Third manufacturer for V8 Supercar Championship Series?
10/10/2004 7:23 (Press Release) -
The Australian Vee Eight Supercar Company (AVESCO) is considering allowing a third manufacturer to race in the V8 Supercar Championship Series, Chairman Tony Cochrane said today.
Ford and Holden are currently the only manufacturers competing in the championship with Ford Falcons and Holden Commodores. Both Ford and Holden benefit greatly from being involved in the world’s toughest touring car category.
Mr Cochrane said a third manufacturer could come on board in 2007.
“It is time to consider a third manufacturer joining the championship,” Mr Cochrane said at Bathurst today.
“We see the internationalisation of the championship as an ongoing situation, we see our events becoming bigger, the championship becoming bigger and the sport being a celebration of Australian motorsport.
“NASCAR in the US has embraced additional manufacturers, done a great job of it and we are going to try to learn from that. The championship has arrived at a point in time where we are big enough for that and it is worthy of consideration.”
Mr Cochrane also said that a fourteenth round of the series may be added in the near future and the calendar narrowed in an attempt to race every fortnight.
“The championship has to embrace the fact that we need to try to race every second weekend so that viewers have more certainty and knowing when we are appearing on television,” Mr Cochrane said.
From next year AVESCO Events, under General Manager Shane Howard, will manage and promote the Bathurst 1000. This year AVESCO events will promote and manage round 12 in Tasmania in November and the final round of the series, the BigPond Grand Finale at Eastern Creek in December.
We see a time when AVECO Events is a great driver of our series and our teams,” Mr Cochrane said.
“I can promise that Bathurst in 2005 will have more facilities, new fan facilities and big new sponsor and some big surprises. We will take this event to another level.
“Council expect to have the work completed by March of next year. It just goes to show how strong the championship is becoming and it’s going to be tremendous facility for our fans and our teams.
“I would like to thank the Federal and State Governments who were integral in this happening. The Bathurst Regional Council is very much responsible for what we now see at the mountain.
“This is the eighth year of the event being run by IMG who have done an outstanding job. They are great promoters and very much a part of our championship.
“They have an excellent team and wish them all the very, very best in their future endeavours.”
|
|
