Shannons Nationals - April 25-27 - Oran Park

[alfacors]

Round 2 of the Shannons Nationals is on this weekend. Amongst all the kerfuffle of the Australian GTs pulling out, we're still left with a good mix of categories...

Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship
Tankworld Australian SuperTrucks
Biante Touring Car Masters - featuring Steve Richards in the giant-killing Escort RS1600
Commodore Cup - featuring guest driver Lee Holdsworth
Australian Saloon Car Series

Tickets;
Saturday - Adult $15, Child $10
Sunday - Adult $35, Child $15
Kids under 10 are free all weekend

http://www.thenationals.com.au/rounds/round0208.asp for all the schedules and entry lists

[Mr_Cool]

Hopefully they get a fair roll of trucks, always a unique meeting to work at with the trucks. Dodging the black smoke and trying to see a truck coming at your flag point.

I heard the GT's only had 6 entries, they always struggle to get entries

[alfacors]

Even without the GTs, it's still going to be a very entertaining weekend. The F3s should decimate the existing F3 lap record provided it stays dry. I'm keen to see the killer Escort that Richo is driving too.

[Dasher]

The Commodore Cup round this weekend is sponsored by "HOLDEN" and is to be known as the "HOLDEN Commodore Cup".

Good to see HOLDEN putting something back into the grass roots level of V8's after all the cars are using their spares & engines.

[Richard Craill]

And there are 20 F3 cars! Biggest ever F3 field at Oran Park! And yes, it's for real! Entry list on the F3 site (www.formula3.com.au).

What does that mean? Well, for any human being who has even the smallest love of Open Wheel racing (i.e real racing cars), who lives within a couple of hundred klicks of the track (or more) and wants a good day out, NEEDS TO BE THERE!!!

Should be a good one, alfa... see you out there....

[PVDA]

Originally Posted by Mr_Cool

I heard the GT's only had 6 entries, they always struggle to get entries

Hopefully those entrants are aware they are more than welcome to come and play at Calder this weekend.

I've miss truck racing, actually worked at the first ever truck meeting at Calder and countless truck race meetings at Calder, Winton & Sandown since.

[alfacors]

"One of the largest pileups in the history of the Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship has marred practice for round three of the championship at Oran Park today.

A five-car smash at a blind section of the racetrack badly damaged all cars involved and eliminated three competitors from the 20-car field entered this weekend.

All drivers involved were fortunately unhurt though the same could not be said for the ruined mess of carbon fibre and components that littered pit lane following the second of two practice sessions..... "

Click here for the full press release from Formula 3 Australia

[alfacors]

Quick update from The OP....

Formula 3 - Neil McFadyen takes both Pole Positions for tomorrow's racing ahead of Nathan Caratti, with Leanne Tander and nick Percat sharing the 3rd spot in the two races.

Biante Touring Car Masters - Gavin Bullas' Boss Mustang was too quick for the field in today's qualifying and first race, taking pole and the win by 4s over Brad Tilley's GTHO and Eddie Abelnica's Mustang which was involved in a 4-way dice with Jim Richards in a Mustang, Steve Mason's Camaro and Steven Richards in the Escort.

Saloon Cars - Kris Walton streeted the field in Race 1 after an early challenge from John Goodacre who rocketed from 4th on the grid to take the lead for a short period before Walton got past. Steve Kwiatkowski came 2nd with Goodacre holding on for 3rd.

Commodore Cup - V8Supercar ace Lee Holdsworth took pole for tomorrow's 3 races ahead of Nick Parker and Geoff Fontaine.

SuperTrucks - Ben Falk took the first of the Co-Drivers races ahead of his father John, with Kerry Fraser coming 3rd. Bob Middleton in the CAT Freightliner has pole for the SuperTrucks first race tomorrow ahead of John Falk's Tankworld Volvo and Steven Zammit's Direct Power Steering Kenworth.

[EfiOz]

Good work to all to fix all that damage from Friday!!

What was the weather like? Todays times looked a little slow.

[racer69]

Windy, occasional spits of rain, there was a light shower prior to the last Commodore Cup race which made for some spectacular moments over the dogleg in the early laps.


Good to see the Trucks, if only they could get back to the glory days of the mid-late 90s for them

Once again i'm an advocate of running races on the short circuit, means they pass the majority of the crowd alot more, and keeps the racing closer.

Generally mid-teens for the grids in todays races, do we consider this healthy??

[alfacors]

Trucks don't have huge fields generally, but they still help pull a crowd.
Some mechanical failures hit the Commodore Cup with a few guys pulling out or expiring, and the 3 cars out in F3 didn't help. That said, the racing was still great, and the Biantes were a great addition to the programme - hopefully they will be back with more next year.

And as for healthy, well the fields are substantially healthier than the competition running in the "alternate" series.....

[Richard Craill]

Amen to that, alfa.

I'd like to add that the bravery award of the weekend goes to the Kumho and Shannons grid girls. They stood though the F3 podium ceremony, which began well only to be rained on with particularly cold and heavy (Not to mention, wet) drops of water - as is what happens when it rains. Still they literally grinned and bared it, so well done!!

Example, from formula3.com.au:



On the whole, it was a good weekend. The crowd seemed to be up from last year and the media contingent seemed a bit stronger too. Given the difficulties faced by several (Categories and promoters alike) prior to the round I think it was a solid start to Nationals circa '08.

[alfacors]

Click here for all the Shannons Nationals action from Oran Park - Biante, Saloons, Commodores, Trucks and Formula 3

[Mr_Cool]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-CRSbmpFvk

Saloon Cars R2 Lap 1 - Digital Camera..

[D.R.T.]

I found Sundays event to be highly enjoyable. Plenty of good racing, plenty of contact (which unfortunately resulted in numerous entended yellow laps) and solidish entries.

One of the more remarkable sights were the trucks after their final race, all patiently lining up just past the dog leg, to unleash their individual burnout show. I'll put up a video of one of the smaller trucks giving there all when I get a few minutes.

Honourable mention to John Falk for his 4 victory laps.

[alfacors]

Click here for all the Shannons Nationals action from Oran Park - Biante, Saloons, Commodores, Trucks and Formula 3

Link fixed!!!!!

[Kerri]

TV ALERT - ORAN PARK

Make sure you tune into Speedweek on SBS this Sunday, to catch the action from Round Two of the 2008 Shannons Nationals at Oran Park.

The weekend featured plenty of great racing from the Supaloc Australian Saloon Cars, Tankworld Australian Supertruck Nationals, Biante Touring Car Masters, Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship & Holden Commodore Cup.

DATE: This Sunday, 18 May

TIME: 1:00pm - 3:00pm (check local guides)

CHANNEL: SBS (Speedweek)

The two-hour Shannons National special will also be replayed on Inside Speed (Fox Sports 2) next Wednesday night, 21 May, from 8:30pm - 10:30pm.

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About the Shannons Nationals

The Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships was formed in 2006 as a partnership between racing categories, circuit promoters and the Confederation of Australian Motorsport (CAMS).

Providing a regular and stable home for a wide variety of national-level motor racing categories, the Shannons Nationals combines a mixture of open-wheel, touring car, sports car and even truck racing.

Events deliver value-for-money entertainment for motorsport fans, with non-stop quality racing and affordable admission prices.

In 2008, the championships will consist of 10 rounds across four states of Australia, visiting seven different circuits.