as a team principle said to me recently.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
FIA Bans	RM40	Formula One	23	24 Feb 2004 20:11
Testing Bans???	mjt57	Australasian Touring Cars.	6	1 Sep 2003 23:37
testing bans this year	RWC	Formula One	1	19 Feb 2002 13:20