ArmcHair

Well, the first reverse-grid race for the year has been run and won and I have to say that regardless of the result the excitement level leading up to it was intense. No matter how it played out I was glued to the telly – that’s right, I was here in Australia and not one of the lucky ones to actually be in NZ.

Last issue I touched on how V8 Supercar’s future looked exciting. The teams seem closer this year than I can ever remember, a new youth brigade is emerging, there’s a new round in Bahrain and one back at Winton, V8 Supercar has a clearer marketing direction and there’s possibility of two new rounds in the future. "Two" I hear you say? Well, there are no prizes for guessing that the Sydney Olympic venue is back on the agenda and there is still the fact that Townsville in North Queensland is a huge chance, even in ’07.

Talking about the marketing direction, we’ve managed to squeeze some information out of V8 Supercar Brand and Communications Manager Richard Boland. He reveals some of the things that are planned to promote the sport and, more importantly, the future direction of the brand.

I’m also happy to share my position on some of the other subjects listed above. Youth – bring it on, it puts the cat amongst the pigeons. Bahrain – love the overseas rounds, they add credibility to the sport (and a bit of culture). Winton – stoked at going back, a true country round with great racing and I don’t give a damn what the drivers think about it. Finally, the possibility of new rounds – always a positive, and both Townsville and Sydney would be great additions.

Changing the subject to bent cars and I have to agree with Garth Tander (p28) about the control chassis. I would love to see it move forward and be accepted in the future, which will be no surprise to any of you who have read my past columns.

The Adelaide crashfest followed by the AGP one week later has highlighted the need for teams to have racecars that are quick and cheap to build/repair and, even better, spare cars. I think that this is very achievable and, to be honest, if the sport is to truly grow the teams need to step up and work towards this. In the end, the teams are the ones who have the power to make this happen.

Some folks say if you don’t want to bend cars then don’t have reverse-grid racing – I say when a fan pays hard-earned money to go to an event they expect racing. The sport is not just purest motorsport anymore – that experiment failed. Like it or not, it is also entertainment. And we shouldn’t sacrifice entertainment because the cars are too expensive. Make the cars cheaper.

Big Hair Nev