Pitstop: Dixon to fill big boots on historic track

Scott Dixon will be following the tracks of some of New Zealand's motor-racing heroes when he competes on the Watkins Glen road circuit next season.

The historic New York track is one of three venues away from the traditional ovals incorporated in the Indy Racing League schedule of 17 events next year.

From 1961 to 1980 the 4km track was the home of the United States Formula One Grand Prix. Bruce McLaren, who won the US Grand Prix at Sebring in 1959, was third behind Jim Clark and Graham Hill at Watkins Glen in 1962.

Denny Hulme was third in 1967, also behind Clark and Hill, in his world championship-winning year. He was third again five years later behind Jackie Stewart and Francois Cevert.

Chris Amon managed a fifth in a March-Ford in 1970 and Howden Ganley was fourth in a BRM the following year.

But it was when the Can-Am series brought the sports cars to Watkins Glen in 1969 that the Kiwis came into their own. Driving a car of his own design, McLaren won that year. Hulme won in 1970 and 1972 in a similar car.

The IRL series comes to Watkins Glen for the first time on September 25. On August 28 there will be a race on the Infineon Raceway road layout in California and in April the oval racers will have their first taste of a street circuit in St Petersburg, Florida.

Dixon, who raced on road and street circuits with the rival Champ Car series, welcomes the chance to return to the variety of turns.

"The addition of road racing is definitely a welcome idea," Dixon said on the IRL website.

"It's a good step in improving and expanding the level of racing in the Indy Racing League to make it even more exciting, competitive and challenging to vie for the series championship.

"That's good news for racing and everyone associated with racing, especially drivers and fans."

Anstey drives to conditions

Weather forecasting proved crucial to Bruce Anstey preserving his lead in the national motorcycle road race championship at Teretonga on Sunday.

The Wellingtonian saw the rain coming before the third race and opted for rain tyres while defending champion Andrew Stroud, who had won the first two races, went on slicks.

Anstey rode away from the field, while Stroud struggled home fifth, just ahead of Tony Rees, who had also opted for slicks after finishing second to Stroud in the first two races.

Anstey leads the championship after two rounds by 12 points from fellow Suzuki rider Ray Clee with Rees on a Yamaha four points further back.

Bahrain Grand Prix praised

The Bahrain Grand Prix, which was Formula One's first race in the Middle East, has taken the accolade as best-organised race of 2004 at the annual FIA awards ceremony in Monaco.

Stones scoop V8 Supercar

Stone Brothers Racing, run by Kiwis Ross and Jimmy Stone, celebrated their fantastic V8 Supercar season by scooping the pool at the gala dinner at the Gold Coast Convention Centre.

Team driver Marcos Ambrose was officially awarded his V8 Supercar Championship Series trophy, but was also awarded the Barry Sheene Medal as the "best and fairest" driver in the series for the second consecutive year.

Ross Stone collected the trophy on behalf of his 40-strong outfit as the champion team and the team's second driver, Russell Ingall, collected the runners-up trophy after his effort in the final round when he jumped from fourth to second.

Finn to lead for Mitsubishi Fresh from finishing third for Peugeot in the Rally Australia, Harri Rovanpera has been named as lead driver for Mitsubishi as they mount a full assault on the world rally championship next season.

The Finn takes over from tarmac specialist Gilles Panizzi, who will stay with the team but concentrate on the tarmac rounds and share the second car with up-and-comer Gigi Galli.

Mitsubishi brought two cars to New Zealand last April but they barely turned a wheel, sidelined by an electrical fault at the opening Manukau Superspecial.

Top racer shifts to rally gear

Stephane Sarrazin, Subaru's new driver for the 2005 world rally championship, has the unusual distinction of having driven in a Formula One Grand Prix.

In 1999 he competed for Minardi in the Brazilian Grand Prix. He was a test driver for the Prost and Toyota Formula One teams until 2002. The 29-year-old made his rallying debut for the French Subaru team this year and won the French championship at his first attempt. He also had three top-10 finishes in world championship rallies, including fourth in Spain.

Sarrazin will contest at least half this season's world championship rallies with Subaru yet to decide who else will team with 2003 world champion Petter Solberg.

Chinese mark in FIA tour

Brilliance, the Chinese carmaker entered in the revived FIA world touring car championship, is a partner of BMW and also China's biggest maker of minibuses.

Max Mosley, president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) world governing body, said that Brilliance would be one of eight manufacturers in what was formerly a European championship. The others are Alfa Romeo, BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Seat, Honda and Peugeot.

The provisional calendar has the championship for two-litre cars beginning in Buenos Aires on March 6, with other rounds at Monza, Magny-Cours, Donington, Brno, Spa, Oschersleben, Istanbul and Macau.

The championship is promoted as the "inaugural" series, apparently disowning the 1987 world touring car event, which began in Wellington and also ran at Bathurst.