Touring Car Challenge Results Round 7

Groeneveld Causes Calder Park Boil Over:

For the second occasion this year, a Future Tourer driver has taken out a round of the Speed Off the Streets @ Wakefield Park Australian Touring Car Challenge (ATCC). VS Commodore driver Phillip Groeneveld scored the upset victory over the weekend (October 28 – 29) at Calder Park Raceway.

Joining Ray Sidebottom, Groeneveld, running a VS Commodore Future Tourer (incidentally, formerly owned by the Sidebottom team), took out round honours after finishing the three races in seventh, first and second. These results gave him a total of 127 points for the round ahead of Luke Searle (BMW 320i Super Tourer) and Brad Lowe (EL Falcon V8 Supercar).

For the first occasion this year in the ATCC, a V8 Supercar, Super Tourer and a Future Tourer have graced the podium in the same round.

Heavy hitters and ATCC championship front runners Terry Wyhoon and David Krause, endured a tough weekend, finishing sixth and eighth respectively for the round. However, the ATCC championship standings battle between Wyhoon and Krause hasn’t changed in the slightest as both V8 Supercar drivers lie comfortably ahead in the points tally.

Groeneveld is only the third Future Tourer driver to win an overall round in the three year history of the ATCC Championship, joining Sidebottom and Andrew Gillespie. In his first year in the ATCC, Groeneveld has impressed drivers and spectators alike, and his run last weekend was no fluke as he finished second overall in the previous Adelaide International Raceway (SA) round.

The seventh round of the ATCC experienced several rain interrupted periods throughout Saturday, but in spite of this Krause managed to top the time sheets during official qualifying, with a 0:59.9306 lap, only 0.2715 seconds ahead of Lowe, Wyhoon, Dean Neville (VT Commodore V8 Supercar) and Bruce Oaklands (VS Commodore V8 Supercar), who completed the top five. Ray Sidebottom (Future Tourers) and Searle (Super Tourers) were the best in their categories in seventh and eighth place on the grid.

For Ray Sidebottom the joy of qualifying fastest in the Future Tourers was short-lived as his VX Commodore soon suffered engine failure. Super Tourer competitor Bryce Peter-Budge was also sidelined for the remainder of the weekend after his Peugeot 406 suffered engine gremlins in Friday’s practice session.

After overnight showers, the opening race was Lowe’s chance to shine, as he scored a comprehensive victory in the difficult weather conditions and slippery surface - leading the entire five lap distance over Wyhoon, Krause, Neville and Searle in fifth. Groeneveld was the highest placed Future Tourer driver in seventh place. The Sidebottom team suffered further grief when Shanan pulled his VT Commodore into the pits with differential failure on the final lap. This inoperable problem sidelined Shanan for the rest of the event.

Race two and three (handicapped) was home to some thick and fast action, where the wins were shared between Future Tourers hard chargers Groeneveld and Amin Chahda (GT BA Falcon). As the back markers cut their way through the field several fierce battles played out, with varied end results.

In the second race (10 laps) Groeneveld headed the field for the entire journey defeating Krause and John Burke (VS Commodore V8 Supercar) with Searle and Lowe finishing in fourth and fifth. Current ATCC Championship leader Wyhoon placed well down the finishing order in eighth. Nissan Primera Super Tourer driver Neil Byers was the only casualty during the second race after spinning out on the opening lap, he was unable to rejoin the race (or race three) with a gear selector drama.

The Future Tourers continued their winning ways in the third and final race of the weekend but this time it was Chahda that blitzed the 12 lap event. He led in each and every lap to defeat fellow Future Tourer driver Groeneveld, with Searle crossing the finish line in third place. Behind the top three was Oaklands and the ever-persistent Lowe in fourth and fifth. Both Wyhoon and Neville suffered misfortunes which resulted in an off track excursion on lap 10 for Wyhoon, and a dramatic spin out for Wyhoon who were both apart of the top five on the last lap. Wyhoon and Neville finished in ninth and 10 th place.

Krause and Burke failed to finish, with Burke retiring on the sixth lap and Krause a lap later. Krause’s non finish was a bitter pill to swallow as he was in line to claim round honours after finishing inside the top five in the third race.

The overall honours were awarded to Groeneveld, ahead of Searle and Lowe. Class wins were shared between Lowe (V8 Supercars), Searle (Super Tourers) and Groeneveld (Future Tourers).

Goulburn’s Wakefield Park Raceway (NSW) will be the venue for the eighth and final round of the ATCC on the weekend of November 25 – 26.

Latest Australian Touring Car Challenge Point Standings (after seven of eight completed rounds):

1. Terry Wyhoon – 817
2. David Krause – 715
3. Luke Searle – 556
4. Bruce Oaklands – 425
5. Dean Neville – 408
6. Andrew Gillespie – 387
7. John Vergotis – 371
8. John Burke - 367
9. Amin Chahda - 364
10. Phillip Groeneveld - 349

Keep up-to-date with all the latest ATCC news and information by visiting the official website: www.TouringCarChallenge.com

© AMRS 2005