2003 drivers confirmed v8 website. Kelly not at Kmart, Bright not at HRT

[Holden2003]

I have just checked the v8supercar website and they ahve a 2003 driver list up. Bright has joined Paul Weel Racing and Rick Kelly is car 15 at Kmart. They haven't put all drivers in Like Marcos Ambrose, who has been confirmed. The sit is being updated now.

[Holden2003]

They are also telling what version of car, whether it is VX or VY, BA or AU Falcon the car will be, not all drivers confirmed, but car version and car numbers.
HRT has 3 VY's.
Jason Bright is in a VX,
Kmart cars are VX,
DJR 17, 18 are BA's and car 171 is an AU,
Ozemail both BA's,
GRM car 33, Whincup is VX, Tander is VY
Morris is a VY
Dynamik has 2 VY
Dean Canto is in briggs, 65 BA, 66 BA, 600 is AU
STone Brothers cars 4 and 9 BA car 36 AU
Perkins RAcing Dumbrell VX Richard VX

Here is an example

[Holden2003]

Drivers not in the list are:

Max Wilson
Tony Longhurst
Paul Radisich

Positions not filled are:
HRT car 2 and 02
Briggs 66 and 600
00 motorsport listed as a team with no drivers for car 00 and 7
DJR 18 and 171
Faulkner racing cars 46 and 96
Team Kiwi car 777

Craig lowndes is car 6 and not 00

[Malik]

um.. how can Bright be driving with Paul Weel?

this taken from HSV website

"Bright Re-Signs with HRT
The Holden Racing Team is pleased to announce that Jason Bright has re-signed with the Team!
Speculation suggesting Bright would be leaving the Team to head back to the US and a career in CART racing, was settled today, with Jason signing a further 2-year agreement with TWR Racing.
"

copied directly word for word...

[Holden2003]

I read that weeks ago but www.v8supercar.com.au doesn't lie.

[Malik]

well one of them is tellin porkies... and considering if I remember correctly the re-signing of Bright to HRT/TWR was announced during one of the last race meets for the year.. on RPM Live and Sports Tonite and the HRT website....I can only guess whoever updated the avesco site put the wrong name in the wrong place... only a guess...

[Holden2003]

There is no liting of team brock. I was sure that reports said that he joined TWR an not necessarily HRT. I think brock and weel racing have merged and joined TWR scince young loins isn't a programme ne more. Who knows?

[wombat]

Fellas

The key being that Bright has resigned with TWR. TWR controls HRT, JFR (Kmart) and PWR (Brock/IMS).

Therefore, Bright drives whatever Major Tom decides - it seems that he is #2 driver to the team boss, Mr Weel.

[Malik]

yeah but Faulkner is still listed as a team yet it has been announced that Faulkner Racing is going to be responsible for taking the young lions entry to the Konica series and setting up the car for HRT in Konica...

[Holden2003]

Thats what i meant in my last message. Speaking of Kmart there was an ad 2 weeks ago for 20% of auto accecories. Behind the add u could see the 51 Kmart commodore but it did not look like the VX, it looked like a VY because the old VX look was not at the front.

[Holden2003]

Also remember that the v8supercar website is contolled by AVESCO, so they should know eveything bout the sport because they are the controllers of the sport. I believe bright is not at HRT.

[Malik]

yeah agreed.. AVESCO runs the site and should know.. but that means they should also know that Faulkner should be listed under Konica.. not Shell Series...

Im gonna stick with Bright having been moved to a Kmart car until I hear definate proof otherwise...

btw.. wombat.. what does IMS gotta do with Team Brock.. IMS is a Konica outfit..

[GTSCoup]

It has been rumoured for ages that Weel and Bright will be driving under the Team Brock banner for HRO/TWR. The two franchises were Weel and Nash but it looks like Nash has gone for the Prodrive $$$$ like everyone else. I don't know where the other single car franchise is coming from, possibly IMS.

My bet is that Skaife/T.Kelly at HRT. Murphy/R.Kelly and Kmart. Bright and Weel and Team Brock.

[Malik]

hey GTS where ya get the info about which franchise belongs to who? I can never keep up at the best of times.. let alone during the silly season...

[GTSCoup]

Just what I have read in Autofiction, talking to guys around Melbourne (someone who knows someone etc) and on other forums etc. The franchise dance has been going on for a while and I think everyone is confused. www.v8central.com is a good forum with lots of very knowledgeable people also.

I saw the Bright/Weel/Brock thing in Autoaction weeks ago.

[Malik]

so who owns Team Brock? or is it like DJR where its his name on someone elses team? cos if Team Brock is Paul Weel Racing then that is definately news to me cos that I DIDNT know..

[GTSCoup]

The story of Team Brock as far as I know.

Last year Team Brock used the Rod Nash Racing franchise.

This year Holden wanted to Bring Brock in and give him factory support which basically meant he was to become part of TWR Australia which I believe has been renamed HRO. Rod Nash Racing is only a level 2 franchise which means 1 car. They needed another car so Paul Weel jumped in with his franchise which as far as I know a level 2 which meant they needed one more franchise. Nash went for the Prodrive money so they grabbed another franchise. I think it is IMS's spare franchise as they have level 1 status but only 1 car. I think I am wrong so please point it out anyone that does know. So there you go. Two cars run by Team Brock as part of the Holden Racing Organisation. The only this Paul Weel Racing is is a name on the entry form, nothing else. Just like Faulkner with the Kmart team. Just a name on a bit of paper.

[Malik]

its just all to confusing.. why cant they all just run their own damn cars and stop leasing them out to everyone.. BAH.. anyways... I gotta ask the same question though...

Isnt IMS a Konica outfit now? their website suggests they are..

http://www.saabwreck.com.au/ims

[GTSCoup]

Maybe it is the HYL franchise from last year?. That is the thing that doesn't quite fit anywhere. I know Lansvale has leased it's spare level 1 franchise to Noske for this year, I am sure someone knows. I will go on the hunt tomorrow and let you know if I find anything out.

[Esses]

Oh well, maybe this'll mean that Team Brock will actually have a competitive car that will last the distance this year. We'll see.

[Malik]

see this is where the franchise stuff gets really confusing...

from everything I have seen I gather the following.. it may or may not be correct...

I read that Faulkner is going to Konica to run the HYL team there for HRO/TWR/HRT..(whoever owns it).. does this mean that HYL is now running on a faulkner franchise? and if so.. where does Kmart go cos werent they racing on the faulkner franchise? and if HYL is on faulkners franchise.. whats happening to the lvl car or is he downgrading to a lvl 2?

ok Rod Nash franchise goes to Prodrive team to make 3 cars.. so what happens to Team Brock? ok.. Paul Weel throws in his franchise.. there is one car.. but if IMS is the other franchise.. are they lvl 1 and can therefore run one car in Konica and one car in Shell? but I Thought IMS was a 1 car team? so Lvl 2 franchise?

SO.. from all that... HRO runs:
HRT.. lvl 1 franchise.. 2 cars.. Drivers: Skaife and ? TKelly?
KRT.. (whose franchise?) 2 Cars Drivers: Murphs and ?RKelly
Team Brock 2 cars Drivers: Weel and Bright...

although HRT franchise is definate... where is the Kmart franchise(s) and the second Brock Franchise coming from? I count 3 cars available for a 6 car team....

[jager]

I hear our old friend 'Admin' owns 15% of Team Brock !

True or Not ?

[Leigh]

The deal as it stands (IMHO)

HRT (TWR) Level 1 2 cars
KRT (JFR) Level 1 2 cars (Konica only requires level 3 franchise which are, from what I understand,easily obtained)
Team Brock (PWR) Level 2 1 car
Team Brock (IMS) Level 2 1 Car (as above for Konica)

For more (fairly accurate - read insider) information on where everybody is, numbers, franchises etc (which are updated as the goss goes around) check out www.conrod.com.au/forums

Leigh

[Leigh]

Or a more specific link

http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=31780

[Grubby]

TWRA or now know as HRO have three lead drivers to be the #1's in the 3 teams. These drivers being Skaife, Bright & Murphy.

Skaife to head up HRT

Murphy to head up KRT

Bright to head up Team Brock

Grubby

[wombat]

Leigh has it correct.

Coz HRT cannot own any more than 1 franchise, HRO stands over the top. HRO (or TWR - same thing - new name) has leased the Imrie (IMS) Level 2 Supercar franchise. I'm not sure how it controls PWS or JFR, coz they operate under their Supercar franchise.

Effectively, there is no "team Brock". Paul Weel will drive for PWS and HRO has put Brights bum in the pilot seat of the leased IMS franchise.

IMS will still run a Konica car under its franchise. The driver in 2003 will be Geoff Full in the #14 Commodore.

Similarly, FPR has bought GSR (Glenn Seton) franchise and leases the level 2 Nash franchise. The operating name for the team is Prodrive.

Confused? Join the rest of us. There is a big difference between owning and leasing a franchise. About the the only thing that we know for sure is that that there are 13 level 1 franchises (26 cars) and 9 level 1 franchises (9 cars), puting 35 cars maximum on the championship grids ( excluding enduros which are another story).

This year there will be 19 Falcons (some BA's, some AU's) and 16 Chevyadores (some VY's, some VX's).

The imbalance in Fords and Holdens is partly attributable to LRT (Lansvale) leasing one of its two car franchise to Noske. LRT of course runs Cam McC's Chevyadore and Noske will have a Falcon.

I wish they would start swapping paint rwal soon.:D

[wombat]

Course I meant 9 level 2 franchises.

[Holden2003]

My friend last year was talking about weel racing and Kmart was joining them to go under their frachise so that they would get VY commodores. He read it in a magazine.

[Malik]

I figured I would go straight to the source and emailed HRT about the conflict of info about Jason Bright and his ride for the year.. the email I got back tonite says that they cannot confirm anything at yet and the information will be available along with the rest of the HRO drivers lineup and livery later in February...


DOH!!!

[wombat]

How about todays biggie?

Tander to HRT as Bignoses shotgun and Todd Kelly to GRM.

That makes 21 driver changes in 35 cars. Record silly season perhaps?

[Grubby]

Wombat

Where did that come from ????

Grubby

[brchi17]

Originally posted by Malik
so who owns Team Brock? or is it like DJR where its his name on someone elses team? cos if Team Brock is Paul Weel Racing then that is definately news to me cos that I DIDNT know..

With regards to DJR, Dick owns the cars, trucks, buildings, etc... (the whole team), who's major sponsor is the Shell oil company.

The team is oftern refered to as the Shell Helix Racing Team, but ultimately it is Dick Johnson who owns the team & is ultimately responsible for it. Just because the race team decides to give naming rights to their major sponsor does not mean that they (Shell) own the team.

Dick said that he would not sell any part of his team to Ford, when he was quized on why Ford decided to create 00 Motorsport rather then buy a share of his team (or SBR for that matter) to place Craig Lowndes.

Dick has built DJR up from scratch so you could understand why he wouldn't want to sell up.

I hope this helps in answering your question.
cheers.

ps I am a finanatical DJR supporter.:D

[Malik]

Wombat... where did that come from.. all reports had Tander staying with GRM for at least this year... AVESCO list the two GRM drivers as Tander and Whincup..

[Grubby]

Wombat

When you come back out of that hole of yours please let us know what is going on !!

Grubby

[wombat]

Hole? What hole? I live under rock on side of road.:D

The rumour originated from another V8 team yesterday, but it was quashed by Garth this morning (with 10% commission to the rumour mongers)

There remains a strong rumour that Garth and Rogers are upset at each other, although no-one is offering reasons.

GT himself is just laughing it off as bulldust.

Personally, it would utterly gall me to learn that HRO/TWR had enough clout in the Holden world to initiate or be complicit in a driver swap with a non-factory team.

Who knows???

[Grubby]

I would like to see GT in one of the HRO cars but for 2003 I think we are out of luck.

Maybe 2004

Grubby

I guess things are not always clear under the rocks

[wombat]

Just to peek out from under that rock again.......

Its been reported that Longhurst will not be at BFR (00 MS) as lead driver. Probably only going to drive the enduros, but I dunno who with.

Great news that Cromley is going back to Ten to drive from the airconditioned seat in the grandstands.

[Malik]

it would appear that AVESCO have landed themselves in a little hot water with HRO as the AVESCO website seems to now have been updated once again and for HRT/KRT and Paul Weel racing now have NO drivers listed as racing for each team.... maybe they cant get their act together and decide who is driving what over there...

HRO WHATS THE GO?


still no drivers listed for 00 Motorsport though...