Ozzie Racer....

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

I wonder if Will Powers started out in the back fourty driving blitz buggies...
This is the first time an Australian driver started in the pole position on this Champ Car race in QLD..
I follow the Champ Car races because my son in law is the assistant engineer on the Newman -Haas car..currently in first place in the series...and is currently in Australia with the team..I have my Tim Tam order in so hope he has time to pick some up..
I'll e-mail him to remind him..
Here is a bit from the Aussie Vinyard team...

Will Power Puts Team Australia on Pole Position on Home Soil

Australian Will Power has given Team Australia and its home fans the best possible start to this weekend's Lexmark Indy 300 by qualifying on provisional pole position at Surfers Paradise today.

Power grabbed pole in opening qualifying for Round 13 of the Champ Car World Series with an outstanding lap around the demanding Gold Coast street circuit. The fastest time in today's session assures the Toowoomba-born driver a front row start in Sunday's race.

Power was on top of the times sheets in the early stages of the session before the Newman-Haas pair of Sebastien Bourdais and Bruno Junqueira moved above the #5 Aussie Vineyards Lola.

Power and his engineer Brandon Fry then made some changes to the Team Australia Lola and fitted the car with a new set of Bridgestone's red 'option' tyres. The local favourite then followed up his early form in the morning practice to set a scintillating pace in front of his cheering home fans.

Power was on an even faster lap when the red flag was brought out as a result of AJ Allmendinger colliding with one of the unforgiving Gold Coast concrete walls, giving Power his first front row start in Champ Car and his first pole in a Champ Car qualifying session. This will be the first front row start for Team Australia in this year's championship.

Power's team-mate Alex Tagliani also made a set-up change mid-session but it did not prove as successful and the Canadian finished eighth in the #15 Team Australia/Aussie Vineyards Lola.

Tagliani and Power have both been on the pace from the work go today at the team's home event. The Aussie Vineyards Lolas have been fast from the word go. Tagliani is confident that he will be able to match his young team-mate's form in final qualifying tomorrow, while Power has stated that he will still be pushing hard for tomorrow in an attempt to follow up today's superb efforts.
Follow the race on Champ Cars Home Page..

http://www.champcarworldseries.com/FrontPage.asp

Congrats to all our MLU Ozzie race fans...

[Howard]

Alex,
The international racing scene would be flooded with talented young Aussies if it were not for one single reason. Money.
Motorsport is struggling here to be seen as a professional sport in a country dominated by Football & Cricket. Our tallented drivers simply cannot get funding for international drives. And it shits me.A few lucky ones make it.
Mark Webber would be a serious contender in F1 if he could get a ride in a decent car, he CAN drive!
Marcos Ambrose CAN drive & next year is stepping up from racing trucks to the Busch series in NASCAR
Until we get a few CEO petrol heads we will continue to be too far & few between on the international racing scene.

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Hi Howard..

Yes,this is not a poor mans sport..
Will Power is a rookie and got the pole on the Gold Coast race this past weekend and was unfortunately knocked out in the race by an unfortunate touch by Bourdais at high speed and ended up in 12 place..But Tagliani who also drives for Aussie Vinyards came in third so it was a pretty good day for OZ..You have a new driver that had his first race by the name of Ryan Brisco so it is coming along..
One more Champ Car race in Mexico city in three weeks so they have a good chance to get out there and get in front of the cameras again..
Yes there is money involved..At 8 million a pop to get a car on the track it is going to take some big boys to pitch in..
How about BHP or Shell Coal...They have deep pockets and could well sponser a team..or the world famous Tim Tam Co..??