ASTC is going off....

Oran Park, Round One preview
ATCC2

2000-05-22

MORRIS TO RACE WITH RE-BUILT BMW ENGINES

BOC Gases Australian Super Touring Champion PAUL MORRIS will begin his title
defence at Oran Park this Sunday (May 28) with a choice of two engines
prepared by BMW Motorsport in Germany.

The engines arrived in Australia earlier this month and one of them has been
fitted into the rear-drive Mount Cotton Estate Winery BMW 320i Morris will race
in the eight-round championship.

"One of the engines will be good for around 1,500km," said Morris. "The other has
a shorter 'life', because its revs harder and it has lighter componentry. The
engines are similar to what we ran in '99, and hopefully we can achieve the same
combination of high performance and reliability."

Morris is the most successful driver in the history of the championship since its
inception in 1994. The 33-year-old from the Gold Coast has won a record three
championship titles for BMW, in 1995 and 1997 as a works driver, and in 1999 in
his first year as a team owner. He has also won a record 33 championship races
and claimed pole position 37 times, the most by any driver.

Morris' prospects for the championship opener are enhanced by the fact it will be
contested on Oran Park's 1.9km South Circuit, where he took the chequered flag
in all three races in round five in 1999.

"I've had some good results at Oran Park over the years, and the important thing
for fast lap times is to get a good run onto the main straight," he said. "There are
several medium-speed corners and you need the balance of the car just right so
you can change direction quickly. You also have to qualify up the front because
there aren't a lot of passing opportunities."

Morris said that he wanted to maximise points-scoring opportunities at Oran Park
to counter the possibility of being forced to race with additional weight in future
rounds under TOCA Australia's new rule for success ballast. Race winners will
have an additional 40kg imposed at the following round throughout the
championship, and there will be 15kg ballast for second, and 10kg for third.

"I've got to get every point I can at Oran Park because once the weight
penalties start we don't know what will happen, or how it will affect the balance
and performance of all the leading cars," he said.

The three races at Oran Park will over 16, 21, and 31 laps. The third and final
race will not feature a compulsory pit-stop to change two wheels. The
championship will feature 16 hours of television coverage on the Seven Network.

NEW-LOOK TEAM FOR HILLS

PETER HILLS, the 1999 Independents Cup champion, has a new-look team. The
41-year-old from Sydney said his two Signature Security Systems Ford Mondeos
would no longer be prepared by Mick Quinn. Hills has forged a partnership with
Sydney's Graham Watson, who currently prepares Formula Holdens for New
Zealand drivers Matthew Halliday and Chris Staff. Watson has previous
experience in the Super Touring championship, preparing cars for Bob Tweedie
and Paul Pickett.

Hills also announced that he had chosen Sydney teenager ALLAN GURR to drive
the team's second Mondeo to replace Dean Canto. Gurr, 17, is a former karting
champion and he impressed Hills when he drove the Mondeo for the first time at
Oran Park on April 25. Gurr is entered for Oran Park, but must first have a licence
approved to be able to race.

McGILL SWITCHES TO NISSAN

NSW driver AARON McGILL is switching to a Nissan Primera for this year's
championship. The 37-year-old finished seventh in the Independents Cup in 1999
in a Ford Mondeo. The Primera McGill will race was previously driven in the
championship by Steven Richards (1997), Adam Kaplan (1998), and Jim Cornish
(1999). McGill will again be sponsored by Trinovin. Perth-based ALLAN LETCHER
takes over in the Mondeo raced by McGill in 1999.

NEWMAN OPTS OUT OF INDEPENDENT CUP

Sydney-based New Zealander TONY NEWMAN has made himself ineligible for the
Independents Cup because he will use the maximum six new tyres on his
1997-specification Peugeot 406 at each round. Under the championship's new
Sporting Regulations drivers must meet three of five requirements to compete for
the Independents Cup. Newman's Peugeot did not comply because it was
manufactured after January 1, 1996, and it has 19-inch wheels. The 43-year-old
businessman could have retained Independents Cup status if he used only four
tyres at each championship round, but has opted for six.

"This is my fourth season in the championship and I want to be as competitive as
possible," said Newman. "The extra two tyres will be worth about a-second-a-lap
by the time the third race at Oran Park comes around. It also gives me the
chance to do more laps in qualifying."

Newman has switched from a green and gold livery on his car, which was raced in
the 1997 British Touring Car Championship by the work's Peugeot team, to blue
and yellow this year. He has also added a silver fern to the colour scheme.

CORNISH RETAINS INDEPENDENTS CUP STATUS

As a contrast to Tony Newman, Sydney's JIM CORNISH will restrict himself to
four tyres at each round in a bid to win the Independents Cup. The 29-year-old
veterinarian is driving a Honda Accord, fitted with a 1998-specification
aerodynamic kit. The new parts meant Cornish had to contest each round with
four tyres to retain Independents Cup status.

"My aim this year is to win the Independents Cup, and the improvements we
have made to the car should compensate for using two less tyres," he said. "The
Honda has been completely rebuilt so we are going into the new season with high
hopes."

Cornish drove a Nissan Primera in the 1999 championship. He has retained his
major sponsors, Lyppard, Frontline, and Hill's Science Diet and the Honda will
feature the 'Visit Your Vet' logo on each side. Cornish has opted for a striking
purple-based colour scheme with silver flashes. The car also features 20-spoke
wheels.

SUPER TOURING BRIEFS

The championship opener at Oran Park will feature cars from nine different
manufacturers - BMW, Nissan,

[Crash Test]

Hmmm...18 listed entries...some of these folk are notorius for not fronting up on race weekend....
I see Robson is listed in a BMW...taking a big step back...
Also there is a grand total of 0 new cars (or even older cars making their first start in the series) with the 4 newest cars from last years series gone missing....you can't deny it, the ASTC is very very ill....

The only question yet to be answered is how many laps will Morris win by....

[Buckshot]

This is exactly what I said to a friend of mine the other day. I'm thinking of going to Oran Park this Sunday but after hearing last week that Brad's Audis are now out it will come down to watching Paul Morris lap the rest of the field.

Also...I have no-one to go with as my mates will wonly go to V8 Supercar meets - anyone looking for a race buddy this weekend ?

Cheers Buck.

[elephino]

I wish I could get excited by this years series, but with the only competitive car being Morris it just isn't worth the effort.

I'm too busy this weekend to go down to OP, but I might go to one of the later rounds.

I'd like to know what Morris is going on about with the addition of weights he will win by only two laps.

[kmchow]

thanks for the update Crash Test. Reading your article made me very excited about the ASTC. At least it looks more interesting than the BTCC. All the teams less Morris seem quite equally matched!! Though without the A4s around, it looks like an easy Morris/BMW win.

I thought the ASTC has allowed Quattro to race again? If so, why did BJR pull out?

>Hmmm...18 listed entries...some of these >folk are notorius for not fronting up on >race weekend....
>
hmm, a tiny part of me does agree and can relate. The short lived NATCC had about 15-20 entries listed in '97, but sadly, the teams came, went or did not even show up throughout the season. If they, like the ASTC, showed up, it should still be interesting.

Let's hope at least 10 cars show up each race. I think the NATCC record was 12 cars showed up, but only 11 made race day.

[kmchow]

Crash Test wrote:

>BOC Gases Australian Super Touring Champion >PAUL MORRIS will begin his title
>defence at Oran Park this Sunday (May 28) >with a choice of two engines
>prepared by BMW Motorsport in Germany.
>
Has his status "risen" to 75% works level or is it the same as last year? I don't recall BMW offering him that much help last year until the Bathurst race?

[Crash Test]

Sorry there ol chum, 10 cars is about 20 short of an exciting grid....10 cars is really really really incredibly pathetic...

From the grid, i can come up with this:
56. John Henderson (NSW) Henderson Racing Holden Vectra
-seemingly always having reiability problems..
77. Malcolm Rea (Qld) Motorsports Developments Toyota Carina
-Good luck Mal, but i can tell you how little money he has behind him...i've gotg more money than him!
97. Paul Leabeater (NSW) Redline Motorsport Hyundai Lantra
-Good luck again...the Hyundai is a dog at the best of times
99. TBA Motorsports Developments Toyota Carina
-Hmmm, yep well...

"I thought the ASTC has allowed Quattro to race again? If so, why did BJR pull out?"
-Well why should they race? I can hear you say that would win, which is true. But what exactly would they be beating?
I think the official reason was Audi not providing the money, as well as BJR concentrating on V8s.

"PAUL MORRIS will begin his title
>defence at Oran Park this Sunday (May 28) >with a choice of two engines
>prepared by BMW Motorsport in Germany."
-The thing about that is that (this is just my suspicion) that he will still be paying top dollar for them... His dad aint short of a buck...

[Crash Test]

Another really huge let down for the class is that there are only 6 future touring entries, and 2 of those belong to series organiser Bruce Williams....

They were going to save Toca, especially since superspeedway has seemingly died....oh well...

[Buckshot]

Jeez...when you guys put it like that...

I was looking for a reason to go see them Sunday - now I need a reason to even bother watching them on TV !

Cheers Buck.

[Crash Test]

And an update on last weekends racing...

RESULTS - RACE 1 (22 laps):

POS DRIVER CAR TIME
1. Paul Morris (Qld) Mount Cotton Estate Winery BMW 320i 19:03.60
2. John Henderson (NSW) Henderson Racing Holden Vectra 19:04.37
3. Peter Hills (NSW) Signature Security Systems Ford Mondeo 19:08.21
4. David Auger (Qld) Leatherman Racing Alfa Romeo 19:19.80
5. Luke Searle (NSW) SAE College-Roadchill Express BMW 318i 19:25.22
6. Jamie Miller (NSW) Phoenix Motorsport Toyota Camry 19:26.92
7. Allan Letcher (WA) McGill Motorsport Ford Mondeo 19:31.21
8. Paul Leabeater (NSW) Redline Motorsport Hyundai Lantra 19:49.00
9. Michael Downard (Vic) MPD Racing BMW 318i Lap down

FASTEST LAP: Morris 43.52-secs

RESULTS - RACE 2 (22 laps):


POS DRIVER CAR TIME
1. Paul Morris (Qld) Mount Cotton Estate Winery BMW 320i 18:51.98
2. David Auger (Qld) Leatherman Racing Alfa Romeo 18:56.46
3. Alan Gurr (NSW) Signature Security Systems Ford Mondeo 19:09.40
4. Allan Letcher (WA) McGill Motorsport Ford Mondeo 19:09.87
5. Aaron McGill (NSW) Trinovin Nissan Primera 19:16.67
6. Michael Downard (Vic) MPD Racing BMW 318i 19:33.45
7. John Henderson (NSW) Henderson Racing Holden Vectra 19:33.68
8. Paul Leabeater (NSW) Redline Motorsport Hyundai Lantra Lap down
9. Mike Fitzgerald (NSW) MF Motorsport Peugeot 405 Lap down

FASTEST LAP: Morris 44.77-secs

RESULTS - RACE 3 (35 laps):

POS DRIVER CAR TIME
1. Paul Morris (Qld) Mount Cotton Estate Winery BMW 320i 26:20.81
2. Peter Hills (NSW) Signature Security Systems Ford Mondeo Lap down
3. David Auger (Qld) Leatherman Racing Alfa Romeo Lap down
4. Alan Gurr (NSW) Signature Security Systems Ford Mondeo Lap down
5. Jamie Miller (NSW) Phoenix Motorsport Toyota Camry Lap down
6. Aaron McGill (NSW) Trinovin Nissan Primera Lap down
7. Allan Letcher (WA) McGill Motorsport Ford Mondeo 2 laps down
8. Michael Downard (Vic) MPD Racing BMW 318i 2 laps down
9. Paul Leabeater (NSW) Redline Motorsport Hyundai Lantra 5 laps down

FASTEST LAP: Morris 44.25-secs

PAUL MORRIS WINS FEATURE RACE BY OVER A LAP!!

Has that ever happened before in any ST series in any series any where in the world? I mean one driver lapping everyone in a sprint race...kind of shows a slight disparity in the competition...can't wait until they come up here!!

Whats more, looking at the extended results, there were 10DNSs...
So is it OK to gloat that you have 26 entries, but only 16 front? I think thats a bit sad...
Well the future tourers were way off the pace of the super tourers, and the super tourers were way off the pace of Morris...but where are the super production cars? Weren't there meant to be a heap of the, ready for the new season?

Ok, nap time for me...

[This message has been edited by Crash Test (edited 03 June 2000).]

[kmchow]

Thanks for the update.
Looking at the results, it seems there are four or five groups of cars in terms of lap times. The BMW is the best, but the Vectra wasn't "far" (relative) behind. It seems each group has about 2-3 cars closely bunched together. It is nice to see the Camry still racing. The Camry was rebuilt right? It managed to give the Primeras/Peter Hills Contour a run for their money?

[Crash Test]

Well Alan Gurr is only a newcomer to the game, apparently he has only had 3 race meetings in cars striaght from Karts. So from this i have no idea hos he got a license, when the rules for everyone else is 5 club race meetings. So unless the Super Tourers are considered to be club motorsport, i don't know why he was allowed to start...oh well.

There was a bit of carnage apparently, which meant that there were a few DSQ in there... It was funny that the field was close to Morris in the 1st 2 races, but then he lapped the field in the last race. Some funny stuff going on there? IN the past, nobody else in the field could come close to Morris, bear in mind they are all driving the same cars, or cars of the same age..