It has been confirmed today that Bryce Fullwood will join the Walkinshaw Andretti United team in 2020, replacing Scott Pye in the #2.
With Bryce Fullwood coming into the main game, I think this is a good career move for him, and it will be interesting to see both how he adapts to the main game and how he interacts with teammate @chazmozzie in the #22.
As it turns out, no Jack LeBrocq after all, so I correct that from an earlier blog post, which has now been corrected, as he's off to Tickford Racing, replacing Chaz Mostert.
That leaves just one seat left to be confirmed for the 2020 season.
And that is the new Western Sydney Team that was Tekno Autosports. James Courtney is running one seat, but we don't know if it'll be a 1 car organisation or a 2 car organisation, nor do we know who the 2nd driver is.
Overall I am happy that Bryce Fullwood is going to the main game, and I am happy for Walkinshaw Andretti United who have taken him on as a driver in 2020.
Monday, 20 January 2020
Sunday, 12 January 2020
BREAKING: Pukekohe dropped for Hampton Downs in 2020
So Auckland's council has decided that no car racing can take place during Anzac Day, so Supercars have been forced to change the track they're racing at in 2020 from Pukekohe to Hampton Downs.
This is the piece of legislation that triggered the change.
Clause I434.6(1) of the Auckland Unitary Plan states that “There must not be any use of the track by motor vehicles, except for vehicles undertaking maintenance in all of the following circumstances,” with subsection (b) specifically stating “Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Anzac Day“.
Since the Anzac weekend has been used for the 2020 season, the location had to be changed, despite precedent from 2014.
I've heard that Auckland Council is Anti-Car, but having seen the nightmarish traffic jams that can happen in and out of Auckland when my family visited New Zealand a couple of years ago, it's pretty bad.
Apparently, ATEED and Supercars had both not been informed somehow about the changes until Christmas, which forced the switch.
Well, in my view, this is an interesting development. I've seen a bit of racing at Hampton Downs years back, so I'll be interested to see what's changed about the track in the time since I saw it.
The international track is also being used, which is cool.
So, I think this is going to be cool, and I am interested to watch the race there. It sounds like there is a bit of work that needs to be done around the stands, but I hope it'll all be ready for the race.
This is the piece of legislation that triggered the change.
Clause I434.6(1) of the Auckland Unitary Plan states that “There must not be any use of the track by motor vehicles, except for vehicles undertaking maintenance in all of the following circumstances,” with subsection (b) specifically stating “Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Anzac Day“.
Since the Anzac weekend has been used for the 2020 season, the location had to be changed, despite precedent from 2014.
I've heard that Auckland Council is Anti-Car, but having seen the nightmarish traffic jams that can happen in and out of Auckland when my family visited New Zealand a couple of years ago, it's pretty bad.
Apparently, ATEED and Supercars had both not been informed somehow about the changes until Christmas, which forced the switch.
Well, in my view, this is an interesting development. I've seen a bit of racing at Hampton Downs years back, so I'll be interested to see what's changed about the track in the time since I saw it.
The international track is also being used, which is cool.
So, I think this is going to be cool, and I am interested to watch the race there. It sounds like there is a bit of work that needs to be done around the stands, but I hope it'll all be ready for the race.
Wednesday, 1 January 2020
Happy 2020 Everyone! 2020 Grid CONFIRMED!
Happy
New Year. 2020 Supercars lineup, now that we're back racing IRL.
So, we'll see what
the 2020 season will hold, and how both championships will unfold.
Scott McLaughlin |
#17 |
DJR Team Penske |
Shell V-Power |
Fabian Coulthard |
#12 |
DJR Team Penske |
Shell V-Power |
Jamie Whincup |
#88 |
Red Bull Holden Racing |
Red Bull/Holden |
Shane Van Gisbergen |
#97 |
Red Bull Holden Racing |
Red Bull/Holden |
Jack LeBrocq |
#55 |
Tickford Racing |
Supercheap Auto |
Cameron Waters |
#6 |
Tickford Racing |
Monster Energy |
Lee Holdsworth |
#5 |
Tickford Racing |
Truck Assist |
James Courtney |
#44 |
Tickford Racing |
Boost Mobile |
Andre Heimgartner |
#7 |
Kelly Racing |
NED |
Rick Kelly |
#15 |
Kelly Racing |
Castrol |
Nick Percat |
#8 |
Brad Jones Racing |
RT Batteries |
Todd Hazelwood |
#14 |
Brad Jones Racing | TRG Transport Solutions |
Jack Smith |
#4 |
Brad Jones Racing |
SCT Logistics |
Macauley Jones |
#3 |
Tim Blanchard Racing |
Cooldrive Distribution |
David Reynolds |
#9 |
Erebus Motorsports |
Penrite Oils |
Anton De Pasquale |
#99 |
Erebus Motorsports |
Penrite Oils |
Mark Winterbottom |
#18 |
Team 18 Racing |
Irwin Tools |
Scott Pye |
#20 |
Team 18 Racing |
DeWalt |
Jake Kostecki |
#34 |
Matt Stone Racing |
UNIT |
Garry Jacobson |
#35 |
Matt Stone Racing |
Yellow Cover |
Alex Davison |
#19 |
Western Sydney Team |
Local Legends Jerky Biltong |
Chris Pither |
#22 |
Western Sydney Team |
Coca Cola |
Chaz Mostert |
#25 |
Walkinshaw Andretti United |
Appliances Online/Mobil 1 |
Bryce Fullwood |
#2 |
Walkinshaw Andretti United |
Middy's Electrical |
Thursday, 5 December 2019
Supercars CEO Vow for 2020. My response and thoughts.
Re: Supercars CEO Vow for 2020.
Original Article: https://www.speedcafe.com/2019/12/05/supercars-ceos-vow-for-2020/
So, I'm writing this article to respond to some statements made by the CEO of Supercars about 2019 and 2020. There are a few things I want to respond to.
Firstly, Sean Seamer said "I think that the disappointing thing for us is that this year has been a year that’s been dominated by a highly technical narrative which is made it very, very difficult for fans to follow,"
And it's OK that you think that, but for a lot of fans, they were able to follow fine. The Ford Mustangs, or more specifically a combo of the Mustang and Scott McLaughlin and, to a lesser degree, Fabian Coulthard and Chaz Mostert, was well ahead at the start of the year. By the end of the year, however, DJR Team Penske, Tickford Racing, Red Bull Holden Racing Team and Erebus Motorsports were competitive to varying degrees.
Part of Red Bull Holden's struggles was with the new springs, and it did take a few rounds for them to figure the springs out. Were some of the parity adjustments were done too early? Yes. Is Roland Dane a whiner? Arguable. (Though I would also say that Ryan Story and Tim Edwards are little better), does that mean that Supercars are in Dane's pocket? No, especially since Roger Penske has more money than the rest of the field combined. Does that mean that any other conspiracy theories are valid? Not really.
I do agree with one thing though, we do need to be front and centre/press/news for the right reasons, and not because of parity controversies, or Ford cultists and Holden cultists abusing drivers and team members
That was the main thing that I wanted to respond to. It is not all that I want to talk about. And that is a little bit about the Facebook algorithm and how Supercars get their views, comments, etc.
The comments from Ford and Holden cultists are what drive ratings on Facebook for some reason, the arguments are the normal stupidity from low IQ numbnuts.
Hopefully the racing product in 2020 will be a lot better than in 2019, where it took ages to get the parity right, and even then, I think it may have gone a tiny bit too far the other way, but oh well.
However, I am optimistic about the future of Supercars, that we will get a great and competitive championship in 2020 and further on, especially if BMW decides to join in 2021. I have another article coming for that.
Original Article: https://www.speedcafe.com/2019/12/05/supercars-ceos-vow-for-2020/
So, I'm writing this article to respond to some statements made by the CEO of Supercars about 2019 and 2020. There are a few things I want to respond to.
Firstly, Sean Seamer said "I think that the disappointing thing for us is that this year has been a year that’s been dominated by a highly technical narrative which is made it very, very difficult for fans to follow,"
And it's OK that you think that, but for a lot of fans, they were able to follow fine. The Ford Mustangs, or more specifically a combo of the Mustang and Scott McLaughlin and, to a lesser degree, Fabian Coulthard and Chaz Mostert, was well ahead at the start of the year. By the end of the year, however, DJR Team Penske, Tickford Racing, Red Bull Holden Racing Team and Erebus Motorsports were competitive to varying degrees.
Part of Red Bull Holden's struggles was with the new springs, and it did take a few rounds for them to figure the springs out. Were some of the parity adjustments were done too early? Yes. Is Roland Dane a whiner? Arguable. (Though I would also say that Ryan Story and Tim Edwards are little better), does that mean that Supercars are in Dane's pocket? No, especially since Roger Penske has more money than the rest of the field combined. Does that mean that any other conspiracy theories are valid? Not really.
I do agree with one thing though, we do need to be front and centre/press/news for the right reasons, and not because of parity controversies, or Ford cultists and Holden cultists abusing drivers and team members
That was the main thing that I wanted to respond to. It is not all that I want to talk about. And that is a little bit about the Facebook algorithm and how Supercars get their views, comments, etc.
The comments from Ford and Holden cultists are what drive ratings on Facebook for some reason, the arguments are the normal stupidity from low IQ numbnuts.
Hopefully the racing product in 2020 will be a lot better than in 2019, where it took ages to get the parity right, and even then, I think it may have gone a tiny bit too far the other way, but oh well.
However, I am optimistic about the future of Supercars, that we will get a great and competitive championship in 2020 and further on, especially if BMW decides to join in 2021. I have another article coming for that.
Tuesday, 26 November 2019
2020 Silly Season in full swing!
So, a few big pieces of news these last few days have helped to crystalise the lineup for the grid in 2020.
Firstly, the least surprising change in 2020 was Chaz Mostert heading to Walkinshaw Andretti United to replace James Courtney. This was one that had been known for months, and it was even at the point where, after the last race when Tickford literally taped up Mostert and delivered him to Walkinshaw Andretti United.
Check it out here: https://www.supercars.com/videos/championship/trackside-mostert-delivered-to-new-home/?cat=default
Hot on the heels of that announcement came another not surprising reveal, as Todd Hazelwood is replacing Tim Slade in the #14 Alliance Truck Parts Holden for Brad Jones Racing in 2020.
This is a good move for Todd, and will further put Todd up on the grid, hoping for some more big races in 2020. Of course, it is a shame that Tim Slade isn't racing at this stage, but who knows, maybe it was a trade between Hazelwood and Slade like it was for Holdsworth and Winterbottom.
And we also have a change in the enduro lineup for 2020, as Luke Youlden retires from racing altogether. He's been a solid enduro driver, and has exactly 1 Bathurst and 1 Last-Place finish, interestingly in his last race.
In addition, Scott Pye is off to Team 18 to be a team-mate to Mark Winterbottom, confirming the second seat for Team 18, after leaving Walkinshaw Andretti United, likely to be replaced by Bryce Fulwood.
Update: Jack LeBrocq is going to Tickford Racing, replacing Chaz Mostert. This is also a good move for LeBrocq.
Update 2: The second Matt Stone Racing seat has been filled, as Jake Kostecki and Zane Goddard will share the seat for 2020.
This is interesting, and I do wish them luck. Also, they will team up for the Pirtek Enduro Cup.
The silly season is in full swing now.
Firstly, the least surprising change in 2020 was Chaz Mostert heading to Walkinshaw Andretti United to replace James Courtney. This was one that had been known for months, and it was even at the point where, after the last race when Tickford literally taped up Mostert and delivered him to Walkinshaw Andretti United.
Check it out here: https://www.supercars.com/videos/championship/trackside-mostert-delivered-to-new-home/?cat=default
Hot on the heels of that announcement came another not surprising reveal, as Todd Hazelwood is replacing Tim Slade in the #14 Alliance Truck Parts Holden for Brad Jones Racing in 2020.
This is a good move for Todd, and will further put Todd up on the grid, hoping for some more big races in 2020. Of course, it is a shame that Tim Slade isn't racing at this stage, but who knows, maybe it was a trade between Hazelwood and Slade like it was for Holdsworth and Winterbottom.
And we also have a change in the enduro lineup for 2020, as Luke Youlden retires from racing altogether. He's been a solid enduro driver, and has exactly 1 Bathurst and 1 Last-Place finish, interestingly in his last race.
In addition, Scott Pye is off to Team 18 to be a team-mate to Mark Winterbottom, confirming the second seat for Team 18, after leaving Walkinshaw Andretti United, likely to be replaced by Bryce Fulwood.
Update: Jack LeBrocq is going to Tickford Racing, replacing Chaz Mostert. This is also a good move for LeBrocq.
Update 2: The second Matt Stone Racing seat has been filled, as Jake Kostecki and Zane Goddard will share the seat for 2020.
This is interesting, and I do wish them luck. Also, they will team up for the Pirtek Enduro Cup.
The silly season is in full swing now.
Saturday, 23 November 2019
Rookie Jacobson champion after De Pasquale last at Newcastle
 |
| Original by Repco, Fix Sports and Supercars, edited by me. |
Anton De
Pasquale picked up his 1st last-place finish of his career when his #99 Penrite
Oils Holden was involved in a single-car crash after 22 of the race's 93 laps.
The finish came in Anton's 62nd start.
Anton De
Pasquale is a protégé of Paul Morris, and has run quite well in both his rookie
year and 2nd year. He was 7th in Practice 1, then dropped to 11th in Practice
2. However is recovered to 6th in Qualifying, and held 6th in the Top 10
Shootout.
Garry
Jacobson in the #3 Rabble.club Nissan started the race in the rear, however at
turn 1 Scott Pye in the #2 Winning Appliances/Mobil 1 Holden bumped David
Reynolds in the #9 Penrite Oils Holden, who was collected by Tim Slade in the
#14 Freightliner Holden and Lee Holdsworth in the #5 Bottle-O Ford, severely
damaging Holdsworth's and Reynolds' cars, initially Reynolds fell to last, but
Holdsworth lost 3 laps in repairs, and dropped to last the following lap.
Then,
Holdsworth went to the garage on lap 16 after a Mechanical Black flag for a
damaged undertray, dropping 5 more laps. Holdsworth would eventually finish 10
laps down.
Suddenly,
on lap 23, as Anton De Pasquale in the #99 Penrite Oils Holden left the
pit-lane, he collided with James Courtney in the #22 Appliances Online/Mobil 1
Holden, sending De Pasquale into the wall firstly at Turn 3, then into the wall
at Turn 6, triggering the first Safety Car of the race. De Pasquale dropped to
last on lap 30.
Rounding
out the bottom five was Garry Jacobson in the #3 Rabble.club Nissan, Macauley
Jones in the #21 Cooldrive Distribution Holden and James Golding in the #34
Boost Mobile Holden after going into the tires at Turn 2 at Lap 68, but managed
to get going again.
With
Anton finishing last, Garry Jacobson takes out the 2019 Virgin Australia
LASTCAR championship.
The
Bottom Five
|
Anton De Pasquale
|
22 Laps
|
Crash
|
|
Lee Holdsworth
|
83 Laps
|
Running
|
|
Garry Jacobson (CHAMPION)
|
92 Laps
|
Running
|
|
Macauley Jones
|
92 Laps
|
Running
|
|
James Golding
|
92 Laps
|
Running
|
mpionship
|
Driver
|
Car #
|
Last
|
Bottom 3
|
Bottom 5
|
|
Garry Jacobson (CHAMPION)
|
3
|
4
|
10
|
16
|
|
Macauley Jones
|
21
|
3
|
6
|
12
|
|
Jamie Whincup
|
88
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
|
Jack Smith
|
4/35
|
2
|
7
|
9
|
|
Richie Stanaway
|
33
|
2
|
5
|
8
|
|
James Golding
|
34
|
2
|
5
|
8
|
|
Rick Kelly
|
15
|
2
|
3
|
6
|
|
Shane Van Gisbergen
|
97
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
James Courtney
|
22
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
|
Jack LeBrocq
|
19
|
1
|
8
|
17
|
|
Todd Hazelwood
|
35
|
1
|
4
|
5
|
|
Tim Slade
|
14
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
|
Andre Heimgartner
|
7
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
|
Scott Pye
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
5
|
|
Anton De Pasquale
|
99
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
|
David Reynolds
|
9
|
1
|
2
|
4
|
|
Bryce Fullwood
|
7
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
|
Ashley Walsh
|
14
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
|
Luke Youlden
|
9
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
|
Richard Muscat
|
34
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
Chaz Mostert
|
55
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
James Moffat
|
55
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
Simona De Silvestro
|
78
|
0
|
4
|
8
|
|
Cameron Waters
|
6
|
0
|
3
|
5
|
|
Will Davison
|
23
|
0
|
2
|
3
|
|
Lee Holdsworth
|
5
|
0
|
2
|
3
|
|
Chris Pither
|
33
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
|
Mark Winterbottom
|
18
|
0
|
1
|
6
|
|
Jake Kostecki
|
56
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
|
Michael Caruso
|
33
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
|
Brodie Kostecki
|
56
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
|
Scott McLaughlin
|
17
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
|
Dean Fiore
|
3
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
|
Alex Rullo
|
78
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
|
Steve Richards
|
18
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
|
Will Brown
|
99
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
Fabian Coulthard
|
12
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
Tim Blanchard
|
77
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
Dean Canto
|
21
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
Dale Wood
|
15
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
Team’s
Championship
|
Team
|
Drivers
|
Last
|
Bottom 3
|
Bottom 5
|
|
Red Bull Holden Racing Team
|
4
|
5/4
|
6/4
|
7/4
|
|
Nissan Motorsports
|
8
|
8/8
|
23/8
|
37/8
|
|
Garry Rodgers Motorsports
|
6
|
5/6
|
13/6
|
19/6
|
|
Walkinshaw Andretti United
|
5
|
3/5
|
6/5
|
7/5
|
|
Matt Stone Racing
|
2
|
1/2
|
6/2
|
8/2
|
|
Brad Jones Racing
|
8
|
5/8
|
13/8
|
23/8
|
|
Tickford Racing
|
8
|
2/8
|
6/8
|
11/8
|
|
Tekno Autosports
|
2
|
1/2
|
8/2
|
17/2
|
|
Erebus Racing
|
4
|
1/4
|
6/4
|
9/4
|
|
IRWIN Racing
|
2
|
0
|
1/2
|
7/2
|
|
DJR Team Penske
|
4
|
0
|
1/4
|
2/4
|
|
Kostecki Brothers Racing
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
5/2
|
Manufacturer’s
Championship
|
Manufacturer
|
Drivers
|
Last
|
Bottom 3
|
Bottom 5
|
|
Nissan
|
8
|
8/8
|
23/8
|
37/8
|
|
Holden
|
32
|
25/32
|
59/32
|
102/32
|
|
Ford
|
12
|
2/12
|
7/12
|
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