V8 Supercars 2007

griffo346 · Feb 19, 2007

maybe Glenn can win Bathurst for the first time

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HRT unveils brighter and more aggressive look with new VE Commodores - Seton joins Holden factory team for Bathurst

Release Date: 16/02/2007 The most successful team in Australian Touring Car history, the Holden Racing Team in Melbourne today unveiled the cars it hopes drivers Mark Skaife and Todd Kelly can claim back the V8 Supercar Championship with - the new generation Holden VE Commodore.

The official factory teams racing version of the recently announced Wheels Car Of The Year is the result of an intensive 18-month design and development program and subsequent build phase undertaken by the team in conjunction with Holden and TEGA.

The road going Commodores design winning Euro styling and wide stance is enhanced on the race version by a more aggressive look for HRT, with a greater presence of black on the vehicle complimented by the colourful, bright and energetic new HRT day-glo red base colour.

In addition to unveiling the design for the very first time, the team also announced that dual V8 Supercar Champion Glenn Seton will join the driver line-up for the seasons annual Sandown and Bathurst endurance races, the 41-year-old joining Holdens factory team after a long association with rival manufacturer, Ford.

Five-time Series Champion Skaife said the introduction of the new car was the most significant change in HRTs program in almost a decade.

The VE is the biggest change weve had since the VT first hit the track back in 1998, so today is quite a momentous occasion for Holdens factory team, Skaife said.

Our speed in 2006 was exceptional, but our reliability which has been a hallmark of the team for years - needs to improve this year.

The new car is a different beast in some ways and similar in others. Normally there are teething problems associated with new cars, and it might take a little time to work out what the VE likes on the track, but it should be sorted out reasonably quickly.

As I have said before, if they go half as good as they look, then Holden fans are in for a terrific season.

Skaife also welcomed his lifelong friend, Glenn Seton, to the team for the endurance races.

Glenn and I have been mates since we were kids, and we were team-mates early on in our careers at Gibson Motorsport, Skaife said.

When the V8 era began, I was lucky enough to join Holden while Glenn joined the darkside.

Since he stopped driving fulltime, Ive been trying to entice him over for a couple of years and now Im rapt that hes finally accepted and hell be able to drive a good car at last!

For Seton, winner of the ATCC/V8 Supercar Championships in 1993 and 1997, his signing to HRT signals the first time that he will have ever driven a Holden Commodore.

This will be a whole new experience for me, I dont think Ive ever driven a Commodore not even a rent-a-car! Seton said.

Mark [Skaife] has spoken to me about coming onboard with HRT for the past two or three years, but I have always had other commitments. This time when he asked I didnt have to think about it for too long.

It is a great opportunity for me to potentially be a part of a winning team at Bathurst, which has always been my dream and a goal.

The Teams record speaks for itself, it has had great success in championships and at Bathurst and I am really looking forward to being a part of Team Red.

Seton, who has finished on the podium at Bathurst three out of the past four years with two seconds and a third, said that while he does not have a fulltime ride, retirement was far from his mind.

Just because you hit 40 doesnt mean you lose the talent or the skill. Some people lose their passion for racing, but thats something I havent lost it still burns within me, he said.

My career wouldnt be complete without a Bathurst win and driving for HRT gives me the potential to live my dream. Im not ready to retire and Im looking at this as the next stepping stone in my career.

Kelly, a winner of two championship rounds and two pole positions during the 2006 season, said the new VE Commodores hailed in an exciting time for the team.

The introduction of the VE Commodore represents a new era for all Holden teams and drivers, and particularly for the Holden Racing Team and Mark and myself, Kelly said.

For almost all of my V8 Supercar career Ive driven cars based on the same platform (VT-VZ), so the change is both refreshing and exciting.

Ive already spent a lot of time in the VE prototype while it underwent aero testing, but as yet I havent driven the car in anger it was all just straightline work or around the Lang Lang proving ground.

It was like giving a kid their Christmas presents but not allowing them to open them until March!

The new HRT Commodores will hit the track for their first test at Winton Motor Raceway, near Benalla, on Monday.

northwest9 · Feb 20, 2007

HRT black flaggedBy Ray Kershler

February 20, 2007 10:00am
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DRAMATIC talks were underway last night to save the integrity of the V8 Supercar championship after two of the leading teams were thrown out of the series.

The famous Holden Racing Team and reigning champions Toll HSV Dealer – two of the biggest motor racing outfits in the nation – have been banned from the 2007 V8 Supercar championship.

The ban threatens the immediate future of the reigning V8 Supercar champion Rick Kelly and his Toll co-driver Garth Tander.

But even more dramatically, the ban threatens the future of the Holden Racing Team – the most famous team name in the sport.

HRT is also the most successful team in the history of Australian motorsport and has been home to some of the sport's greatest driving names – Peter Brock, Mark Skaife and Craig Lowndes.

Skaife and his co-driver Todd Kelly, who won Bathurst in 2005, were still testing their new Commodore yesterday in Victoria preparation for the coming season.

The ban, less than two weeks before the opening round of the 2007 season, has sent shockwaves through the motorsport industry.

The Touring Car Entrants Group, which licences V8 Supercar race teams, cancelled the licences of both teams over an ownership issue.

At the centre of the ban is the position of the powerful Holden personality Tom Walkinshaw.

Under TEGA rules, no two V8 teams are allowed to be owned by the same person.

For the past 12 months – with evidence of close co-operation between HRT and Toll – TEGA has asked the teams for clarification of their ownership.

When last Friday no such information was forthcoming TEGA, sighting an "unwillingness of both organisations to reveal their ownership structures" revoked their licences.

Officially, HRT is owned by Mark Skaife while the Toll team is owned by the Kellys' father, John Kelly. However, the position of Walkinshaw clouds the ownership issue.

He is a former owner of HRT who returned to the Australian racing scene at the start of the 2006 season ostensibly as general manager of both HRT and Toll.

A controversial driver swap program between HRT and Toll paired the Kelly boys and saw Skaife link with Tander for the last year's Sandown and Bathurst events.

The move was seen as trademark Walkinshaw, the reasoning being no one else in the sport is powerful enough to have been able to extract such co-operation in the often acrimonious world of V8 Supercars.

The move incensed TEGA officials who are headed by the experienced motor racing administrator Kelvin O'Reilly.

Last night O'Reilly initiated a "mediation meeting" with senior Holden executives to try to resolve the matter before the start of the season.

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,21256384-5005401,00.html

griffo346 · Feb 20, 2007

THIS IS TOTAL sh*t I WONT BE WATCHING THE V8 SUPERCARS IF THIS GOES AHEAD

I HOPE COOLER HEADS PREVIAL AND MAKE SENSE OF THIS BS

griffo346 · Feb 20, 2007

The Matter has been cleared up and both teams will be racing come the grand prix and clipsal 500

Hindyscrack · Feb 20, 2007

The V8's wont be a support cat at the Grand Prix in 2007

griffo346 · Feb 20, 2007

WTF
since when :x :x

Y2Eel · Feb 21, 2007

griffo346 said:
WTF
since when :x :x

Since the v8's are on 7 and the f1 is on 10...

Crazy_Goddess · Feb 22, 2007

Hindyscrack said:
The V8's wont be a support cat at the Grand Prix in 2007

lol a support cat:lol:

Go Scaife and Kelly-

griffo346 · Feb 22, 2007

HRT all the way

Matt23 · Feb 23, 2007

Go HRT & HSV, hopefully Lowndes has a shocker this year

Crazy_Goddess · Feb 23, 2007

Matt23 said:
Go HRT & HSV, hopefully Lowndes has a shocker this year

agrees

Julz · Feb 23, 2007

If anything Lowndes will be more determined to win after what happened last year.

Crazy_Goddess · Feb 23, 2007

actucally in saying that julz...i saw an interview that they did with him, he is a very brave and courageous guy...and he respects past drivers so much....i was impressed.

Especially the ones that drove for Holden

Julz · Feb 23, 2007

Of course thats what makes lowndes such a great sportsmanship. Gotta like the bloke regardless with whom he drives with. He plays hard and the same time fair unlike those Holdens you could say

Crazy_Goddess · Feb 23, 2007

he is a good sportsman i agree with that.....he doesn't care who he drives for or who they drive for he is still friendly....

go da holden drivers

griffo346 · Feb 23, 2007

Talkin about for v holden how good is it that holden snared seton

Crazy_Goddess · Feb 23, 2007

do you mean talking bout ford vs holden lol

I think holden are dam lucky to have such a great driver

Hindyscrack · Feb 26, 2007

griffo346 said:
WTF
since when :x :x

Since the Series kicks off this weekend in Adelaide, the F1 is on the weekend of 15-18, and Round 2 of the Championship is in Perth on the 23-25th. Would be logistically impossible for the teams.

Y2Eel · Mar 6, 2007

Hindyscrack said:
Since the Series kicks off this weekend in Adelaide, the F1 is on the weekend of 15-18, and Round 2 of the Championship is in Perth on the 23-25th. Would be logistically impossible for the teams.

But it usually is added in as a round on their schedule..

But seeing as though 7 has the Touring cars they didn't want 10 getting to show their product during the f1 weekend while they are paying for the touring car rights...

Hindyscrack · May 18, 2007

Y2Eel said:
But it usually is added in as a round on their schedule..

But seeing as though 7 has the Touring cars they didn't want 10 getting to show their product during the f1 weekend while they are paying for the touring car rights...

Correct, but it is still impossible to get to the rounds.

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