Latest / Full Credit to the Noise / NEWS: Aussie legend Alan Jones dies + Supercars calendar takeouts
Transcript
- News Nov 5: Hello and welcome to Full Credits of the News brought to you by Authentic Collectibles. My name is Andrew Van Leuren and I'm joined by Speed Cafe's managing editor, Stefan Bartholomeys. Stefan, we are in Melbourne. It's semifinals time. Sand down this weekend. It's it's got a cool vibe to it. I'm excited. It is exciting time for supercars. Obviously, the calendar announced today, which we'll talk about a bit more. But also a sad day for Australian motorsport and really Australian sport. With the passing of Alan Jones. Yes, that was incredibly sad news. Obviously, the 1980 Formula One world champion, a very accomplished F one driver who then turned his hand to the Australian Touring Car Championship and achieved a lot there as well. Just a great figure of that era of the sport in this part of the world. Yeah, very much a man of his era. I would say I don't think he would fit into F one. these days both the way he was in the car but more so out. Yep. But certainly when I think of AJ, I think of just a tough as nails operator, like he could drive the hell out of a race car, but just mentally tough and yeah, just no nonsense, almost a stereotype of this this brutish Aussie over there in in Europe getting it done. It was a completely different era of F one driver, wasn't it? Because they weren't conditioned to left wood braking paddle shift, this all this stuff that they do basically out of carding. he developed skills in the three pedal H-pattern era of Formula One that were to some extent transferable to come back here and have this kind of post F one career in touring cars. it's not something that we'll probably ever really see in the modern era, but it's what these guys had the ability to do. They were not F one drivers, they were proper race car drivers. Yeah, and he drove a wide variety of cars and and certainly his adaptability was one of his strengths as well. Even if you just look at the Australian touring car chapter of his career, he was really quick in Bondi's Alphas in in eighty five and he drove Sierra's M3s. And then when he got into Glenn Seaton's Falcons, we saw the best of him in terms of results. And I did have a chat with Glenn a little bit earlier that will roll out as a Yarn tomorrow where he was reflecting on a couple of things. One of the classic AJ stories from that era is the ninety-four Wanneroo round that you might have even been at. I'm sure I would have been. Yep. And look, it's not it's certainly not a a lesson to the kids of how to go motor racing, but he famously forgot his pass, was stopped by an official at the gate. Obviously official just doing their job. Yep. Being AJ, you ended up snotting him in the nose and charging in anyway. And He was just fired up. He won the round. one race two and the round. And that was also classic of AJ in those touring car days where Cito was saying when he had the eyes on, when he really wanted it, no one could beat him. Yeah. But he didn't bring necessarily that intensity every week, but he'd already won an F one World Championship. He probably didn't need to. Yeah, it it was the post career. it probably was hard to bring that same intensity that he did have in F one. Yeah, but the the determination that he had just to make it to F one and the stories of him selling used camper vans to raise money in the junior open wheel stuff and he probably didn't shine as much in in the lower formula, partly because of his size, but when he got into the the big stuff, boy could he drive. It it's easy to underestimate how much harder it actually was for people to move to the other side of the world back then as well. Like it it wasn't as financially easy. It wasn't as easy to remain in contact with friends and family back home. it was such a big deal for those guys to take that leap of faith and say, I'm gonna head to the other side of the world and take on my dream to get to F one. that was I guess that probably built into their mentality a little bit to some extent as well. Yeah. And there was no junior driver academies and things to to help them along. So when you do think about what Sir Jack Bravum did. I think he's he's really celebrated as he should be. But AJ's probably a little bit underrated. but yeah, what a what an icon and and obviously he ended up in a great situation with with Frank Williams and a a merging Williams team and and Patrick Head and yeah and those guys and it all clicked and he he got it done. Beautifully said. Let's move on to the calendar. As you said before, we finally have a calendar. We have a fourteen round calendar. The bread was broken. Between the teams and supercars. it wasn't entirely straightforward. We do have these two different deals in place for different teams depending on what kind of camp they were in. Amid these negotiations, but the important thing is that we do have 14 rounds. I'll run through it very quickly. So the 2027 season will open at Sydney Motorsport Park on the 26th to 28th of February. Next up is Simmons Plains, that's the 12th to 14th of March. Then the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, that's the 1st to 4th of April. The New Zealand Double Header kicks off with Christchurch on the 7th to 9th of May. The following weekend is the Taupo round, the 14th to 16th of May. Then it's the Darwin Triple Crown on the 18th to 20th of June. That will be a night race this time around. Then there's Townsville on the 9th to 11th of July. Wanneroo Raceway 6th to 8th of August. Sandown 500, which is a single driver race, which we'll get on to in a moment. That's the 27th to 29th of August. The 500 at the bend is the 17th to 19th of September. The Bathers 1000 is the 7th to 10th of October. Gold Coast 500 is the 22nd to 24th of October. Phillip Island 500, Philip Island returning back to the calendar is the 5th to 7th of November. And then the Adelaide Grand Final on the new Adelaide circuit on the 25th to 28th of November. Stefan, what do you like? What don't you like? What are your thoughts on the calendar? Well, I mean, the the thing to like really is is Philip Island returning. Yep. One of our great permanent racetracks. Spectacular. And a place that supercars hasn't been since 2019, but should be going. and already a lot of people speculating and talking about what the racing's gonna be like there. Yep. just throwing that that curve ball into the middle of the finals is a good thing. And obviously it's it's on there due to the Victorian government backing that after the loss of Moto GP has made this possible. But the big dislike clearly, and this is really resonated amongst the fans this week, is the loss of Queensland Raceway. Yeah. And that's the flip side of not having the Queensland government backing, they already support the Gold Coast and Townsville street races. But for supercars to have gone there the last two years including this year and attracted a really healthy crowd, proving that that part of the world has a really active fan base for supercars. Yeah. And then just to turn the tap off is is really not good. Yeah, absolutely. That is that is true, but it's just the reality of the funding model of the sport, right? Like it just requires that government backing. They get it done unless they're independently promoted, like the Bend, for example, is. So and Adelaide is and Perth will become when it becomes a street race in twenty twenty eight. So it's just one of those unfortunate harsh realities of of how our sport is funded and how the wheels keep turning. sand down, not an enduro, that was something that we really weren't sure on until the announcement came out because there was this kind of this push to try and add it as a third induro. yeah, what are your thoughts on that? Obviously cost has just gotten the way here in terms of what the teams were willing to spend to to add a third enduro. Yeah, this is a tough one because obviously it falls on supercars either way in terms of perception, but race and the supercars guys really wanted to do it. Yeah. But it's extra cost for the teams and they weren't having it. So we've still got two enduro, which a third one would have for me really legitimized the enduro cup yeah a bit more. Yeah. I think it's the way the season's structured with sprint in Juro and finals is is fine, but yeah, the Enduro Cup it just gets lost in the winner of Bathurst anyway, doesn't it? So it is a shame that Sandown's not gonna be in Enduro, but good that it's still on the calendar, even though like walking around today, geez it's showing its age and there's just no investment going in. It's kind of it's sad to see such a beloved part of Australian motorsport. in that state, but it is what it is. I think one of the other takeouts of the calendar is a couple of these climate potential issues where we've got sand down in August and then we've got the New Zealand double head has gone back a month into into May. I feel like that Topor event, which is now the second of those New Zealand rounds, there's a real concern around that going forward. Yeah, I think so. I mean obviously the weather thing is was a big talking point even today. It was quite nice at At Sandown today, walking around in the sunshine, and it feels fairly unlikely that'll be the case. when we get back there next August. I think that we'll definitely need some pretty heavy jackets for that New Zealand trip. I mean, at least we've moved Tasmania into a better weather window. Should be quite nice at Simmons Plains in Lanceston in March, but it will be cold definitely for the New Zealand double header. You'd expect the same for that. for the August trip to Sandown. Doesn't seem to phase you too much though. You love a good German winter, that's your speech. But also I d I I'm I'm fairly sympathetic to the fact that we do run a winter calendar. So it's impossible to avoid like you can't hit every weather window everywhere, right? Like unless we're just gonna skip between Darwin and Townsville between May and September. Like what do you do? You you kinda have to have to just take on some questionable weather at some point and a bit of wet weather's not bare for the racing either. Yeah, well I'd rather be at Queensland Raceway in in August than than Sandown. And I do think New Zealand's probably the one where you've got to be extra wary of how cold it is. But but there you go. In terms of wins and losses from these calendars, I feel like the Super Two calendars actually provided us a good a feel good story that Malala's coming back Yeah. As a standalone. Yep. And it's gonna have some racing under lights as Yeah, that's that's gonna be really cool. So that slots in. So we're going back to seven rounds on Super Two, which hasn't been the case since twenty nineteen. First standalone Super Two event since two thousand and eight and the first time at Mattel last since two thousand and six. So I think it's a cool venue to to do this thing at. I think that's gonna work really well. it is being independently promoted by well, I say the bend. Because Sam Shaheen owns the Madelar Circuit and it falls under the remit of the bend. that's gonna be late April. So it's been designed to try and fill the first of those two five week gaps and and provide some some supercars content, even if it is the second tier. Yeah, I think it's a it's a you're a South Australian, you must be absolutely loving this, but I think it's a it's a cool idea. And there there was always question marks about around broadcast and whether it's cost effective, but they seem to have, particularly with this independent promoter model, found ways around all that sort of stuff. And it's yeah, it's a it's a cool thing. Yeah, so it's it's gonna be on that Anzac weekend, which helps fill some of that horrific gap in the schedule due to the the freight to New Zealand. And yeah, the again you say independent promotion. we have wondered whether a standalone event would work and and these guys have actually stepped up and and gotta do it. Yeah. And it's also this essentially an existing event where they were headlined by the super trucks this year and I believe they got over ten thousand people there. Yeah. The trucks have always been pretty popular. Yeah. I think we we expect him to be on the undercard for this event as well. Which which is important because I would actually suggest that headlining it with trucks would get more fans than headlining it with a second tier supercars category. Yeah, but I think there's a bit of prestige around saying supercars is coming back to Mattle Up, you know, because it is a supercars category. It's not the main game, but it is a supercars category. So I think I think that's been a fairly long held goal for Sam Shahin since he Bought that circuit in twenty seventeen and this is a bit of a realization of a of a dream of sorts. it's probably a bit of a stretch to think the main game's gonna go back to to Madelar, but this feels like a really good fit. And we're expecting Trans Am and TCM to be on the cart as well. So it's gonna be a pretty good event all up. I guess the other thing on the calendar is that drivers have had to wait a long time for these dates, guys that are looking at doing other racing. Yeah. And that includes Brock Veney, who's been trying really hard for a few years to go and do some NASCAR stuff. So that again, that was a bit sweet and sour because the San Diego street course is clashed this year, which was a shame. But that is free next year. So any supercar drivers can be chasing rides in that. Only by a week, right? Yeah, but yeah, it's that's fine. Yep. And unfortunately Sonoma and Watkins Glen clash. But Koter, the Circuit of the Americas race for the Cup Series is is free. But on that same weekend there's a St. Pete truck race, which that street course put any of these supercars drivers, any of the top guys in a truck's gonna go pretty good. So it'll be interesting to see if if Brock does manage to to get a run, but also if anyone else manages to get a deal over the line. Yep, for sure. All right, now for some news from our friends at Authentic Collectibles, a dash of summer from the Gold Coast 500. And boy, we did only see a dash of summer over there over that weekend. But Triple A did bring a fresh splash of colour to the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500, unveiling vibrant yellow additions to their Ford Mustangs. Authentic Collectibles is proud to bring two of these striking liveries to collectors in 118th and 143rd scale, featuring Will Brown's Triple Eight Mustang and Brock Feeney's Race 32 winning Mustang, complete with a surfboard trophy. The 118 scale models feature die-cast construction with opening doors and bonnet, while the 143rd editions are sealed die-cast bodies, clear windows, detailed interiors, and a display case. Pre-order through your local stockist or register your interest at the Authentic Collectibles website. Authentic Collectibles Driven by Passion, made for collectors. Now, Stefan, as we understand, on the Thursday evening driver's briefing, Tim Edwards did speak. to the teams and drivers and talk well I don't actually know was it team manager's briefing or drivers' briefing? Combined, yeah. Okay. Yeah. and spoke to them about well reminded them about the the collusion laws effectively that are built around the sport. Obviously on the Gold Coast, there were some questions raised about what happened with two Chevrolet drivers pitting late in the race that did ultimately help Anton Di Pasquale get into the finals. We don't think there was any collusion around that. It was more coincidence, but it is something that came up. There was a bit of confusion this week. There was some there was a report by News Limited that an email had gone to team saying that or reminding them of how the rules work and what they can and can't do. That wasn't the case. It was something that that Tim addressed the the teams and drivers in person with this evening. interesting because like ultimately the teams know the rules. And the big question is, can they actually be policed? Yeah, that is that's definitely the question. It's it's interesting we did speak to Tim about this all this today, and he was saying, Yeah, we're just reminding the teams of of the rules. and as we know the the rules are that team orders are fine within a team, like what Walkenshaw's did on the Gold Coast, but it can't be something ordered by a third party like a manufacturer. But then there was discussion which which came up in the briefing of Sporting Integrity Australia, which is a government agency in place to police corruption and match fixing in sport. So that's it's more than just reminding them of what's in the operations manual. That's some pretty big words there when you're throwing around corruption. But as as you say How would you prove unless there's a ridiculously comical smoking gun that's right one of the manufacturers getting on the team radio and saying, Yeah, hey driver X, do this for driver Young. Which is what what happened in the DTM. And then this is known as the DTM rule effectively to try and stop that manufacturer collusion. But yeah, given how clear the rules are, you would think that paper trails, radio messages, all that sort of stuff are are not they're not going to exist. So Yeah, it it's interesting that teens are being reminded about it, but we'll never truly know if it did happen. Yeah, so Supercars has really created all this with the finals. Yeah. And they are trying to draw a hard line to ensure integrity. Yeah. But at the same time, I think they're absolutely loving the drama and the the what ifs and what could happen and and then it essentially falls to the Motorsport Australia stewards to to sort it out if it all goes pear shaped. And I love it too, Stefan. I really do. let's finish up with some really good news. I think Zach Bates has secured his future on the supercars grid with Matt Stone Racing for next year. There were some question marks around, given the fact that, you know, he effectively has been in a position where he's had to bring funding to to have that drive, whether he was going to be able to continue that next year. We've seen what feels like maybe a bit of an uplift in the investment from Bendix, which is the primary sponsor on that car. That's interesting as well because Globally, there's been some some issues for that company. It's gone into administration here, but our understanding is that that will be resolved with a change of ownership of the business. And this is a pretty good sign that that is the case, the fact that they're investing longer term in MSR in Zach Bates. But the important thing is that he's obviously a wonderful talent. We saw when he had the right car under him at Bathurst, like what he could actually do. It's just a good news story that this this young guy is secured his spot on the grid for hopefully next season and beyond. Yeah, and we were talking at Bathurst about the fact that this this was gonna end up in the right place. It was just there was a discussion going on between the Bates Camp and and MSR around funding. I believe he had to bring quite a bit this year and it's now being dialed back a little bit, so we still have to bring some. But It was always about finding that balance of of how much. so that's that's the good news story. The Bendix stuff is quite unusual for it to be put in administration and then so th there's complex financial things going on that we don't understand and we're we're told that they're working through it and it's gonna be fine, but to put out an announcement about a sponsorship extension Yeah, in the mid in the middle of the middle of it, I I couldn't believe what I was seeing today. Yeah. No, that's that's Definitely a pretty fair take on it. But I think it is actually a kind of indication of what the actual situation is there, that it's not doom and gloom. They're obviously in a decent position. There's just some global issues that need to sort of be resolved. But anyway, it's amazing what roughly two minutes and four seconds around Bathers can do. Like one shootout lap can can really turn things around and and and sort of shift the negotiating power for a young driver like that. But I I just think it's great news that He's gonna stay on the grid because he really does deserve to be there. And those MSR Camaros were particularly good. All the Camaros were, but the MSR car's in a straight line at Mount Panorama and there's some big straights at the racetrack that's just near where we are right now. So we'll see what he can do this weekend. That is a very good point. All right. I think at this time of night we're gonna leave it there for this podcast. We will be back in this podcast feed from tomorrow onwards with the daily editions of our podcast from the Sandown 500. And of course, stay tuned to speaka.com because we will have all the action from this weekend. And I think it's going to be pretty exciting. We've got to whittle these seven drivers down to four for the Adelaide Grand Final. So it's going to be a pretty cool thing to watch unfold. And we'll be covering all of it at speakefa.com.