By BOB PEARCE
Paul Radisich believes he and Jason Bright will be the team to beat in the Bathurst 1000km V8 Supercar race on Sunday.
The 38-year-old Gold Coast-based Kiwi is keen to wipe out the memory of last year's race, when an altercation with a back-marker forced his Ford Falcon out with just 20 laps remaining on the Mt Panorama circuit.
At that stage he was comfortably in the lead after dominating much of the race with a very quick car.
"The outcome of last year's race was absolutely gut-wrenching, not just for me but for the entire team, and I know that I'm not alone in wanting to make amends for that this year," Radisich said.
"We've had some great results heading into Bathurst, with the round win at Sandown and two victories at the Indycar meeting. I think with Jason as co-driver the other teams should start looking over their shoulders."
Bright has already won at Bathurst, in 1998 with Steven Richards. Radisich's best result was second in 1990 with Englishman Jeff Allam.
Worthy winners last year after Radisich's demise were fellow Kiwis Greg Murphy and Steven Richards.
They are back again this time in a Kmart Holden, and despite modest results during the championship, they are both two-time winners on Mt Panorama and have to be respected. Murphy has just won a drive in a Panoz sportscar for the New Year's Eve race in Adelaide.
There are three other all-Kiwi teams competing at Bathurst. Craig Baird and Simon Wills will combine in a Stone Brothers Ford, Chris Butler and Miles Pope have entered a Holden and Team Kiwi drivers Jason Richards and Angus Fogg will hope to give the Auckland-based team an auspicious start.
Team Kiwi will not lack for support. A 200-strong haka party will perform on race day and the organisers are bending over backwards to promote this "foreign" entry.
Team boss David John is not expecting miracles, but believes his drivers in the ex-Larry Perkins Holden will repay the confidence of their supporters and sponsors.
Next year the team will probably start the championship with one car, building up to two when funds permit. They have already received an invitation to compete in the support races to the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne.
* * *
With 10 days to go before the first round of the Tasman Express series for Formula Holdens, Matthew Halliday looks the biggest threat to the defending champion, fellow Aucklander Simon Wills.
One American and seven Australians are confirmed starters, with the probability of another American and a Japanese for the first race at Manfeild on November 26.
The highlight of the series will be the New Zealand Grand Prix at Pukekohe on December 3.
Confirmed entries are Wills (Auckland), Halliday (Auckland), Paul Dumbrell (Australia), LeRoy Stevenson (Invercargill), Ian Lloyd (Tauranga), Mark Ellis (Australia), Andy Booth (Hamilton), Emerson Newton John (US), Ian Peters (Australia), Terry Clearihan (Australia), Roger Oakeshott (Australia), Stan Redmond (Christchurch), Peter Hill (Australia) and Steve Owen (Australia).
* * *
Five New Zealand kart racers will compete at the inaugural world Rotax Max Challenge in Puerto Rico this weekend. The karters, Dave Verrall and Mark Lane from Auckland, Tony Chambers (Hamilton), Terry Corin (Rotorua) and John Hamilton (Christchurch) won free trips to the event by finishing in the top five in this year's first local Rotax Max Challenge.
* * *
Champion Kawerau rider Tony Rees, and Aucklander Paul Gee and Australian Graeme Morris, have finished second overall and first in their class in the Australian six-hour race at Eastern Creek, Sydney.
Riding a Yamaha R1, they finished two laps behind the winners, Australians Warwick Nowland and Mark Willis on a Suzuki GSXR750.
* * *
International rider Darryll King (New Plymouth) leads the 250cc class in the motocross nationals, but only after a tough battle during the first round at Carterton.
King, on a Husqvarna, had two wins from six races to lead Swede Esspen Blikstad (Suzuki) and Pahiatua Honda rider Paul Whibley.
Corrie Sargent, of Featherston, won six out of six in the 500cc class on a Yamaha, and Luke Burkhart (Masterton) won five out of six in the 125cc class, also on a Yamaha.
* * *
Several hundred Harley-Davidson motorcycles are expected to take part in the annual Harley Owners' Group Thunder Ride for muscular dystrophy on Saturday.
The Harleys will leave the Ellerslie Convention Centre and travel in convoy along Ascot Ave, Orakei Rd, Ngapipi Rd, Tamaki Drive and Quay St to the Viaduct Harbour.
Among the riders and pillion passengers will be representatives from the US, Canada and Japan.
* * *
After the disqualification of winner Tommi Makinen for having a turbocharger that did not conform with specifications, Possum Bourne was promoted to seventh place in the Rally of Australia.
As well as all their other successes this season, this result won Bourne and co-driver Craig Vincent their categories in the Tasman Cup, which is decided on results in the Rotorua International, Canberra, New Zealand and Australian Rallies.
Motorsport: Radisich has point to prove at Bathurst
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.