AA Archives: TWR collapses, new V8 era wows all and more
Take a journey back in time and discover what was making news this week over the last five decades as AUTO ACTION delves into its archives.
2013 – Car of the Future set for lift off
The cover of issue #1530 previewing the 2013 V8 Supercars Championship.
The first race in the Car of the Future phase of V8 Supercars was nigh after all 28 cars completed the official test at Sydney Motorsport Park.
In a similar result to 2023, Brad Jones Racing also topped the 2013 test day at Sydney Motorsport Park with Jason Bright and Fabian Coulthard leading the way.
Bright’s chart-topping 1:28.9655 in the #8 BOC backed holden VF Commodore was three-tenths faster than Craig Lowndes’ practice record set 12 months earlier.
Jason Bright led the field at the 2013 V8 Supercars pre-season test. Image: Supercars.Com
It was an insight into what was to come with BJR winning five races that season, including a sweep at Symmons Plains and an emotional Jason Richards Memorial Trophy triumph.
In the immediate aftermath of the test day, Bright was in a bullish mood.
“I felt as though we were making all of the right decisions with the COTF,” Bright said at the test day.
“The new Commodore seems to be working well across the board and we’ve got all of the right ingredients.
“I always thought our engine was strong and now we’ve got a level playing field to take on Triple Eight and Ford Performance Racing.”
Nissan, making a comeback after 21 years out of the sport with the Altima and Kelly Racing, also wowed with Rick Kelly finishing fifth in the “first time Rick’s car ever turned a wheel” according to brother Todd.
But despite the promising pace of BJR and Nissan, the winner of four of the last five Supercars championships, Jamie Whincup was described as “the man to beat” in AUTO ACTION’s preview.
F1 pre-season testing also took place with Mercedes and Ferrari showing speed, but Red Bull ominously enjoyed a trouble free-run.
Mark Webber was embarking on his 12th and what would become his final season in F1, but in February the Aussie was in feeling as fresh as ever.
“When you are 22, 23, you are running through walls in every situation and you are very naive in a lot of things, particularly when it comes to top-level motorsport,” he told AUTO ACTION at the time.
“Now I have a fuller understanding on how F1 works, so you also get clever with your energy levels and you have to be organised.
“And we are at the front, so the demands are higher. But the motivation is still strong and I still feel young at heart.”
Jimmie Johnson started his hunt for a sixth NASCAR Cup title perfectly by winning the Daytona 500. But it was Danica Patrick, who made the most lasting impact by becoming the first woman to start a Cup race from pole.
Danica Patrick scored a sensational pole at the 2013 Daytona 500. Image: Michael L. Levitt
LAT Photo
Patrick was the number-one topic of conversation and all eyes were on her as she was amongst the fight at the front where Johnson made his late race-winning move during a six-lap shootout to the chequered flag.
Despite still recording the highest finish ever by a female in a NASCAR Cup Series race with P8, Patrick believed something more special was possible after dropping back as Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Junior pursued forward.
2013 – Tom Walkinshaw Racing collapses
The cover of issue #1029 from March 5-11 2003 following the demise of TWR.
Despite Todd Kelly being announced as Mark Skaife’s new teammate, a cloud of doubt hung over the future of Holden Racing Team, plus its sister squads Kmart Racing and Team Brock following the collapse of the Tom Walkinshaw Racing.
The bombshell announcement occurred on the eve of the first V8 Supercars event of 2003, the non-championship Australian Grand Prix meeting.
Although no points were on offer, it was a milestone race being the first time Project Blueprint V8 Supercars would hit the track.
Following the collapse of TWR, Holden purchased the Australian arm of the body, which included all three V8 Supercars teams to ensure they could start the 2003 season.
However, the long-term future was still up in the air with Holden stating it was only a short term solution.
Despite the scare, Mark Skaife and all Holden teams raced at Albert Park in 2003. Image: Mark Horsburgh/LAT
Photographic
“Holden’s strategic position long term has always been we don’t own race teams and that is still our view,” said Holden’s director of sales Ross McKenzie at the time after brokering the deal alongside Holden Motorsport’s manager Ray Borrett.
“One of the important aspects is the owner’s agreement with TEGA says a manufacturer cannot own a franchise.”
It would have been a shock to star driver Mark Skaife, who was gearing up for his pursuit of a fourth-straight championship title, but he said it was “business as usual” in the build up to Albert Park.
“Holden has assured me about the security of the team and its people,” he said at the time.
“It has also assured me that it is business as usual and that have a desire ton maintain our current culture and dynamic in the team.”
Despite the new rules in both categories, the all-conquering red cars of Skaife and Michael Schumacher were tipped to continue their respective dominance of the V8 Supercars and Formula 1 world championships.
In an exclusive interview with AUTO ACTION, Schumacher was in a confident frame of mind ahead of his ultimately successful chase of a sixth F1 world championship crown.
Michael Schumacher sitting in theFerrari F2003-GA during pre-season testing. Photo” Motorsport Images
“We have been quite happy with our testing work so far, we know our car is wonderful and seems to be quite strong,” Schumacher said after pre-season testing.
“A good and big team is able to react faster and better (to the new rule changes).”
In the rally world, Carlos Sainz Senior equaled Colin McRae’s record of 25 World Rally Championship wins with victory in Turkey.
Mark Winterbottom also got his Development Series championship charge off to a fine start with a dominant win at Wakefield Park.
1993 – Bowe wins stunning birth of new V8 era
The birth of the new “V8” era of the Australian Touring Car Championship was a hit among drivers and fans alike.
The ‘back to basics’ formula made a “highly successful” debut at Sydney’s Amaroo Park with action-packed racing and heated dices.
After the bumper-flying racing, John Bowe was victorious in the historic round driving the DJR EB Falcon over reigning champion Mark Skaife and pre-race favourite Glenn Seton.
“Bowe emerged from the flying fibreglass, red flags and controversy to win an action lacked opening round” was the opening line.
John Bowe on his way to victory at Amaroo Park.
Motorsport administrators were also “quick to sing the praise” of the new formula of touring car racing, with major sponsor Shell, particularly happy.
“We are very thrilled with the success of the V8s,” said Shell Motorsport manager Tom Smith at the time.
“You are always a bit nervous at the first race, but the racing and crowd reaction was good. I think it augers well for a pretty good season.”
“The feedback has been positive. There has been no negative stuff at all,” said CAMS Motorsport manager Tim Schenken.
“The best thing is I had no body ring me up on Monday saying ‘slow that bloody Nissan!'”.
But one person who was not a fan was Tony Longhurst, who believed his BMW’s were treated “shabbily”.
CAMS decision to load another 100kg of lead “knocked the BMW M3s for six and turned them into also-rans with no chance of getting close to the front-running V8s” according to the report.
Longhurst said it was the worst race meeting he had ever experienced.
“I like to race, I love racing,” he said at the time.
“But there is no point in being there last weekend. It was the worst race meeting I have ever been to.”
The Formula 1 season was fast approaching with Williams led by Alain Prost and Damon Hill tipped to dominate.
Although the South African opener was close, the mystery surrounding Ayrton Senna remained with the Brazilian yet to commit to McLaren.
1983 – Grice wins controversial Sandown ATCC round
The cover of Auto Action issue #313 covering the second round of the 1983 ATCC season.
ALLAN GRICE took out the second round of the 1983 Australian Touring Car Championship after holding off a charging Allan Moffat.
Grice survived a late attack by Moffat, who was able to go wheel to wheel with the STP Commodore before the axle of his Mazda RX7 broke three laps from the chequered flag.
Off the track, frustration grew around the new CAMS points system with a document signed by most of the drivers reading “we do not wish to participate under the present point score system.”
The drivers and teams anger was centred around more points being allocated to under three litre competitors with Nissan’s George Fury enjoying a “massive” points lead.
“During the second round of the ATCC, a document was circulated and singed by the majority of competitors, aimed at pressuring CAMS to change the points system,” read the report.
“Initiated by Allan Moffat/Peter Stuyvesant team manager Allan Horsley the document reads: “we do not wish to participate under the present point score system. Undersigned were representatives of all major touring car teams – including the Nissan factory team.
“Nissan has the most to gain under the new points system, which allocates the number of points to under three litre competitors (such as the Bluebird turbos).
“Currently George Fort has a massive points lead and scored more points for finishing second at Calder Park than Allan Moffat did by winning it”.
1973 – Tense Tasman Series finale
The cover of issue #54 reflecting on the dramatic conclusion to the 1973 Tasman Series.
THE 1973 Tasman Series went down to the wire at a thrilling season finale at Adelaide International Raceway.
Despite retiring due to a clutch failure, Graham McRae was crowned champion, but all eyes were on the battle for the race win.
John McCormack held to victory by less than a second ahead of Alan Rollison in the Chesterfield 100.
Peter Brock led home Colin Bond in a Holden Dealer Team 1-2 to wrap up the South Pacific Touring Car Series.
Brock was also getting open-wheel fans excited, announcing his purchase of the Birrarana 272 Formula 2 car once raced by Leo Geoghegan.
For more of the latest motorsport news and a bumper F1 season preview, pick up the latest issue of AUTO ACTION.
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