Stoner....

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by one five five

Not to mention he got a top 5 in his ATCC debut at Amaroo, and got 3rd at Bathurst in 1993.

If he hadn't gone off so quickly and started his own team for 1994, who knows how good the results could have been?

If WGR had managed to wangle a Bridgestone tyre contract for 1994, we may have seen a much better performance...

[Mixer]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

If WGR had managed to wangle a Bridgestone tyre contract for 1994, we may have seen a much better performance...

Erm, what year did Skaife win the championship on Yokohama?

[Umai Naa]

WGR were on Dunlops in '94.

[Mixer]

Originally Posted by Umai Naa

WGR were on Dunlops in '94.

I stand corrected, DJR won the championship in '95 on Dunlops so I don't really see that tyres were a massive issue this early.

Gardner had speed but was impatient and sometimes petulant. He bought the Holy Grail of sponsors to the sport but you could argue that they left because of him too.

[eduardo1]

Originally Posted by Mixer

I stand corrected, DJR won the championship in '95 on Dunlops so I don't really see that tyres were a massive issue this early.

Gardner had speed but was impatient and sometimes petulant. He bought the Holy Grail of sponsors to the sport but you could argue that they left because of him too.

Tyres were very much an issue. Yokohama and Bridgestone only supplied a small number of teams, most notably Gibson's team on Yokos and HRT & Glenn Seton on Bridgeys.

Dunlop was the 'customer' tyre option. They supplied everyone who couldn't get a contract with the other two, but they preferenced DJR as back then they were one of the biggest teams of the Dunlop runners.

DJR did win in 95 - back when HRT was a basket case, mostly through superior engine and John Bowe being at his peak. Larry got up for them at Bathurst, although they were helped by the failure of the lead Winfield car after it had put a lap on them and Seton's demise at the end. Still a fantastic drive by LP & Ingall though.

For reference, in 96 Paul Romano, who was consistently near the back, was given a set of Bridgestones at the final round at Oran Park and qualified sixth - far and away his best result of the year. It was eerily similar to the effect E70 had on a couple of Nissans recently.

[Mixer]

Originally Posted by eduardo1

For reference, in 96 Paul Romano, who was consistently near the back, was given a set of Bridgestones at the final round at Oran Park and qualified sixth - far and away his best result of the year. It was eerily similar to the effect E70 had on a couple of Nissans recently.

Was Romano's not an ex-HRT car though?

Anyway on topic it seems reports are swirling Casey is going to hang up the helmet in all forms of motorsport at the end of the year.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Mixer

Was Romano's not an ex-HRT car though?

Perkins-built Ex-Longhurst B&H Commodore VP...

[Mixer]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Perkins-built Ex-Longhurst B&H Commodore VP...

Really, I should just shut up now

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Perkins-built Ex-Longhurst B&H Commodore VP...

[chavez]

Back on topic...it would appear that Stoner who has had equal or better equipment than anyone else (in the second tier of V8 Supercars) has performed poorly compared to Gardner who had dodgy HRT equipment and far from the best tyres in the 1st tier series.

[DV_08]

Romano was driving a Falcon for the Pack Leader team in 96, sorry to go back off topic.

[eduardo1]

Originally Posted by DV_08

Romano was driving a Falcon for the Pack Leader team in 96, sorry to go back off topic.

Perhaps it was 95 then. Either way the point was changing to Bridgestones catapulted a back-half of the field car/driver combo to the front of the field for the first and only time that season.

[Silver 3]

Originally Posted by chavez

Back on topic...it would appear that Stoner who has had equal or better equipment than anyone else (in the second tier of V8 Supercars) has performed poorly compared to Gardner who had dodgy HRT equipment and far from the best tyres in the 1st tier series.

I made the comparison for a reason-- Gardner was the epicentre of a lot of car contact( Capt Chaos ring a bell for anyone?) and overall it was a lot less competitive back then-- not facing nearly 60 cars as it is now( main series plus 2nd series ) -- so Stoner was/is facing a bigger mountain .
Reality is that it took some time and a fair lump of Gardners own money for him to get accepted.
I have the utmost respect for Caseys achievements and the sacrifices he and his family made to succeed-- but learning the hard way a new gig requires an equal amount of dedication to the cause.

[gts300]

Originally Posted by Silver 3

(Capt Chaos ring a bell for anyone?)

I seem to recall at some stage there was a promotion to Major for Wayne

Now everyone, back on topic!

[Casper]

Originally Posted by Silver 3

Reality is that it took some time and a fair lump of Gardners own money for him to get accepted.

To paraphrase WG...

When asked about the source of money for his racing he replied that only a fool uses his own money to go racing and as much as some like to criticise him I don't think he is a fool where money is concerned.