R1 PREVIEW - Holden deja-vu, or Ford fightback?
9/2/2000 23:24 (Jason Whittaker) - For Ford, the scorecard was, at best, downright embarrassing. 37-4, in favour of General Motors' men. It was a year that had Holden fans rejoicing, and the down-trodden blue oval brigade crying in their beer. It was a demolition.
Now, less than three months after season '99 finished, the V8 Supercars are again set to roar back into action at Phillip Island this weekend, leaving fans with only one question - will it be a case of red and white deja-vu, or will Ford once again be a force?
While the always-improving VT Commodore looks as strong as ever, it was Ford's largely-disappointing AU Falcon that set the pace over the closing stages of the year. With a three-month testing and development hiatus under their belts, the continually battle for parity with Holden now looks as close as ever.
Guiding the 600hp Holden and Ford beasts through the season is a driver line-up that would look impressive in any motor racing series in the world. And, with a brand-new mini-enduro format to open the season at the super-fast Phillip Island Raceway, V8 racing fans certainly have a lot to look forward to, this weekend.
As the benchmark team to V8 Supercar success in 1999, the Factory Holden operation will again start the season as emphatic favourites to replicate their efforts of the past two years.
Defending Champion, Craig Lowndes, spearheads the campaign. "Winning 3 championships in 4 years is pretty satisfying but the challenge is still there," said Lowndes. "This is a tough series to win and I haven't won any of the titles easily. This year, I will have to work harder again if I am to make it four."
"The new format at the Phillip Island round will present an interesting challenge. The efficiency of your team will be so much more important," he concluded.
The new format Lowndes refers to will involve two 45 minute races, one on Saturday and one on Sunday, with a compulsory pit stop in each. The new format not only brings the challenge of a pit-stop into the mix, but will require just the right balance of the pure speed we see in the sprint races, and the staying-power required for the longer events.
Lowndes explains the challenge. "Phillip Island is one of the toughest circuits in Australia," he said. "It's a high speed track and anything more than 15 laps is hard on tyres. With 45 minutes, we're conceivably looking at 30 laps and 130km plus, so it will be demanding!"
"It's the hottest time of the year in Victoria, so that means extra stress on the cars, the drivers and particularly tyres. It will be a matter of setting the tyres at a pressure you can start the race at and trying to be consistent during the race."
On count-back, it was Lowndes' team-mate Mark Skaife who had the edge last year. He will be hoping for greater consistency, beginning at Phillip Island this weekend, to transform sprint race wins into a third championship crown.
"I had a really good year last year including my win at the Island. I think in the past if you had won six rounds in a year you would almost certainly win the series, but the distance events were crucial and that counted against me," the 33-year-old said.
"I feel like I am coming into the new season in good form and both myself and Craig will be putting 100% effort towards winning the title. I guess from my point of view, I hope it is me who can win it this year."
With the team doing all of their testing at the picturesque 4.45km Victorian circuit, their odds can only shorten.
Fellow Holden man Russell Ingall will be hoping for much the same thing as Skaife. After playing Bridesmaid to Lowndes for the past two seasons, the "Enforcer" is ready to take the next step.
"I have re-signed with the Perkins team because I am confident they can give me what I need to win a title," Ingall said. "We have got a stronger technical base this year and our package is strong enough to take on HRT who, let's face it, have been the benchmark," said Ingall.
And on the new format? "As a driver, I like the different formats as they introduce different disciplines into racing and make it more of a thinking sport rather than the straight out speed competition," the Castrol- Perkins racer said.
"At the end of the day, we have to rack up the race wins to win a title, no matter what sort of format. I am aiming to open my account this weekend."
The Holden charge is also expected to come from the Gibson, Rogers and Morris garages, where you will find plenty of driving talent capable of success at the Island.
Exciting young-guns Garth Tander and Jason Bargwanna return for, what they hope, will be another giant-killing year, while the new-look K-Mart Racing operation, led by Bathurst champs Greg Murphy and Steven Richards, will be looking to start the year on a high. Reigning two-litre champion, Paul Morris, joins the Holden ranks in a VS Commodore.
Pleading the Ford case, Shell Helix Racing's Paul Radisich warns the rest of the field that Ford are set for a revival.
"We showed towards the end of the year that the Ford AU has a pace edge," said Radisich. "It has a good aerodynamic package, it's a strong high speed car and that's exactly what you need at a circuit like Phillip Island."
After a lacklustre performance for much of last year, Radisich enters season Y2K with renewed confidence after his impressive results on the Gold Coast and Mt. Panorama.
"At the end of the day, it (Phillip Island) will be just as hard to win as a sprint round, but it will be a bit more technical because race strategy will play a bigger part. It should be very interesting," the New Zealander said.
A Johnson will again team with the former World Touring Car Champion this year, however it is the more junior of the two, Dick's son Steven Johnson, that will be lining up on the grid in the No. 18 Falcon.
The Ford-Tickford operation, with Glenn Seton and Neil Crompton again at the helm, have an enviable Phillip Island track-record, and, with a faster piece of machinery to work with, FTR have just as good a chance as any to begin the new century with a win.
Ford's squadron of talent has been considerably-bolstered over the off-season, with exciting young drivers Steven Ellery, Paul Weel and Cameron McLean, along with CAT racer John Bowe, all now competing under the Ford Racing banner. Those unstoppable brothers from the North also return with new blood, with Craig Baird and Tony Longhurst piloting SBR's two AU Falcon's.
With plenty more drivers to watch out for, more of who have a serious chance of winning, it equates to another thrilling year of titanic Ford V Holden battles.
The dual begins with Race 1 of Round 1 at Phillip Island on Saturday afternoon. Full coverage begins on Network 10 at 3pm on Sunday.
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