Bumper grid entered for Wakefield Konica opener
14/2/2001 17:32 (V8 Wire - Jason Whittaker) -
A bumper field of V8 Supercars is expected for the first round of the revamped Konica V8 Supercar Series at Wakefield Park later this month.
AVESCO have grid numbers tentatively set at 28 – a mix of young and seasoned drivers and machinery set to take the green flag in a fortnight.
Three Level 1 V8 Supercar outfits will saddle-up young guns in a quest for Konica glory; Gibson Motorsport, Garry Rogers Motorsport and John Faulkner Racing.
18-year-old Paul Dumbrell only secured the drive with Gibson Motorsport in the last week, signed to pilot the round-winning ex-Steven Richards’ Commodore in the opening round. Dumbrell – with the backing of Wynn’s and Holden, and the giant Gibson Motorsport operation at his disposal – will start as one of the title favourites.
Trailblazing Leanne Ferrier will contest this year’s series in a Garry Rogers Commodore, backed by a yet-to-be-announced sponsor. Ferrier, girlfriend of Supercar star Garth Tander, will make her V8 Supercar debut at Wakefield Park.
John Faulkner Racing has leased Ryan McLeod’s 2000 Konica Commodore to Owen Kelly for the opening round. Kelly has just the one V8 Supercar start to his name at Bathurst last year, but has been kept busy steering a BMW Super Tourer for Paul Morris’ NEMO Racing over the summer.
McLeod, who finished fourth in last year’s inaugural Lites championship, was a notable absentee from the Wakefield Park entry list.
Queensland car dealer Craig Harris returns for another crack at the Konica Championship as part of Castrol’s racing squad. Harris’ Castrol Falcon is one of only four AU model Fords to enter.
Queenslander Wayne Wakefield and 2000 Rookie of the Year Matthew White, both of whom were battling for the title at the final round last year, will return in 2001 minus their nemesis, Dean Canto. Both will be worthy competition for their more-fancied Level 1-backed rivals.
Two open-wheeler graduates make the step-up to full-time V8 Supercar racing in Simon Wills and Dale Brede. Wills, twice Formula Holden champion, will be behind the wheel of an AU Falcon, while Brede will compete under the GM banner with the full backing of professionally-run NRC Racing.
The eight-year-old V8 Racing Commodore (a new refreshed VS Commodore is being prepared by the team for later in the series) will be on the Wakefield grid with veteran Richard Mork at the helm. Wakefield Park part owner Garry Holt will campaign his Eastern Creek Kart Racing EL Falcon, also.
Rod Salmon, Alan Heath, Mal Rose, Daniel Miller and Terry Wyhoon all make welcome returns to the Konica circuit in 2001. John Scotcher, Scott March, Michael Simpson and Phonsy Mullan are names unlikely to register with Supercar fans, but will all debut at Wakefield.
More entries are expected before the first of six Konica V8 Supercar Championship rounds at Wakefield Park on February 24-25.
**ROUND ONE ENTRY LIST**
20 GARRY HOLT (Eastern Creek Kart Racing) - EL Falcon
25 TERRY WYHOON (Terry Wyhoon Racing) - VS Commodore
28 PAUL DUMBRELL (Gibson Motorsport) - VT Commodore
33 LEANNE FERRIER (Garry Rogers Motorsport) - VT Commodore
37 BILL ATTARD (Scotty Taylor Racing) - VS Commodore
38 PETER FIELD (South Pacific Motor Racing) - VS Commodore
44 MAL ROSE (Mal Rose Racing) - VS Commodore
49 RIC SHAW (Ric Shaw Motorsport) - VS Commodore
56 LUKE SIEDERS (All-Trans Trucks Racing) - EL Falcon
57 TBA (Trevor Crittendon Racing) - VS Commodore
59 JOHN SCOTCHER (John Scotcher Motorsport) - EL Falcon
60 SCOTT MARCH (Evers Motorsport) - VS Commodore
61 ROSS HALIDAY (3M Racing) - EL Falcon
72 ROBERT SMITH (Smith's Trucks) - VS Commodore
73 SIMON WILLS (Team Dynamik) - AU Falcon
76 MATTHEW WHITE (Matthew White Racing) - VS Commodore
77 RICHARD MORK (V8 Racing) - VS Commodore
81 TIM ROWSE (Rowse Motorsport) - VS Commodore
84 DANIEL MILLER (Miller Racing) - VS Commodore
87 ROD SALMON (The Race Centre) - AU Falcon
88 CRAIG HARRIS (Castrol/Harris Racing) - AU Falcon
90 DALE BREDE (NRC Racing) - VT Commodore
93 MICHAEL SIMPSON (Michael Simpson Racing) - EL Falcon
96 OWEN KELLY (John Faulkner Racing) - VS Commodore
97 WAYNE WAKEFIELD (Graphic Skills Racing) - VS Commodore
111 PHONSY MULLAN (GM Motorsport) - VS Commodore
145 TBA (RPM International Racing) - EL Falcon
500 ALAN HEATH (Power Racing) - AU Falcon
|
|
