Circuit racers rallying....

[Head Rev]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

It was some expert tutelage for Simon Evans from Mr Bates and Mr Bates that helped him with his gravel/tar speed in the ARC in 2006 too.....

Interesting to read that Marcus Gronholm has chosed to receive some training from an unnamed racing driver to help him on bitumen too prior to the Monte Carlo rally...

... there is obviously something slightly different between the disciplines... pretty amazing that a multiple WRC champion still goes to a 'pro' after all these years doing the deed...

Yes, very true of Neal & Simon....

Also, with Gronholm, even though he is a multi WRC champion, he would be looking at getting any advantage possible over his rivals. Every tenth of a second can mean the difference between first and second etc. Also, last year Chris Atkinson did the Nurb 24hr race in a WRX to give him as much experience as possible on bitumen - it appears it may have paid off with his Monte result.

All drivers say that the more time you can have your 'bum' in the seat at competition speed helps find those extra few tenths.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by KineticEnergy

Mr W will be running Allan in the car in Rally Tasmania next month I'm given to understand.

Car is one of LWR's brand new RHD Evo 9 running Koni suspension & Bridgestones for something different.

The Rally of Tasmania is usually the precursor to the Targa Tasmania proper Here's hoping for a very strong performance there too.

LWR have popped out several chassis over the years, in Evo Lancers and various stages of Imprezas... I wonder where they have all ended up?

[mac]

Originally Posted by Head Rev

Would say that they have more than just dabbled in circuit racing!!! Didn't Neal get his big break with Toyota through a "Junior driver program" or something similar......Toyota Search for a Star or something?

Also, Neal did a very good job with Glenn Seton and FPR as well at Bathurst.

And, both Neal and Rick have competed in the various Bathurst 12 hrs events.

I doubt that there would be a faster tarmac rally driver in the country than Neal Bates - still!

Let's hope the new S2000 Corollas are elligible for some tarmac rallies - and they'll look awesome doing it too.

[mac]

Originally Posted by KineticEnergy

the employer is a bit miffed after learning that ARCOM intend to produce their own ARC coverage for 2007 to hand to the broadcaster to send over the airwaves.

Ten actually told Rallycorp they weren't going to produce it anymore - they'll most likely still broadcast it, but are giving up the production.

[Falcadore]

Originally Posted by Senna05

It's not just Brock.

Alot of tin top stars of the 70's were "Rally Aces" per se. Remember, HDT was set up as a RALLY team, and its drivers were used on the track as well.

Bond was renowned for his rally skills in NSW. Brock became a Rally-Cross master. But thats not all....

Here's some famous ARC winners that we might know from circuit racing -

1968 Harry Firth (VIC) Graham Hoinville (VIC) Ford Cortina
1971 Colin Bond (NSW) George Shepheard (NSW) Holden Torana
1972 Colin Bond (NSW) George Shepheard (NSW) Holden Torana
1974 Colin Bond (NSW) George Shepheard (NSW) Holden Torana
1980 George Fury (VIC) Monty Suffern (VIC) Datsun Stanza

Slightly different in those cases. Fury was a rallyist first who made a stunning transition. Bond was arguably of the top ten motorsport competitors this country has ever produced. Firth's career is slightly too far before my time but his reputation and statististics are extroadinary.

Simonsen has a long way to go before he could even breathe in that company.

[KineticEnergy]

Originally Posted by mac

Ten actually told Rallycorp they weren't going to produce it anymore - they'll most likely still broadcast it, but are giving up the production.

Conflicts with my mail, but nonetheless. Ten's motorsport production team must be a busy place to work then. No V8Supercar, no ARC.

[ff s conscience]

Originally Posted by Falcadore

Simonsen has a long way to go before he could even breathe in that company.

!!

Ok, so how do you rate Steven Richards... who's driving the same event as Allan, but not doing so well?

[pete55]

Richards is also not in the quality of car that Simonsen is driving. In saying that i am not doubting Simonsens ability at all.

[ff s conscience]

no, of course... but if you look at the gap they had in SS1... equal driving from both would have similar % gaps...

results up to SS9...

You can be as one eyed as you like... any way you look at it.. at this stage it's a bloody good job getting done!

Crocker/Evans is the best comparison...

http://www.lakemountainsprint.com/re...7_outright.pdf

[rallyfiend]

Originally Posted by KineticEnergy

Conflicts with my mail, but nonetheless. Ten's motorsport production team must be a busy place to work then. No V8Supercar, no ARC.

I'd heard they told Network Ten 'thanks but no thanks - we'll look after it ourselves thank you'.

[Falcadore]

Originally Posted by ff s conscience

!!

Ok, so how do you rate Steven Richards... who's driving the same event as Allan, but not doing so well?

What car is Richo II driving? The 35 year old 1.6 litre Twin Cam Escort he and his father built a couple years back?

What's Simonsen driving, a Porsche? A WRX?

Correct me if I'm wrong over vehicle disparity.

But the merits of Steven Richards was not the debate though was it? No matter how good Simonsen may be, Firth, Fury and Bond are multiple national champions. Two of those three are bonafide legends of the game. During their careers they have been amongst the top five or better in the country.

Simonsen would struggle to make top forty. Maybe there is better from him to come. Maybe he'll win Bathurst. Le Mans. Targa Tasmania. Rally Queensland. But he hasn't yet.

I just ask for some perspective.

[ff s conscience]

Originally Posted by Falcadore

What car is Richo II driving? The 35 year old 1.6 litre Twin Cam Escort he and his father built a couple years back?

What's Simonsen driving, a Porsche? A WRX?

Correct me if I'm wrong over vehicle disparity.

But the merits of Steven Richards was not the debate though was it? No matter how good Simonsen may be, Firth, Fury and Bond are multiple national champions. Two of those three are bonafide legends of the game. During their careers they have been amongst the top five or better in the country.

Simonsen would struggle to make top forty. Maybe there is better from him to come. Maybe he'll win Bathurst. Le Mans. Targa Tasmania. Rally Queensland. But he hasn't yet.

I just ask for some perspective.

It would appear you under rate Richos car... it was built from new parts... by professional Msport shop...

I also already mentioned % times to compensate for car equality.... Allan is driving a brand new EVO9... built to the same specs aas Crockers WRX... you know Crocker.... a Champion?

Give Allan some credit... he's just won the event....

[Falcadore]

Originally Posted by ff s conscience

It would appear you under rate Richos car... it was built from new parts... by professional Msport shop...

I also already mentioned % times to compensate for car equality.... Allan is driving a brand new EVO9... built to the same specs aas Crockers WRX... you know Crocker.... a Champion?

Give Allan some credit... he's just won the event....

Well then congratulations. A top effort.

[ff s conscience]

I just spoke to Allan... he had a ball and loved it.

The down hill stages had chicanes to slow them down...

On one stage, Allan clipped the gutter and bent the steering ... yet still posted fastest time... and the next stage had to be run with the same bent steering... and he still posted fastest time!!

He said the car was so good it was incredible... but he still made changes to a couple of things to suit him better.

The weather started out so hot the road melted, but then it was snowing the next day!!

Dinner with car owner to discuss future!!

[Senna05]

Originally Posted by Falcadore

What car is Richo II driving? The 35 year old 1.6 litre Twin Cam Escort he and his father built a couple years back?

What's Simonsen driving, a Porsche? A WRX?

Correct me if I'm wrong over vehicle disparity.

But the merits of Steven Richards was not the debate though was it? No matter how good Simonsen may be, Firth, Fury and Bond are multiple national champions. Two of those three are bonafide legends of the game. During their careers they have been amongst the top five or better in the country.

Simonsen would struggle to make top forty. Maybe there is better from him to come. Maybe he'll win Bathurst. Le Mans. Targa Tasmania. Rally Queensland. But he hasn't yet.

I just ask for some perspective.

Not having a personal shot here, but come on!

The guy has been picked up by some of the best international sportscar teams. He has won multiple big international events against some of the best.

The only thing I can put against hm is he doesn't stick in one gig too long. and maybe he enjoys the variety and the things he does?

He's just beaten some of Australia's best at their own game in near equal machinery. And yes, he hasn't won a bathurst, nor has he won what us motorsport enthusiasts would call a 'huge" event, but in the same breath, we've had some absolute turkey's win some of our huge events by pure luck in the past as well, have we not?

I find it ironic that on one hand, we are often told to look at people's potential to gauge them, and then on the other, we are told to look at their results... How can we do either with a guy who obviously enjoys being a journeyman and taking in so much wealth of experience rather than settle for racing one series?

[ff s conscience]

^

Ha ha... Allan owns less than most teenagers... I can assure you he gives way more back than his income would warrant...

He's done more for nothing in the last few years than most of us would do in a lifetime.... But of course, he has to earn $$ somewhere... hence the need to scour the globe to get it.

[PVDA]

The Mt Buller & Lake Mountain Sprints are not really Rallies as they use the same road over and over again and the competitors can drive up and down the road all year prior to the event.

The reason why they're classified as Rallies is they can fit under a speed event category without major safety changes (like walls to prevent cars falling over the edge and down the side of the mountain).

Sooner or later one of these events will kill or seriously injure someone, Buller was very very lucky when that Dato went over the edge a couple of years ago and caught fire that the badly injured crew was able to get out of the car, and that's why I give them a wide berth when the call goes out for marshals.

I put Tarmac Rallies in the same book.

[kramer]

"RIP Steve Irwin, Peter Brock, Mark Porter & Mamma Cass
All died doing what they loved "

Swerving dangerously and suddenly off topic....


Mama Cass?

She had a heart attack.


http://www.snopes.com/music/artists/mamacass.asp


Kramer

[mtpanorama]

She choked eating a ham sandwich

[ff s conscience]

Originally Posted by PVDA

The Mt Buller & Lake Mountain Sprints are not really Rallies as they use the same road over and over again and the competitors can drive up and down the road all year prior to the event.

The reason why they're classified as Rallies is they can fit under a speed event category without major safety changes (like walls to prevent cars falling over the edge and down the side of the mountain).

Sooner or later one of these events will kill or seriously injure someone, Buller was very very lucky when that Dato went over the edge a couple of years ago and caught fire that the badly injured crew was able to get out of the car, and that's why I give them a wide berth when the call goes out for marshals.

I put Tarmac Rallies in the same book.

One could argue that repeating stages makes them progressively safer.

One could also argue that circuit racing or any form of motor sport is dangerous... dirt bikes kill and mame us all the time yet we encourage our kids to do that from age 5!!!

I think you should open your mind and maybe even help an event like this... you never know... you might like it!

[sizzle]

ff s conscience I am not questioning your credentials or your obvious enthusiasm for Allen, but the thought still remains in my mind, if this guy is so good how come he has no long term solid deals. Senna05 sings high praise as do you, I know he can drive the wheels off a ute and obviously after last weekend an Evo 9, but there still remains that lingering doubt.
If he is so good why isn't he signed sealed and locked up?

[pete55]

He has something lined up for this year, mostly overseas. Will be running with John Teulan in the 24hr race at the 'Ring' if it eventuates also.

[ff s conscience]

Originally Posted by sizzle

ff s conscience I am not questioning your credentials or your obvious enthusiasm for Allen, but the thought still remains in my mind, if this guy is so good how come he has no long term solid deals. Senna05 sings high praise as do you, I know he can drive the wheels off a ute and obviously after last weekend an Evo 9, but there still remains that lingering doubt.
If he is so good why isn't he signed sealed and locked up?

errr... sizzle... you should read his website to see what he's done.. The utes and Evo9 barely rate a mention in real terms...

www.allansimonsen.com

as for signing deals... well... it's one of lifes mysteries why he hasn't landed a deal to settle with.... but he has signed deals anyway... he simply choses to use his spare time for other driving opportunities and income where available...

oh yeah, plus the fact there are simply too many guys with adequate speed but huge budgets behind them to take places from truly fast and great drivers...

[PVDA]

Originally Posted by ff s conscience

One could argue that repeating stages makes them progressively safer.

One could also argue that circuit racing or any form of motor sport is dangerous... dirt bikes kill and mame us all the time yet we encourage our kids to do that from age 5!!!

From personal experience driving to country sites on windy roads for weeks I found as I got to know the road I drove it quicker & quicker and had to make sure I didn't get c0cky and try and drive too quickly and end up off the road.

Repeating a stage over and over again only encourages drivers to try harder & harder until they find and exceed the limit and on hillclimbs like Lake Mountain or Mt Buller the limit involves no run off area like you do in circuit racing.

You may encourage 5 year olds to ride dirt bikes but I certainly wouldn't.

It's a free country so if they want to run up and down those hills they can but as it's a free country I don't need to have anything to do with it either.