Improved Production Nationals- this weekend!

Crash Test · 30 Oct 2002, 07:04 (Ref:417104)

Wakefield Confirmed Entry!

2002 Improved Production Nationals- Queensland Raceway
Incorporating Round 3 of the 2002 Tri-State Series
Queensland Raceway 2-3 November

For the first time since 1999, Wayne Wakefield will campaign his Mazda 808 Wagon on a Queensland circuit, with confirmation today of his entry for the 2002 Improved Production Nationals.

So far this season, Wakefield has been competing in V8 Supercars for Paul Morris Motorsport and Imrie Motorsport, with a highlight being 2nd place in the Bathurst Konica race.

Wakefield and his Wagon grew a small army of supporters with his sideways antics in his formative years, and he will be on the money to pick up his first national crown on November 3 at Queensland Raceway.

The car will be prepared by Graphic Skills Racing team leader Phil Laird, who will be busy as ever, as his team will field a total of five Mazdas.

With thanks to support from Yokohama tyres, a total of 32 cars will be making the trek to the meeting from south of the border.

Impressively, New South Wales will be represented by 23 cars on the grid, with their charge being led by former V8 Supercar and Production Car racer, Ric Shaw, and Stephen Flemming, who has been on the pace during his most recent visits to Queensland.

Mark Short and Ian Stratham will represent South Australia, while Tasmania will have four cars on the grid, being led by the Ford EB GT Falcon of Ray Hislop, who has Bathurst 1000 experience.

Victoria, although it will only have five cars on the grid, Rohan Ambrose and Ken Douglas will both be in contention for the podium in their incredibly quick Mazda RX7s.

The bulk of the field will come from the Sunshine State, and they will be out to end their streak of outs, since nobody from Queensland has ever won the event.

Another interesting facet of the Improved Production class is that 11 different manufacturers will be represented on the grid, with cars coming from Suzuki, Mazda, Holden, Honda, Toyota, Datsun, Ford, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Volvo and Chrysler.

However, no matter which make of car, all cars will compete on the Yokohama control tyre, as they have for some time.

Support classes have also been finalised, with the Racing Cars joined with Formula Fords, Sports Sedans, and a combined field of Geminis, HQ Holdens and Saloon Cars.

Fast Facts

Practice Starts- 8:30am Saturday November 2.
Racing Starts- 1pm on Saturday, and 8:30am Sunday November 3.
Admission costs
Weekend- $15
Saturday- $10
Sunday- $10, Children 12 & under Free.
Pit Entry- Free all weekend

Location- Queensland Raceway is at the end of Champions Way, Willowbank, adjacent to the Willowbank Drag Strip, and off the Cunningham Highway (just south of the Amberley RAAF Base).

DAVID PATERSON · 30 Oct 2002, 08:21 (Ref:417151)

Hey Crash,
What a great idea for a topic.

I'll be there all day, both days. As well as commentating, i will also be crewing for 3 competitors in the under 1600 class.

mtpanorama · 30 Oct 2002, 10:12 (Ref:417242)

Keep an eye out for my mate Marty Welsh in Car 54,a yellow rx7. The car has just been re-built and has only had one test day. So fingers crossed it goes ok for the weekend. Drop in and say hi to him and tell him that Shane from Bathurst sent you.

BTW Crash,
Stephen Flemming plays cricket for England, Scott Flemming drives an improved production car.

Crash Test · 30 Oct 2002, 12:58 (Ref:417356)

thats a ****ter

and wow, David Paterson, the Phil Laird of the little cars

DAVID PATERSON · 31 Oct 2002, 02:34 (Ref:418117)

Phil builds cars, I just clean windscreens, do lap timing and check tyres.

What are your plans for the weekend Crash?

Crash Test · 31 Oct 2002, 03:09 (Ref:418127)

I have an exam on Friday, ooops, tomorrow, but I'll be there all weekend, doing whatever it is that I do..

DAVID PATERSON · 31 Oct 2002, 08:12 (Ref:418217)

Take notes and yabber incessantly.

Though i must admit you do it better than anyone else.

The Tool Man · 31 Oct 2002, 10:44 (Ref:418280)

Good Luck to Adam uebergang and that Yellow Mazda

Crash Test · 31 Oct 2002, 11:25 (Ref:418297)

What, exams? Thank you David, I'll need it!

jetsetter · 2 Nov 2002, 01:46 (Ref:419970)

Quote:

Originally posted by mtpanorama
Keep an eye out for my mate Marty Welsh in Car 54,a yellow rx7. The car has just been re-built and has only had one test day. So fingers crossed it goes ok for the weekend. Drop in and say hi to him and tell him that Shane from Bathurst sent you.

BTW Crash,
Stephen Flemming plays cricket for England, Scott Flemming drives an improved production car.

Just a further correction on Stephen Fleming, he's actually New Zealand cricket captain rather than England.

Crash Test · 2 Nov 2002, 10:04 (Ref:420041)

Saturday report-

Heats one and two were won easily by QLDers Tom Horton and Stephen Thompson.

In trouble- a whole heap of people today had dramas, Peter Johnstone (engine), Dave Wood (engine), Wayne Wakefield (engine), Leigh Forrest (gearbox), Justin Keys (diff), Matt Clift (rollover), Gavin Fazakerley (massive stuck throttle by the looks of things).

Didn't make it to Saturday- Ross Dillon (fuel), Ray Hislop (engine), Des O'Loughlin (?), Ken Fazakerley (engine).

Tomorrow will be massive

mtpanorama · 2 Nov 2002, 10:44 (Ref:420055)

Crash,
No timing available on the net, Can you remember how my mate in car 54 went.

Crash Test · 2 Nov 2002, 10:51 (Ref:420059)

Qualified 27th out of 62, 9th in the interstate challenge race (from 16 cars), i haven't got the sheet for the heat race, but it was about the same..

mtpanorama · 2 Nov 2002, 11:06 (Ref:420070)

Thanks Crash.
Thats pretty good considering the car had only one test session and hasnt got the "good" motor in it yet. At least he finished.

Crash Test · 2 Nov 2002, 11:09 (Ref:420074)

If it can hold together tomorrow he'd be looking good- there's a lot of racing still to go, and a lot of people have stuffed up already

Crash Test · 3 Nov 2002, 09:50 (Ref:420582)

Mt- I caught up with Marty after the last race. He said he had a good weekend (although Des blew up on Friday). But hey, the sign writing on the car looked neat!

mtpanorama · 3 Nov 2002, 10:41 (Ref:420606)

Thanks Crash,
I just checked the results and i would think he would be pretty happy finishing where he did. Unlucky for Des as that is a pretty quick little car. It must have been Martys weekend to have the luck. And yeh, the signwriter doesnt do a bad job

Crash Test · 3 Nov 2002, 10:50 (Ref:420612)

Shame, cause Des was in with a chance at the tri-state.

A report on Accelerate very shortly

FatBoy · 3 Nov 2002, 10:53 (Ref:420617)

Any chance of a link to those results mtpanorama ??

Paul...

Crash Test · 3 Nov 2002, 10:54 (Ref:420618)

http://www.natsoft.com.au/cgi-bin/re...03/11/2002.QRI

sevi · 3 Nov 2002, 10:56 (Ref:420620)

crashy how did your hero go?

can you also tell me how AJ went, adam ubergang?
Thanks

FatBoy · 3 Nov 2002, 10:56 (Ref:420622)

Thanks Crash...

Crash Test · 3 Nov 2002, 11:01 (Ref:420625)

Uebergang was off his normal pace all weekend, but played the waiting game, stayed out of trouble, and came home a sensational third in the final.

Wakefield... his car went like a bucket off **** all weekend. In the final he started 31st, and flew through. He had a bit of a coming together with Giblett, but then had a bigger coming together with Mark Short 1/2 way down the back straight, putting both out of the race. Don't really know what happened there, but nobody from any camp was happy with it.... a shame, because he would have been in with a shot at second as Ambrose slowed with low fuel pressure in the last few laps...

DAVID PATERSON · 4 Nov 2002, 03:55 (Ref:421140)

So many people would be disappointed with their performance I guess, as there would have been probably a dozen guys hoping to win it and only 1 did. Some came very closely, others had a shocker.

Overall though, I would have to say it was great meeting, the small crowd stayed right to the end and when the field was held in parc ferme after the final, I've never before seen such a crowd of people hanging over the fence looking at the cars. It was also some of the best racing I've seen in ages, with many tight battles and lead changes.

FalconEL · 4 Nov 2002, 05:39 (Ref:421169)

It was a great meeting. The Improved Production guys really turned it on. The hospitality shown towards us as support categories with free BBQ's etc was fantastic.

Forty five cars in the final made for fantastic racing, very reminicent of the Group C endurance races held at the old Surfers Raceway back in the 80's with many different classes of cars and a variety of speed differentials.

CD.

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