V8 Support Programs for 2004

[JohnH71]

Has anyone heard anything about the support categories alongside the V8 Supercar and Konica championships? It's due to be released at the VIP event was wondering if anyone had heard anything in advance?

[HRT #1]

MGF
Carrera Cup
Formula 4000
Aussie Racing Cars
Historic Touring Cars

These are all the categories due to be at EC that I found on the PDF download file. click HERE

Hope this helps

[GTRMagic]

MGF is dead, to be replaced with Lotus Elises....

[pete55]

The main two make series is supported by a one make series and another one makes series and a dead open wheeler series. They must be thanking their lucky stars they have the Aussie Racing Cars and the Historic Tourers.

[tiko]

Formula 4000 is dead.. they'll be lucky to get more than 10 cars at ec..

[dynamik gal]

I wish that someone would come in and back the F4000 - nee Formula Holden category. They are awesome cars and have produced some of the best V8 and F1 and international drivers from this series. For someone who wants to go from Formula Ford to a top rating category, Formula 4000 is what they need in order to get any recognition overseas. Its a damn shame that its gone down the gurgler... Hopefully something good will happen for the category. Think of all the top v8 drivers who have won/run in the F4000 - Wills, Lowndes, Skaife, Bright, Bargwanna, Webber, Noske, Murphy.

Ok, fairs to say that we now have the Konicas, but I still think that this category should be supported!

[Onlooker]

I would imagine that F3 would be a better bet at least they are the same as the cars raced overseas.
Pretty hard to sell the line " Yeah well they are kind of sorta old F3000 with a Buick motor in them that is under 4 litre but we called it F4000 ,some cars are alluminum and some Carbon Fibre and Scott Dixon drove one on his way up but just about everyone else has gone to the local 2 make touring car category and not much else,although Lownes drove one ,you remember him he was JPM team mate before he went to Indy,yeah Craigs still driving but you may not have heard of him much lately,how did that Columbian go ,is he still driving,Webber no no he just finished 4th in the local FF and buzzed off over seas unable to grasp the value of a win in F4000,Skaife,have yu ever heard of him,yeah young guy came over once or twice and raced one but no bucks or what ever ,just went home,yeah yeah would have had an older gentleman with him that had a strikingly similair snoz,unlike Bright,Kelly,Wills,Kelly and i don't know maybe Dumbrell may have won the championship a few years ago,it's not on TV or anything and most people go to the tiolet or grab a burger ,do a pit walk what ever when they are on . But they are really good and I am sure it will come in handy should your designer come up with a bitza that nobody really likes I will have experience in driving one of those.

[pete55]

I like the class but it's been Tony Cochranised.

[AussieV8]

Tony " China " Cockran would love to have the V8 Brutes.....

[pete55]

Yeah, but he ain't gettin' 'em.

[D.R.T.]

Originally posted by Onlooker
I would imagine that F3 would be a better bet at least they are the same as the cars raced overseas.
.

On the Procar bill. A while back i remeber TC saying "F3 thats something we'll take a look at" under the impression if he said jump they would forgetting that many pple dont wont to be apart of the 5 Litre circus

[Onlooker]

Weather they won't to or not is another matter but the commercial realities are that a sponser is more likely to tip in big if they see them selves as part of the big show as opposed to the side show.PROCAR don't have enough clout to even get their top classs to have a run at Indy let alone push for more exposure for a support class.
I just think that F4000 is now completely irrelivent,to the point that I couldn't even tell you who won the last couple of Gold Stars but when it was a good thing and stokell,larko,bright,bargs.kelly,wills,kelly etc were racing there was some interest.

[Crash Test]

I thought that the Sports Sedans/Trans Ams were going to be with the Supercars, but in the press today, it says that they will be with the F4000 package...

[TSR]

Would'nt TC love to get his hands on the v8brutes, but then again he would ***k them up to by tackin them OS. GLAD HE MISSED OUT

[Chucky]

I think F3 does very well without the Great Satan from the North.

I can't think of a reason they would want to jump to AVESCO.

[FatBoy]

I think the crowds would love to see Historics, Improved Production, and Brutes as supports to the V8's... Shame it'll never happen...

Cheers,
Paul...

[GTRMagic]

With thanks to RaceTime's Racenews service.....

"FORD RACING BACKS FORMULA FORD IN 2004

Ford Racing Australia today reaffirmed their support for the Formula Ford category by announcing an increase in both financial and technical assistance in 2004.

Long regarded as the country's premier young driver development category, the Formula Ford Association welcomed the announcement which will now allow the category to increase its marketing program and pursue television coverage for the class in 2004.

"To have Ford join us again in 2004, with an increased level of commitment is great news for the future of our category," Formula Ford committee administrator Margaret Hardy said.

"It will really help us establish Formula Ford as Australia's premier open-wheeler competition."

Ford Racing Australia has made a long-term commitment to support the exciting category on an on-going basis.

"Formula Ford has been the breeding ground for many of Australia's and indeed the world leading drivers," said Ford Australia Motorsport Operations Manager Stephen Kruk.

"It's the place where our V8 Supercar teams look to find aspiring talent and there always seems to be more and more great young drivers coming through the category.

"Our increased support to Formula Ford underlines our commitment to racing in general. 2003 has brought great results both on and off the track, and our racing programme continues to go from strength to strength.

Australian Formula Ford alumni include five-time Bathurst winner Larry Perkins, Formula One driver Mark Webber, V8 Supercar Bathurst champions Jason Bright, Steven Richards, Garth Tander, Craig Lowndes and Russell Ingall, and exciting championship contender Marcos Ambrose.

The opening round of the 2004 Ford Racing Formula Ford Championship will be held at Wakefield Park Raceway on the 22nd of February.

Brilliant news.... and about time too

[pete55]

So does that mean F4000 is out and FF is in?

[MickAU]

I don't think I can see the F3's on the AVESCO program whilstever one R.Palmer is on the Board of the Australian F3 Commission (which I still think is the case), can u?

F4000 has been on life support for about the last 5 years, I don't know why these guys don't realise that and just give up! They are flogging a dead horse.

All of the support categories on the V8sc bill are there purely for commercial reasons, the same as the support categories on the PROCAR bill...they pay for the privilege.
TC don't care, as long as the till is tickin' over.

[bathurst]

FORMULA FORDS. That's where the real racing is..

[Onlooker]

But if F4000 falls over wouldnt the premier class want to be assosiated witht the biggest show in town???????//

[GTRMagic]

RossP doesnt own the rights to the F3 series, so if that class decided to switch to the dark side, unless there is a compelling contractual arrangement already in place, a switch is not only possible but highly likely

The only request I would have is to look at some of the kamikaze pilots in the F3 class, there are quite a few guys who dont seem to mind rubbing wings and sidepods on each other and inanimate objects. Very scary stuff!

[DAVID PATERSON]

Histpric Touring Cars will be on trhe support programme at 6 V8SC Championship rounds in 2004. AVESCO wanted them to run more than 6 rounds, but the AHTCA held it to six to ensure that all the top guys would be able to do every round and there would be good fields at every round.

Improved Production Touring Cars will be running at the 4 standalone Konica meetings in 2004.

[gomick]

bring back the 2 + 4 meetings - aussie superbikes & v8's

[Chucky]

Originally posted by GTRMagic
RossP doesnt own the rights to the F3 series, so if that class decided to switch to the dark side, unless there is a compelling contractual arrangement already in place, a switch is not only possible but highly likely

The only request I would have is to look at some of the kamikaze pilots in the F3 class, there are quite a few guys who dont seem to mind rubbing wings and sidepods on each other and inanimate objects. Very scary stuff!

Uuuummmmmm...... that's pretty much what F3 is about. As we say "If you can't stand the carbon fibre, get off the track."

Why would F3 want or need AVESCO when it is already a proven international category.

And besides, there's nowhere to mount headlights for those interesting session times we would undoubtedly be burdened with at some stage.