2002 KMart Cars

[Grubby]

Just picked up my 2002 KMart cars - Murphy & Kelly ( Todd )

Once again Biante have done an excellent job.

As this is the livery used for the first 9 rounds of the championship and they changed for Bathurst and the remainer of the season - Do you think Biante will do a Bathurst model or another depicting the current livery ?

Any comment from anyone.

Grubby

[brchi17]

Don't you just hate it when this happens ?
I thought a new levery every year was enought, now their changing during the season. I wonder if this levery will be carried over into 2003 ? If so, it might be better to save our money and wait. I have it on good authority that there are no driver changes for K-Mart in 2003, so it souldn't be a problem.
Things could be worse, could you imagine if there was a Cat falcon released with all of the many drivers its' had this year, there would be close to 10 cars with only the driver's name on the door window changed!!!
cheers.

[Grubby]

Good point - I think we have almost seen more drivers of the CAT car than we have had rounds. Work that out.

I too have heard that Murph & Kelly will again be the Kmart drivers in 2003.

As too the livery - I would be guessing that it may change as it tends to be changed yearly. Even if the chnages are rather minor.

Maybe Rob knows if the livery will be changed for next season.

Grubby

[the_goldie]

Hi Grubby,
I remember reading somewhere that no more VXs will be made after this batch except for this years Bathurst winner... therefore no KMart bathurst livery :( it would have been nice to see Murphy and Kelly win Bathurst then we would have had this car... I was hoping for a Pepsi car because I don't think CC sponsors them but oh well...

[Oh Five]

brchi17, sorry to change the subject, but you said you believe there were no driver changes, I heard recently, rick kelly to kmart, todd Kelly to HRT.Even on rpm last week, todd said he wasnt sure which car he would be in.
Im not disputing your comment, just curious.
P.s, on the actual subject, yep my murph car looks pretty good in the cabinet, but looking forward to different shapes soon.Cheers.

[Grubby]

Oh Five

If you driver placements are correct that would confirm the 6 drivers for the TWR team for 2003

Skaife
Bright
Kelly - Todd
Murphy
Kelly - Rick
Faulkner

Grubby

[brchi17]

Originally posted by Oh Five
brchi17, sorry to change the subject, but you said you believe there were no driver changes, I heard recently, rick kelly to kmart, todd Kelly to HRT.Even on rpm last week, todd said he wasnt sure which car he would be in.
Im not disputing your comment, just curious.
P.s, on the actual subject, yep my murph car looks pretty good in the cabinet, but looking forward to different shapes soon.Cheers.

Oh five,
I heard a rumor (and it was just that) a while tha Bright might be going to a new single car (possibly with CAT money) entry.
My source is close to K-Mart racing & it was said that they were more than happy with thier current driver line up, so I would expect Todd to be there next year.
As I've said before, I know that sponsorship (2 major sponsors to share signage) has been arranged for a 6th HRT Commodore (it was all signed back in Sept/Oct) I can't tell you who is sponsoring it, but at the time the driver was unknown.
There has also been a lot of talk of TWR running Nathan Pretty in the HYL car in the Konica series.
I see in AA (this week) that Holden wants to increase Team Brock to 2 cars & they will assist with the development of the team & car, so that Brock has competitive cars.
Don't you just love the V8 silly season !!!
cheers.

[berkut76]

I'm just curious is K-Mart the same company in Australia as it is in the US. Here in the US, K-Mart is a large discount retailer. I'm asking about this because early this year K-mart has filed for Chapter 11: Corporate restructuring in the face of bankruptcy. As a result of K-mart dismal financial state two of its NASCAR sponsored teams (#26 & #66) have folded. Although, #26 was eventually picked up by DISCOVER later in the season. It would be quite surprising to find out that K-Mart continues to sponsor an overseas touring team while abandoning its domestic efforts.

Regards,
Sergey

[brchi17]

I have a feeling that K-Mart is now a stand alone Australian business.
They used to be a part of the Coles-Myer group, but I think that around 5 years ago they sold that arm off the business off.
As to their current owner, I don't know, but i'm almost sure they are a stockmarket listed, stand alone company.
cheers.

[wombat]

K-Mart in Australia is now fully owned by the Coles-Myer Group. K-Mart was started in Australia in the late 60's as a fully owned subsiduary of K-Mart Corp (USA).

Coles-Myer purchased the last 22% of the K-mart company from the US parent in 1994.

The original concept, ie, the large discount retailer has not changed since the first store in Burwood.

[berkut76]

Thanks for the info guys. Wonder, why did the Cole-Myer keep the name KMart considering that its North American brethren is dire straits.

Regards,
Sergey

[wombat]

Berkut, ColesMyer is the largest retailing company in Australia and KMart is just one of the operating outlet names. They have perhaps 200 + Kmart stores around metropoliton and country centres.

They already have a similar operating division called Target which competes directly with Kmart (and others as well).

I guess that Australians do not identify our Kmart stores with the American stores of the same name - it simply means nothing to us that the US chain goes belly-up. If ColesMyer conducted any surveys when it looked like the US company would fold, I'm sure that most people would have shrugged with total indifferance.

It's not like Kmart is an important source of quality diecast models, after all.;)

[stonee]

I would love Biante to do a Bathurst version of this car 2002 or 2001 pllleeeeaaassssseee

[Rob]

The Kmart example is one of Biante's best, with added features
like TWR's unique air jack port system and the rear "brake" light.
Having said that there are however some very obvious mistakes.

The Castrol logo is incorect in that the little icon is missing the
proton pills effect or what Castrol call the "Super Graphic".
This has been replaced by the word "Castrol". I am surprised
that slipped through!!!

Also, probably a bit less obvious, is the "AC Dola" can on the rear.

As for 2003, watch this space.........

[Grubby]

In relation to these 2002 cars.

Has anyone been fortunate to see under the hood of one of these race cars. Do the engine covers really have the HRT logo etc printed on them.

I realise that they are all part of TWR and the Kelly car was previously driven by a HRT driver.

Anyone know anything ?

Grubby

[the_goldie]

If anyone has seen the HRT #1 or #2 model cars, these "do not" have the HRT logo on the engine cover?!? Maybe the engine covers got mixed up???