TKR have no driver for Clipsal 500, yet.

[Robert Murphy]

Just got this via email from TKR
Rob

22 February 2007




Radisich ruled out of V8 Supercar Opener


New Zealand V8 Supercar driver Paul Radisich won't be behind the wheel of the new Team Kiwi Racing Ford for next week's opening round of the V8 Supercar Championship at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide.



Radisich, who broke his ankle and sternum in a major crash at Bathurst last October, said he was not 100% ready to tackle the demands of the Adelaide circuit.



He tested the new TKR Ford at Winton this week and while he was relatively satisfied with his performance, he realised that he was not ready for the rigours of the toughest round in the championship.



"I've worked hard on my fitness and I came through the Boot Camp training with the FPR boys in Queensland two weeks ago quite well," Radisich said.



"But I've not been in a car since Bathurst. And Adelaide is the hardest test for any driver. It is the longest single driver stint that we do in the championship with two 250km races each day and you need to be at 110% every lap at this street circuit which is so unforgiving.



"The championship is more than just one round and with Pukekohe so early in the Championship I need to give myself a little more time so we come out all guns blazing in front of the home crowd.



Radisich contacted TKR owner David John with the news today.



"We totally understand the situation and we respect Paul's decision," David John said.



"There's a lot at stake here for all involved"



"Paul is an important part of TKR's plans this year and we need him in top shape when he races."



Radisich said he was delighted with the new TKR Ford in testing.



"I was not concerned with lap times but we did a lot of things with the car and it felt great. This is without a doubt the best package that I have had the opportunity to drive in V8 Supercars"



"I'm personally disappointed not to be at the wheel in Adelaide but I know this is the best decision to make for myself and for TKR.



We are going to be in for an exciting season and we have a car that will be very competitive."



Radisich now has a battle against time to ensure he is ready for the second round of the Australian V8 Supercar Championship in Perth on the 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th March.


Mr John said he is currently looking at a number of alternatives with V8 Supercar experience and expects to name a replacement driver on Monday.



The Clipsal 500 starts with practice on Friday 2nd March with two 250km races - one each on Saturday and Sunday.



For further information contact:

David John, Team Kiwi Racing, Tel 021 636877

[spoonster05]

Wise move from Paul, Adelaide probably isn't the best race to make a comeback in, especially if you have any doubts about your race fitness..

[lloyd]

i think i'm free that weekend,yep i'll dive it if need b

[VXfan]

i think i'm free that weekend,yep i'll dive it if need b
Keep dreamin!:p

[wayno]

i think i'm free that weekend,yep i'll dive it if need b

Wrong brand and nationality for me! :D

[AMBER ROSE]

Bring Back Bezzo

[malscar]

I was thinking of Seto. Give him some good race miles for later in the season too.

[Rob]

Craig Baird???

[lukey73]

What about Kane Scott? Although i think i heard he is doing the Development race on Saturday and then flying back to NZ to compete in V8 series over there on the Sunday.

[brchi17]

Craig Baird???

He'd be my pick as well Rob, unless he's still contracted to WPS for the enduro's...???

[inter]

seton would be great:)

[brchi17]

seton would be great:)

I would expect him to be a signed up Holden man by now & as such would not be allowed to do it...even though the extra miles would be good for match practice...then again, what would happen if he got near a HRT car....???

[Chev_350]

I'll fill in, raced Lowndes before on a hypersim type thing and was lapping .02 seconds slower......PICK ME TKR!!!!!

[Patterson]

What about Jim Richards?

Probably won't happen but I'd like to see him back out there...

A wise decision by Paul too...LOTS of walls in Adelaide...

[AmonFan]

Simon Wills ;) or kayne Scott in the TKR car.........

[f1webber]

What about Jim Richards?





How good would that be. I still think he has a lot of talent left in him.

[inter]

how about james Moffat

[brchi17]

how about james Moffat

Is he a kiwi ??? I didn't think he was......

[inter]

no he is not a kiwi. but is it necessary to be?

[V8SS]

Surely Bairdo would be the top choice. He filled in last year. I imagine they won't want to put a rookie in the car after all the effort they went to to purchase the Ford from FPR. Those Adelaide walls are pretty unforgiving.

[wayno]

What about Jim Richards?

Probably won't happen but I'd like to see him back out there...

A wise decision by Paul too...LOTS of walls in Adelaide...

There is no way Jim would be able to handle it. V8 Supercar looks to be beyond him now and Adelaide is probably the toughest gig of the season.

[brchi17]

no he is not a kiwi. but is it necessary to be?

well they are called Team Kiwi......I am unsure if the team is 100% kiwi, but it is one of their aims ;)

[V8SS]

well they are called Team Kiwi......I am unsure if the team is 100% kiwi, but it is one of their aims ;)

I'm struggling to think of someone who has driven for them who hasn't been a Kiwi. I think Alan Gurr may have driven with John Faulkner a few years back at Bathurst when The Rat teamed up with Paul Morris.

[Dingo]

Chris Pither seems to be the name floating around other forums as the logical choice - he did race at Bahrain (?) last year for Team UnZud...

[Robert Murphy]

26 February 2007

Australian champion helps out Team Kiwi in V8 Supercars

Team Kiwi Racing have been forced to stretch the spirit of co-operation across the Tasman in naming champion Australian driver Adam Macrow to pilot the TKR All Black machine in the opening round of the 2007 V8 Supercar Championship in Adelaide this weekend.

Macrow, the 2006 Fujitsu champion (Australia's development series), will stand in for the injured Paul Radisich in the new TKR Ford for the Clipsal 500 street race.

Radisich, seriously injured in a crash at Bathurst last year, ruled himself out of contention for the gruelling season opener after testing in Melbourne last week. While Radisich is on the mend, he was not quite ready to handle the acknowledged toughest single driver test of the season with twin 250km races on an unforgiving street circuit.

"We have got a very competitive package this year so it was even more imperative that I needed to be 110 per cent recovered, to face the challenges of Adelaide," Radisich said.

"If it was a sprint race then I could have managed it but Clipsal is such a tough and physically demanding test."

Team Kiwi Racing needed to find a replacement driver with recent V8 Supercar experience but both Craig Baird and Kayne Scott had other driver commitments and Matt Halliday could not get the correct level one CAMS licence now required to race in the Australian V8 Supercar Championship in time for Adelaide.

"That exhausted the current race-fit New Zealanders with the experience needed for the Clipsal 500 and also with the overall race package we have this year," TKR owner David John said.

"Our philosophy won't change in that TKR will continue to promote New Zealanders throughout our team but this weekend is just too important and it is definitely not the place and or race to blood anyone who is not experienced in V8 Supercars and or 100 per cent race fit."

John was lucky enough to grab the services of 29 year old Macrow, who won the Fujitsu series last year winning five of the seven rounds in the championship including both races at the Adelaide Clipsal 500 event.

"Adam is a top notch prospect. He knows the track and he knows the car. We are not expecting miracles but we are confident Adam will do a good solid job and then return the car to us in top notch shape for Paul to drive at Perth in the second round.

"That should have us well set up before we aim for a really big push for a top result when we come home for the last time to race at Pukekohe. That's where we want to do well. Nothing would be better than to be on the podium in the final race at Pukekohe for V8 Supercars in front of our home fans."

Practice for Adelaide is on Friday with qualifying and the first 250km race on Saturday and second 250km race on Sunday.

For further information contact:
David John, Team Kiwi Racing, Tel 021 636 877

[lukey73]

Interesting move, hope it all goes well for Adam he certainly deserves to be in a top level car ahead of some other drivers. Wonder if this may lead to an enduro drive for FPR?

[V8SS]

Interesting move, hope it all goes well for Adam he certainly deserves to be in a top level car ahead of some other drivers. Wonder if this may lead to an enduro drive for FPR?

Maybe it will lead to an enduro drive for TKR????

[carnut01]

Interesting move, hope it all goes well for Adam he certainly deserves to be in a top level car ahead of some other drivers. Wonder if this may lead to an enduro drive for FPR?
Not a chance for FPR, Macrow has already signed as an enduro driver for Britek, along with Warren Luff

[lukey73]

Not a chance for FPR, Macrow has already signed as an enduro driver for Britek, along with Warren Luff

If he does well at Clipsal might be an opening for him next season hopefully.

[Robert Murphy]

An update...

THANK YOU

Thank you for all the positive support received today relating to the decision to put Adam Macrow in the car for Adelaide after Paul Radisich advised us on the 25th February he did not feel 100% comfortable driving at Adelaide considering the unforgiving nature of the track and the race being the longest single driver stints a driver does this year.

A lot of people have helped get TKR back on track after our massive crash at Bathurst, from the New Zealand public to our sponsors to myself having to sell our home and the last thing we need is for an inexperienced driver to be put into a position where he or she are out of their depth on this particular unforgiving circuit and TKR find ourselves back where we were after Bathurst.

It has not been an easy time and we are far from out of the woods in full as yet.

With this in mind I would like to give you a brief overview of why we decided on Adam Macrow being the best person to replace Paul Radisich for the job in Adelaide and not another Kiwi for this one-off drive.

The decision was made with the following knowledge:

Matt Halliday: Does not hold a new CAMS license required to compete in a V8 Supercar which changed on the 30th January 2007, plus contracted to Porsches in Timaru which he could not get out of as he was the only driver out of Baird, Coulthard and Halliday available for the Timaru round with Baird having Aussie Porsche commitments and Coulthard driving the PMM car. Matt Halliday also has the opportunity to win the Porsche NZ championship. NOT AVALIABLE.

Craig Baird: Contracted to Porsche duties in Australia with Australian team. NOT AVALIABLE.

Fabian Coulthard: Driving for Paul Morris Motorsport all year. NOT AN OPTION

Simon Wills: Has not raced a V8 Supercar competitively for 2 years. Not race fit despite thinking he maybe as Radisich found out it is very different being fit in the gym but behind the wheel is different. Not the track to be blowing out cobwebs and using it to get back on the pace. Very high risk. NOT AN OPTION.

Kayne Scott: Has contractual commitments to NZV8's in Timaru for V8's Rule (Mark Petch). Mark has himself ruled Kayne out. NOT AN OPTION.

Chris Pither: Chris is the first to acknowledge he needs another year in the development series. NOT AN OPTION.

In addition there are 14 rounds in the Championship not just one.

This is our debut outing in the new car.

The sponsors require results this year inline with increased investment.

The race package is the best package we have ever had and not a toy for learning in. That is what the development series are for.

We had to find a capable race fit and experienced driver who knows the characteristics of a Ford V8 Supercar.

In line with none of the above Kiwi drivers being available and Chris Pither acknowledging he needed more time before hitting the main game in a package as good as what TKR have this year, the decision to put Adam Macrow who is the reigning Fujitsu development driver who dominated the series winning 5 out of 7 rounds in 2006 and won both of his races on the Adelaide street circuit in 2006 was a sound one and one we hope will turn into giving TKR a great result on debut with the new All Black Machine.

Again I thank those of you who took the time to email and call with your support today and for those who thought we just put Adam in the car for the sake of it, I hope this gives you an insight to him being the best option available to us for this one of race.

And no, Scott Dixon was not available either.

In the meantime lets keep our fingers crossed for a very strong start to the 2007 for the TKR ALL Black machine in Adelaide

Regards
Team Kiwi Racing
David John
Team Owner

[Welby]

Jimmy Richards??

Thanks David.

Appreciate your thoughts, Very best of luck in the coming season.

Mark

[VXfan]

As quoted from the TKR owner in a previous post -

"Simon Wills: Has not raced a V8 Supercar competitively for 2 years. Not race fit despite thinking he maybe as Radisich found out it is very different being fit in the gym but behind the wheel is different. Not the track to be blowing out cobwebs and using it to get back on the pace. Very high risk. NOT AN OPTION."

Well after 1st practice in the Fujitsu series,Wills is half a second faster than everyone else.;)
Cheers,
Tony.

[Robert Murphy]

Motorsport: Radisich back in the driving seat for weekend's V8 races
Email this storyPrint this story 12:00AM Thursday March 22, 2007

New Zealand driver Paul Radisich will drive the Team Kiwi Racing Ford in this weekend's second round of the Australian V8 Supercar Championship in Perth.

Radisich pulled out of the first round in Adelaide this month after deciding he had not sufficiently recovered from injuries suffered in a crash at Bathurst last October.

Radisich matched young Australian Adam Macrow over 25 laps in a TKR test at Queensland Raceway yesterday and was given the nod to take the wheel in Perth ahead of Macrow.

Macrow had been impressive in Adelaide, setting the second fastest Ford time at the Clipsal 500 event.

"We always wanted Paul back in the car as soon as possible and always wanted a Kiwi to drive but in saying that, the TKR drive is not ... to be taken for granted," TKR owner David John said.

"A Kiwi driver who has the opportunity to drive a package as good as this has to be able to match it with the best international drivers out there or we are all wasting our time in this championship," he added.


Radisich said he was pleased with the workout and was confident he could perform well in Perth this weekend.

"To be fair I probably surprised myself today. I was able to lift myself to Adam's level and he did such a great job in the car in Adelaide," Radisich said.

"I am almost back to full fitness and itching to be back racing this weekend."

John said a key reason to go with Radisich was the next round of the championship in Pukekohe next month.

"We want to do well in front of our home fans, especially with the last time for V8 Supercars at Pukekohe.

"Paul will need the Perth round for race fitness and by the time we hit Pukekohe we will be 100 per cent ready to be a very competitive unit."

Qualifying and the first 120km race is on Saturday with two 120km races on Sunday.

- NZPA

Lets hope he beats last years effort.;) :)
Rob