MOTORSPORT: Better V8 Supercar calendar for 2011

The V8 Super car games Championship schedule for next year is an improvement on this year's, but there's no new Singapore event - and Bahrain has dropped off

A truly national V8 Supercar Championship again
V8 Supercars Australia has finally announced its calendar for next year's championship -- and much improved it is, with Western Australia back in the series, Queensland Raceway retained and a much shorter mid-season break than the nine weeks this year.

One Middle East event has been lost, from Bahrain, leaving an early gap in the season before Adelaide's Clipsal 500, and there is no new Singapore round -- although there may be from 2012, but at a new permanent circuit rather than as part of the Singapore Grand Prix.

The championship will have 14 rounds again and be launched with a pre-season test at Sydney's Eastern Creek -- even though a round is no longer held there.

With Perth's Barbagallo Raceway back as the fourth round in early May, the championship becomes truly national again, visiting every Australian state.

After Perth was dropped from this year's schedule just before the season began, the WA government had already committed to assist with an upgrade of the Wanneroo venue, although the biggest changes won't be in place until 2012.

"V8 Supercars looks forward to the new facilities that will be in place in Perth by the time of the 2012 championship event," V8 Supercars Australia chief executive Martin Whitaker said.

The series will begin for the second year at the elaborate Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi in early February, with the next round being Adelaide's Clipsal 500 in mid-March.

A new deal has been struck to retain a round at Ipswich's Queensland Raceway but it moves back in the season to August -- the final event before the endurance rounds.

"We thank both the Queensland Government and the Ipswich City Council for their efforts and assistance getting this venue locked into the championship," Whitaker said.

"The support that we have received from both the government and the council gives us the opportunity of creating a real differentiator for the championship at Queensland Raceway.

"Our plans are to announce an exciting new development in late November."

There had been speculation for some months of the V8 Supercars being added to the Singapore GP program in late September, but that has come to nought.

"We came to the decision, due to commercial and logistical reasons, to concentrate on the new permanent circuit at Changi (near Singapore's airport) which opens in early 2012 rather than the GP in September," Whitaker said.

"The close proximity to the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 and our objective of trying to accommodate Singapore as a full championship round made it very difficult for all parties, particularly our teams, to come to an agreement.

"We look forward to including Singapore in the March-April period of 2012."

Bahrain, the first Middle East venue for the V8 Supercars in 2006 and which this year formed a Gulf region double-header with Abu Dhabi at the start of the season, has dropped off the calendar, supposedly because of congestion in the desert circuit's schedule.

There is no word on whether a Bahrain round will be resurrected beyond 2011, but both sides have spoken kindly of each other.

An announcement from Bahrain said: "The decision not to host the Desert 400 was driven by the constraints of Bahrain International circuit's international racing calendar, as Bahrain prepares to host a GP2 event in February and the opening round of the 2011 Formula One World Championship on March 11-13, 2011."

BIC chief executive Sheik Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa said: "This has been a very big decision for the BIC and could only been achieved thanks to our long-standing partnership with (V8 Supercars chairman) Tony Cochrane and his team at the V8 Supercars Championship Series.

"After four world-class events together, all of us at the BIC are grateful for their understanding of the logistical challenges that faced Bahrain in trying to organise two major international race meetings in the timeframe available.

"The Desert 400 has built innumerable links between the Middle East and the competitors, fans and organisers of the V8 Supercars -- we have many friends in the Australian V8 series and we will continue to track the championship with interest and maintain our great relationship in the future."

V8 Supercar CEO Whitaker, who was recruited from the BIC, said: "Bahrain was the pioneer of V8 Supercars racing in the Middle East.

"The success of the race was the catalyst for developing the double-header with Abu Dhabi, but we fully understand the challenges that Bahrain is now facing with the proximity of the Desert 400 to the opening round of the F1 world championship.

There will always be a really strong affinity and friendship between the Kingdom of Bahrain, Bahrain International Circuit and V8 Supercars and we wish them luck in the future as the circuit continues to lead the development of motorsport and corporate hospitality in the region".

2011 V8 Supercar calendar
February 10-12 - Yas Marina 400, Abu Dhabi
March 17-20 - Clipsal 500 Adelaide (F)
March 24-27 - Australian Grand Prix (non-championship), Albert Park, Melbourne
April 15-17 - ITM 400, Hamilton, New Zealand
May 6-8 - Barbagallo Raceway, Perth, WA (F)
May 20-22 - Winton Motor Raceway, Vic
June 17-19 - SkyCity Triple Crown, Hidden Valley, Darwin, NT
July 8-10 - Sucrogen 400, Reid Park, Townsville (F)
August 19-21 - Queensland Raceway, Ipswich, Q'ld (F)
September 16-18 - L&H 500, Phillip Island, Victoria
October 6-9 - Supercheap Auto 1000, Mt Panorama, Bathurst, NSW (F)
October 21-23 - Armor All Gold Coast 600, Surfers Paradise, Q'ld
November 11-13 - Falken Tasmania Challenge, Symmons Plains, Launceston, Tas
November 18-20 - Norton 360 Challenge, Sandown Raceway, Melbourne, Vic (F)
December 2-4 - Sydney Telstra 500, Homebush, NSW (F)

F = Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series round

NASCAR set for thriller finale
NASCAR is set for its most intense conclusion to its Sprint Cup for years after the latest round on the 4.283km Talladega Superspeedway, where lap averages topped 200mph (320kmh) at times over the weekend -- despite restrictor plates.

With only three races remaining this season -- in Texas, Phoenix and Homestead in Florida -- Jimmie Johnson, champion the past four years, leads Denny Hamlin by 14 points and Kevin Harvick by 38.

Australia's Marcos Ambrose has led the past two Cup races but wound up only 34th at Talladega after a bump late in the race sent him into a spin, damaging his Toyota.

Clint Bowyer edged Richard Childress Racing teammate Kevin Harvick for the win as a last-lap caution froze the field with the Chevrolet drivers almost in a dead heat.

The race produced 87 lead changes -- the second most in NASCAR history.

A multi-car accident -- traditional in the closing stages at Talladega - sent A.J. Allmendinger's Ford flipping across the track as the leaders roared toward the white flag, bringing out the final caution.

Bowyer remains 12th -- and last -- in The Chase for the title after being penalised at the first of the final 10 rounds, but he is only 50 points out of seventh place.

F1 refugee Juan Pablo Montoya finished third at Talladega to complete a Chevrolet sweep of the podium places, followed by David Reutimann and youngster Joey Logano in Toyotas.

Harvick received significant front-end damage with 48 laps to go when Ambrose slid in heavy traffic and turned left into his path.

Harvick hit Ambrose's Camry in the left front and the Chevy looked to be too damaged to remain a contender for victory.

However, Harvick used drafting partners to perfection in the closing stages and hooked up with Reutimann as he challenged for the win.

"It (the contact with Ambrose) definitely didn't help, but we still were able to get up in the right position," Harvick said.

Denny Hamlin's championship hopes looked in jeopardy as he dropped off the lead lap mid-race but he received the free pass, returning him to the lead lap, after the caution flags flew from the Ambrose-Harvick incident.

Hamlin finished ninth -- two places behind Johnson.

Ambrose said his car had been quick "but once again things didn't work out as planned".

"The speed was there to run with the best of them, and we were lining up for a big finish," Ambrose said. "It's a shame about the (late) spin, but that's racing in the pack at Talladega.

"The crew did an awesome job to get the car back out there running (after earlier incidents, including a bump from Bowyer than sent him into Harvick), we tried playing the waiting game, but the cautions never came.

"Even though the season is winding up, we're still giving it everything - bring on Texas next weekend."

NASCAR Sprint Cup after 33 of 36 rounds - Jimmie Johnson (Chevrolet) 6149 points, Denny Hamlin (Toyota) 6139, Kevin Harvick (Chevrolet) 6126, Jeff Gordon (Chevrolet) 5934, Kyle Busch (Toyota) 5919, Carl Edwards (Ford) 5902, Tony Stewart (Chevrolet) 5841, Matt Kenseth (Ford) 5825, Kurt Busch (Dodge) 5796, Jeff Burton (Chevrolet) 5797, Clint Bowyer (Chevrolet) 5788, Greg Biffle (Ford) 5767. Australia's Marcos Ambrose (Toyota) is 26th on 3113 points.



Image: Ipswich 300 2010 Queensland Raceway jamiewhincup.com.au


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