Gala night to award year's best
29/11/2001 15:14 (V8 Wire - Jason Whittaker) -
The V8 Supercar fraternity will swap their race suits for tuxedos this Monday night for the sport’s answer to the Brownlow Medal – the Shell Championship Series Gala Dinner.
The lavish presentation, to be held at Melbourne’s Crown Casino, will celebrate the 2001 season while awarding the year’s best performers.
The night will belong to Mark Skaife, who will officially be crowned the 2001 Shell Series champion. Skaife will be presented with the champions’ trophy for another season of Holden Racing Team-powered excellence.
The runners-up will be also be awarded, with that battle to be fought to the death at Sandown Raceway this weekend. Russell Ingall currently sits in second, ahead of Jason Bright.
And new CAT racer Simon Wills will receive the spoils as this year’s Konica V8 Supercar Series champion.
Other awards are yet to be decided, though clear favourites have emerged.
The Mike Kable Rookie of the Year Award, in memory of motoring journalist Mike Kable, will undoubtedly go to Marcos Ambrose after an incredible debut year with the Stone brothers.
Ambrose will also take home the Bridgestone Pole Award for the most pole positions this season (three, and pole at the F1 Grand Prix), unless Skaife (three) can snatch pole at Sandown.
The Holden Racing Team are emphatic favourites for Team of the Year, and deservedly so after a year of benchmark-setting consistency.
Holden will predictably take out the manufacturers crown, with eight Shell Series wins to their name compared to Ford’s four, and the top four drivers in the championship.
The most AVESCO-friendly scribe will be named the Print Journalist of the Year, most likely News Limited’s Paul Gover or Andrew McLean, while Channel Ten’s commitment to the category will be recognised with the Electronic Media Award.
Adelaide’s peerless Clipsal 500 party should again receive AVESCO’s seal of approval as the Race Promoter of the Year. The event has won the award for the past two years.
Two more drivers will also be inducted into AVESCO’s ‘Grid of Champions’ Hall of Fame on the night. Bob Jane and Norm Beechey were honoured last year.
The black-tie gala begins at 7pm, with entertainment from Lisa Edwards, James Reyne and Daryl Braithwaite. The event is not yet scheduled for a television showing.
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