Next year driver/team pairings

[BATHURSTFAN]

Ok, so whats the latest rumours for next year?.

[admin]

Its really interesting...but I can't tell you!!

[BATHURSTFAN]

thanks!

I believe two ex-Holden drivers are heading to Qld to drive Fords:D

[the_goldie]

I read that Crompton maybe pairing with HRT for the enduros...
Bargs might be going to a FORD team - can't remember which one.
We all know Ingall is heading to Ford...
That's as far as I know.

[admin]

OK I will tell all!!
The key to the whole thing is Marg and John Kelly revealing that Rick is not the last of the line of Kelly's....young Ned has just signed for HRT..so 6 cars next year.
A "Perth businessman" has recognised Ricks talents and open wheeler preference and backed him to the hilt, so Jaguar has signed Rick Kelly alongside Mark Webber for year 2003. Eddie Irvine will drive a Kmart car next year alongside Murph. However, Eddie has been known to rise from the ashes before now, so this situation may just be changed around before the season starts.
Solomon Lew has bankrolled a "Super Team" to topple the mighty Kmart combo, and so become Chief Mechanic.
Cromo has become exeutive director of channel 10, to try to correct the situation where there is now snippets of motor racing messing up the adverts.
The Rat has probably deserted the ship ...... and everyone goes O OOOOOH.
Jason has become sick of being number 2 and has defected to the green army. And a couple of his mates will go with him I hear!! WOW. Hope he likes the R/Ccar I sent him Friday..he should know how to drive a ****** by now I guess.
The Toddler has been seen in down town Mildura buying heaps of red t-shirts and paying full price unlike this year where he always got 25% off.
Russell and Larry have had such a great 9 years together, that the Enforcer is going to follow Larry into retirement and run Ampol Racing.....or is it now called Caltex??
Marcus has decided that after last weekends brillianr win, they finally worked out the pit stops, how to dial out some negative camber and to avoid sand traps, so will re sign with SBR to see if they can do it again in less than 2 years this time.
And what of the Champion. Skaifey has decided that being all closed in and hot is not so great and so for 2003 he will run an Astra convertible, bored out to 2.3 litres, painted red of course, with stencilled in back doors to keep Tony happy.
It should be quicker than the pace car by about 1 second a lap, and, ever calculating, he and Robbie have worked out that the pace car did more laps than anyone else this year at the front, so he should win championship again. Thats number 5..or is it 6... maybe 7??
Thats my rumour.

[stonee]

Should be an interesting season

[Road Runner 72]

Sounds like admin left out the part about the new rule for 2003, rule number 116789.453.
There will be traffic lights on the main straits of every track, so the can stop the leader and let the rest of the pack close up. " When the pace car is out of fule" it will also have a red light camera to fine the ones who think they can get past it before it go's RED.

Cheers

[Dutchy]

I predict Holden backing Team Brock. Craig Lowndes joining as number one driver, teaming up with Peter for the enduros.

[BadBilly]

craig baird vacates team brock and moves in with team kiwi while jason richards moves permantly over to australia to drive a yet to be anounced aussie team

[drof]

Thats not a rumor, it was announced on the news tonight that Jason Richards has left Team Kiwi to a yet unannounced Team and Craig Baird will drive for Team Kiwi next year.

Regards

Dave from Kiwiland!!

[oldxr]

Bargs to Larko racing.
Ingal to SBR.
Cromly to the chanel 10 mike.
Besnard to 00 Motorsport.
CAT money to Bright.
Skaife to the plastic surgeon for a NOSE job.
:D

[Rat]

Latest one seems to be Max Wilson in to replace Radisich at DJR. Apparently a done deal!!!!

[jager]

Eddie Irvine in a V8 Supercar........

.......I'd like to see that !

[loste_treasures]

WHOS BEEN SMOKING THE WACKY TOBACCO???

I WANT SOME........

:D

[Grubby]

Cameron McConville to GRM or Paul Morris Racing

[the_goldie]

All just picked up this weeks AutoAction and it has the following info from Andrew MacLean:

HRT - Skaife & Bright (confirmed)

SBR - Ambrose (confirmed) & Ingall (likely)

Kmart - Greg Murphy (confirmed) & Rick Kelly (rumoured)

00 Motorsport - Lowndes (confirmed) & Besnard, Radisich (rumoured)

Castrol Perkins - Steven Richards (confirmed) & Paul Dumbrell (likely)

DJR - Steven Johnson (confirmed) & Max Wilson (rumoured)

GRM - Garth Tander (confirmed) Nathan Pretty, Jamie Whincup (rumoured)

Brad Jones Racing - Brad Jones & John Bowe (confirmed)

Larkham Motorsport - Mark Larkham & Jason Bargwanna (confirmed)

Glenn Seton Racing - Glenn Seton (confirmed) & Owen Kelly (rumoured)

Lansvale - Cam McConville (confirmed)

Briggs Motorsport - Paul Radisich (rumoured), David Besnard (rumoured), Dean Canto (likely)

Birrana Racing (HOLDEN) - Simon Wills (confirmed) & Jason Richards (likely)

Super Cheap - Steve Ellery (confirmed)

TKR - Andy Booth (likely) & Craig Baird (confirmed)

Paragon - David Thexton (confirmed)

Sirromet Wines - Paul Morris (confirmed)

Team Brock - Todd Kelly (rumoured) & Paul Weel (likely)

Toll Racing - Anthony Tratt (confirmed)

Romano Racing - 4 SALE!


phew...... how true it all is who knows?!?

[SWRT]

David Thexton?
Who?

[brchi17]

Gee I hope the rumors about (Mad) Max Wilson going to DJR are wrong. If anything DJR should have learnt from the Rat expirence & gone for a proven known driver, rather than a 'crash n bash' driver like Wilson.
As a long time DJR supporter I would love Dick to give Ritter a full-time drive, but apparently Ritter upset Dick at Bathurst & subsequently was released from his contract to pursue another drive elsewere.
I also hear that Tony Longhurst may lose his drive at Briggs (can't work this one out as he has been their best performing driver - looking at finishing places) & DJR would be a fantastic home for him if the Rat jumps ship. At least Tony can help Jr improve his fitness, with his (Tony's) keen interest in triathlons.
Just a few thoughts,
Cheers.

[oldxr]

brchi17, i agree with you about mad max, I would have liked to see Cam Mclean and Ritter replace both the Rat and Jnr Johnson at DJR, the Rat too crash and bash and Jnr not enough.
Yes i am a long time DJR fan.

[CRAIG KEITH]

A few thoughts from another long time DJR supporter, the two blokes who we really need in our cars are Lowndes and Ambrose, enough of the dreaming from me. There must be more to it than meets the eye with the Rats performances this year. They all say the right things but for him to be out paced in practice and qualifying by Junior, something is not right. Junior needs to go out in the big wide world and prove himself and find a few limits (his and the cars). Dont right the Rat off yet remember Barbagello I certainly would rather him and Ritter in the team than Max Wilson. You thought Radisich could wreck a car! Tell me more about Ritter getting on the wrong side of the boss at Bathurst? I thought he was cut loose because of the TWR rule,ie TWR can have six cars and everyone else is only allowed two. Any way things can only go up from here( unless the Wilson rumour is true), hang in there we'll be back up there next year, I hope.

[brchi17]

From my understanding, Ritter has a falling out of some form with Dick (I do not know what it was about) either at Bathurst or up at Bathurst after the race (maybe it was about his position in the team in 2003).
Ingall is almost assured of the drive at SBR, but he would also be great at DJR (not likely though). I think it is time for the Rat to move on (2002 results aside), he just has not lived up the high hopes he gave us in 2000. Silly mistakes like hitting a backmarker while almost assured of a Bathurst win in 99 & the various Adeliade insidents, first come to hand. Given the right equipment i'm sure the Rat would do well, but almost any driver out there at present would do the same. In my mind it is time for the Rat to prove himself or move on.
cheers.

[Glen Alexander]

Cameron McConville is staying with Lansvale, I hear, and something interesting for all of you, spoke to Jeff Besnard last night and the deal with Prodrive and 00 Motorsport has gone through. So Craig and Dave (no Radisich) will be a force next year I reckon. I also heard that Bright will pilot a Kmart car, you may have noticed that all they released of his signing for next year was with TWR and not a particular team, and Murphy behind the wheel of a HRT car.

[brchi17]

How good is your contact at TWR ?
When I was talking to my contact (would be close to 6 weeks ago - has a very close association to the Murph) he told me that Murph was staying put with K-Mart in 2003. At the time he wasn't sure as to the status of Todd, but expected everything to fall into place over time with him.
It would be great if Prodrive came on board with 00, as they (Prodrive) are a very, very successful company (30% win/loss ratio in everything they have been associated with!!!). I just hope the rumors of links between Prodrive & GSR arn't now dead & berried. I think Glenn needs all of the help he can get, to return to the top - perhaps he needs to give up team management & just concentrate on driving !!!
cheers.

[Grubby]

Murphy will definetly be driving for KMart in 2003 - running a VX

Grubby

[brchi17]

Grubby,
do you know anything about K-Mart running 1 VX (for Murph) & a new VY for Todd to develop during the season ?
heard this on the grape vine & not from my contact, so I was wondering if you knew, considering your last post - do you an inside contact, or are you one of the team ?
cheers.

[Grubby]

HRT will be running VY's from the start and KMart will be running VX's If the VY's are successfull they may ( probably ) change the cars to VY's during the season.

Grubby

[Glen Alexander]

I think Prodrive will only be dealing with 00 Motorsport.

[Grubby]

I also should have said for those who may not be aware that under the rules for 2003 teams can opt to run VX or VY ( AU or BA ) but if they start with the newer model they can not go back to the older one during the season.

It should be interesting to see which teams run which models. I was told from a good source that almost all the Ford teams will run the BA, while the Holdens teams will be split between the 2. At least for the start of 2003.

Grubby

[BATHURSTFAN]

regarding Bright in the K mart car, I got that impression on TV watching the Sandown meeting that he was going to swap with Murphy. They (the commentators) said it in a roundabout way.

Who knows, maybe Murphy doesn't want to move?????