Don’t reverse the whole grid

Hello to all of you guys at V8X. On the reverse-grid topic, why didn’t AVESCO just make it a reverse top ten instead of reversing the whole field?

Everyone involved in a V8 Supercar team wants to make the sport cheaper for all, but AVESCO obviously wants to squeeze every little penny out of the teams and grids next season.

Next, I think I speak for all people when I say that the reverse-grid races in the HPDC series are the greatest, but if that’s the way AVESCO wants to go why don’t they add the weight that the HPDC teams have to have? Then both the championships will be the same as each other. I, for one, don’t want to see both championships the same, as a lot of other people do. So I say change is not for the better.

Joshua

Remember Canberra

I have been a fan of the championship for many years and think the reverse-grid races next year are good if they make the racing closer but don’t stuff up the main field of drivers.

Remember, they had reverse-grid races in Canberra.

Secondly, I hope that next year at Bathurst our campsites have power, as this year the powers-that-be took it away from us.

And, yes, the new corporate complex looks great for the corporate people, but what about the true race fans?

And finally, I’m a Holden man who wants to congratulate Marcos for the determination and ambition he has shown by leaving this category when he is at the top to keep striving higher to reach more goals. I wish him luck in America.

Just remember Marcos that in NASCAR "rubbing is racing".

Nathan

Remember Canberra PtII

I am writing to the coolest racing mag in the world to add something about the argument about reverse grids.

I am an 11-year-old and try to watch every round on TV.

I have a video showing highlights of every round in 2001 and saw the Canberra track, including the infamous reverse grid situation. As for all this hype about how damage bills will be much higher for teams this year with reverse grids, let’s face it, Canberra wasn’t the most damage-friendly track, probably the hardest track to pass on in the championship’s history. Three-race sprint rounds will have it, and none of them are really hard to pass on, especially at the new track at Bahrain, from my experience with Formula One. But it might get a little interesting at the first corner when Indy comes around. My only problem with it is if a front-runner with a fast car retires on the first lap, then he will just have an "easy as you like" win in the second race.

Chris

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Change now or never

After watching V8 Supercars for three seasons, I would like to put forward a few suggestions for the sport before it gets boring:

> Have a single wheel rim and brake pad supplier.

> Make it mandatory for teams to transform road cars into racecars rather than building them from scratch.

> Include more rounds – we are losing our beloved tracks.

> Include more cars at every track – it is getting boring with only 34 cars. 39 is a reasonable number.

> Introduce sponsors like 3M, M7M, Kelloggs and OMO into the sport. Teams shouldn’t stick with race-related brands.

> Put a cap on sponsorship money and driver salaries.

> Make factory backing mandatory for Ford and Holden, even if it is minor.

> Restrict the number of team personnel that go to every round.

> Introduce a third make into V8s that isn’t Japanese. Having Chrysler, BMW or Mercedes would be appropriate.

I also throw my support behind the reverse-grid races. However, the close racing could sacrifice safety because the back markers will do all they can to win a race.

Lawrence

P.S. Congratulations on winning the championship, Russell. Wish my year at school in 2006 will be as good as yours.

Ed: Good suggestions there Lawrence but some aren’t as simple as they sound. Teams, for example, already transform road cars into racecars but it is actually cheaper to build them from scratch, and even cheaper from a control chassis. But we like the more-rounds idea and know that teams are as keen as you to get non-motoring sponsors involved. We’d love to know other people’s opinions on these issues.

Seto’s shafting a disgrace

I, like most Blue Oval Fans, am pissed off at the treatment given to Glenn Seton at the end of the 2005 season. After running in the top 10 of the championship until three rounds to go and falling out of contention due to two engine failures (Symmons Plains) and the dropping of wheel nuts (Phillip Island), DJR decided to terminate his contract in favour of so-called young hot shot Will Davison, an unknown quantity who has hardly been setting the world on fire in the A1 Grand Prix Season.

There is all this hype about young drivers such as Davison and Courtney who have yet to do the hard yards in the toughest touring car championship in the world. Courtney only made it seven laps at Bathurst before putting it into the wall. DJR certainly made improvements this season compared to the last couple of years, and Seto qualified eighth at Bathurst and would have been in the mix without a six driver error.

We just hope that Seto picks up a competitive full-time drive. As for Dick, you’re still a legend, but maybe it’s time to have a look at Junior after his years of underachievement.

Also, hope Steve Ellery finds a drive somewhere. Keep up the great Mag.

Wardy

Ed: Thanks for the letter, Wardy. Seto will be glad to see that there is still passionate support out there for him. You may be pleased to know that he’s signed up for an enduro seat with SBR, which means he has a real shot at finally nailing that elusive Bathurst win.

Pull yer head in Skaifey!

So Mark Skaife was a bit pissed off about James Courtney signing with SBR! Well, let’s see – a multi-million dollar, three-year contract with the best team in the V8 paddock or two drives in 2006 with Team Red. And, oh yes, he’d have to share those. Come on Skaifey, put aside your mammoth ego for once (next to impossible, I know) and fess up. In the same position, what would you have done?

Go SBR and Ford in 2006!

Beth

Ford bias? No way!

I am writing in response to the letter that 13-year-old Tina, wrote in V8X #31. I do agree that Marcos Ambrose got off very lightly for almost running up the back of Craig Lowndes, but I don’t think that the IPOs are biased towards the Fords. You must be forgetting Bathurst, where Mark Skaife actually drove through someone else’s pit lane and got let off, and yet Craig Lowndes’ team got a drive-through penalty for leaving a tiny wheelnut in the fast lane at Phillip Island. Why should Craig get punished for the team’s mistake?

I admit that there are some times when some of the Ford teams should be penalised and they are not. But the way I see it I think that the Holden teams are let off more often then the Fords

For example, Mark Skaife was allowed to drive a car with a disintegrating splitter at Sandown, where other teams have been black-flagged for less. I also think that next year will be Craig Lowndes’ championship year. Go Craig! Congratulations to Russell Ingall on his championship win.

FORDS RULE!

Chris