Articles by Ray Kershler

Click here for full page image in PDF format THE car Todd Kelly will drive to Bathurst this year was built three years before he was born.This weekend, Todd and Rick Kelly will pack up a 1976 HX Holden Kingswood for the trip from their family home in Mildura to Bathurst — partof a growing tradition of getting to Mt Panorama under their own steam.Along the way they will pick up another Holden driver, Nathan Pretty. The three V8 Supercar drivers will cruise to Bathurst in the Kingswood — towing a matching 1970s caravan.“This car is so good you could drive straight on past Bathurst and keep going around Australia,” Todd said yesterday.Todd Kelly personally chose the Kingswood, which he described as having a “nicebeige paint job with not too much rust”.The drivers will sit three abreast on the front vinyl seat and sleep in the caravan on their way to Bathurst.The car and van will be on display in the pit paddock at Mt Panorama and after the race, autographed by Holden drivers, will be auctioned for the Peter Brock Foundation. Todd Kelly will race with Mark Skaife in the Bathurst 1000 and Rick will team up with Garth Tander for Toll Racing. Pretty is in the second HRT car with Glenn Seton.In Bathurst developments yesterday, WPS Racing announced they would pair up leading drivers Jason Bargwanna and Max Wilson.

The spectacle of a fair fight to the finish in next week's Bathurst 1000 is under threat. Several teams claimed they were disadvantaged during the running of the recent Sandown 500 and one senior team manager said yesterday similar complaints could be aired at Bathurst. Cars driven by leading Holden drivers Greg Murphy and Todd Kelly, as well as Ford's Mark Winterbottom, were among the victims of safety car confusion at Sandown. Those cars were running at the front of the race but were effectively placed a lap down by the positioning of the safety car after a mid-race incident. The confusion arises when the safety car has to pick up the leader of the race with various cars diving in and out of the pits to take advantage of the slower lap times. Those who have already pitted stay out, while others turn off into pitlane to make a compulsory stop. At Sandown, where Craig Lowndes was deemed to be the leader, Murphy, who was sixth, and others found themselves in front of Lowndes because of the positioning of the safety car. They were then almost obliged to concede position to the leader once the race resumed at full speed and they went a lap down. Murphy's boss Jeff Grech says officials should wave the cars in front of the leader around to the back of the field. Some officials believe such a move advantages those cars but Grech says while they gain ground they do not gain position. The debate basically comes down to a difference of opinion between the American and European systems of racing. Grech supports the American system which operates currently in NASCAR while some V8 officials believe they should stick to the more traditional European system. “If we are not careful we are going to have the same situation at Bathurst which we had at Sandown,” Grech said yesterday. “The problem is easily rectified by allowing the safety car to wave cars past until the actual race leader is first in line,” he said. “What you are doing is tidying things up. The leaders don't lose because they now have a clean track ahead. “The cars being waved around are lining up at the back of the queue and still have traffic to get through. “But what you are not doing is ruling those cars out, which was what was effectively done to five or six of them at Sandown.” Grech says there is almost unanimous agreement among teams and drivers that the system should be changed. However The Daily Telegraph understands that officials led by former F1 racer Tim Schenken are split.

The lure of one of the most coveted prizes in international motorsport has convinced the factory-backed Ford Performance Racing team to pair their star drivers Steven Richards and Mark Winterbottom for next week's Bathurst 1000.FPR copped a fair bit of flak when they split the two drivers for the Sandown 500 earlier this month — a decision caused by conflict between major commercial partners.The race was won by another Ford entry, Team Vodafone, who paired their leading drivers Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup.However, high level negotiations, which have also involved Ford Australia, have resulted in a compromise which will give FPR their best crack at the Bathurst win this year.The team has been runner-up twice at Bathurst since its inception in 2003.Richards and Winterbottom will now co-drive the No.6 FPR Falcon at Bathurst which will combine all three of the teams major sponsor brands Castrol, Orrcon and Ford Credit.The drivers were split for Sandown but both produced commendable results with less experienced co-drivers — Richards was third and Winterbottom eighth.Their co-drivers, Owen Kelly and Matt Halliday, have been rewarded with the drive in the No.5 FPR Falcon.“A great deal of compromise and understanding from all parties has been required for this to take place,” a Ford spokesman said yesterday.The FPR team is operated by the UK based Prodrive team owned by the international motoring identity, David Richards.“We now couldn't be in a stronger position with our main drivers paired,” FPR team principal Tim Edwards said yesterday.“We were strong at the Sandown 500 with one endurance race driver in each of our cars but nothing counts more at Mt Panorama than experience.Holden's Toll Racing team last week announced they, too, would pair their leading drivers after splitting Rick Kelly and Garth Tander — mainly to keep alive the championship hopes of each.They are first and second in the 2007 title chase.

The painters and decorators have been the busiest men in the workshops in the off-season as sponsorship changes — many of them major — have changed the appearance of much of the field.So when the cars roll out for the traditional opening of the championship season in Adelaide (March 1-4) quite a few fans will struggle to recognise the cars of their favourite drivers.Not that many of the teams ever stay the same from year to year. Regenerative merchandising is a lucrative business in all sports and even the most subtle changes to the livery of a race team can result in merchandising bonuses.But this year some of the better-known teams have been burning the midnight oil as major sponsors prepare to shout their presence to the grandstands.This year's series consists of 14 rounds, with just two international events — in New Zealand and Bahrain.The V8s will not appear at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne this year because of a scheduling clash — a pity really becauseV8 officials had prised hard-won concessions from the Grand Prix Corporation as far as merchandising was concerned. But there is every chance the V8 teams, which relish the idea of promoting themselves and their sponsors before the huge crowds at the grand prix, will be back next year, given a more accommodating calendar.With the paint brushes barely dry in the workshops, here is a look at the colour of things to come this season:First off the block was Triple Eight Engineering which, even before the end of last season, telegraphed its association with the giant Vodafone telecommunications company. Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup will both pilot a bright orange-red Team Vodafone Falcon after the Betta Electrical sponsorship bit the dust.Sticking with Blue Oval, the Ford Performance Racing team has launched a new-look Falcon for Steve Richards with the Castrol Edge logo prominent on the green and red background.Stone Brothers will send out the exciting young gun James Courtney in new livery for the Jeld-Wen Windows and Doors mob.Dick Johnson Racing's reprieve came late but turned out to be worth waiting for with Jim Beam adorning the side of both his cars — and prominently so.Britek Motorsport has owner Jason Bright running things this year, as well as driving, and Fujitsu has stuck, while Irwin Tools will go around on the second Alan Gurr car.On the Holden side, all eyes are on HRT.The team which leads merchandise sales in the sport usually comes up with annual changes, even if sometimes they are a bit subtle. The launch of the new-look car was delayed last week but was unveiled yesterday as a brighter red than last year, another convert to the day-glo image, with the addition of a bit more black.Tasman Motorsport — with Greg Murphy joining Jason Richards for an all-Kiwi combination this year — has again opted for a segmented sponsorship with the team offering individual sponsorship at different rounds.The controversial Firepower company is expected to make a powerful impression — but over just four rounds.The Jack Daniel's rivalry with Jim Beam this year looks to be as emphatic as Holden v Ford, with Jim Beam not only joining forces with Dick Johnson, but also grabbing prominence as a V8 championship sponsor.Larry Perkins' cars remain predominantly in the Jack Daniel's sponsors' colours, albeit with a bit more white striping this season. Super Cheap Auto, with Cam McConville and Paul Dumbrell driving together this season, seems to have survived a turbulent12 months on the Stock Exchange and is back again with Paul Weel Racing.Even Garry Rogers has hired a signwriter and redesigned his two Holdens to carry prominent Valvoline and Cummins signs for the cars which carry the hopes of two young drivers who were quite impressive last year — Dean Canto and Lee Holdsworth.The Sirromet Wines car of Paul Morris is changed to a basic white background this year.John Bowe, having announced this will be his last year in a V8 Supercar, will roll out the Glenfords Falcon for Paul Cruickshank Racing bearing the racing No.111 as a tribute to Cruickshank's friend Mark Porter, who was killed at Bathurst last year.And for the champ?Well, Rick Kelly's Toll HSV signage is again the prominent part of the livery for both he and teammate Garth Tander.As far as Kelly is concerned, the change from the No.15 to the No.1 is small but nevertheless significant.RAY KERSHLER'S TOP 10 DRIVERSHOLDEN Rick Kelly: Defending champion in a well-heeled team. Under pressure to produce back-to-back championships now the point system has been restructured.Garth Tander: May be the main threat to his Toll HSV teammate,Rick Kelly. Unlucky last year when team tactics backfired and undermined his chances.Todd Kelly: The elder of the Kelly brothers. His team will be determined to restore some pride in the famous HRT brand and they have the backing to do so.Greg Murphy: Will form a formidable partnership with Jason Richards. In his fifth team in 11 years, Murphy might at last settle in as a championship contender.ROUGHIEDean Canto: Young driver who was consistent last year in a solid team. Has been given the chance to express himself this year when speed will count.FORD Craig Lowndes: In the eyes of Ford fans he is the defacto champ. Well drilled team will be striving to go one better for their star this year and may well do so.Steve Richards: Swapped over from Holden and should slot straight into a high profile Ford team.Another driver who will relish the revamped points system.Mark Winterbottom: Backing up from a tremendous season where he proved himself both quick and tactically adroit.Same team helps. And so does a new partner.James Courtney: Will start his second V8 season with immense confidence after a superb rookie year. Could be the surprise packet in the field.ROUGHIEJason Bright: Normally a front-runner, he has moved to take control of his own team. That may take time. He will need luck but has the speed to make his presence felt.

Yes, they said they'd never make it. But that has been the blanket this category of motor sport has had to wear since it began. Midway through only its second international season, A1's long-term future is by no means secure. But already plans are in place for new venues and new teams for a third season — offering both hope and expectation to the sport. In the first year, November 2005, a respectable Australian crowd embraced the new concept — seemingly a different motorsport crowd — trampling over parts of the circuit which might never have felt the crush of spectators' feet. The event was deemed successful enough to be repeated in the second season of A1GP, albeit in summer rather than spring. Round 7 of the 11-round series has Australia poorly placed, a pity because this season had promised better results than the experimental opening. The Australian team is placed 13th in the series with the team principal, former F1 driver Alan Jones, conceding the championship is out of sight. But in his own backyard and buoyed by a healthy crowd at the previous round in New Zealand, Jones is optimistic for both the popularity of the event and the success of his team. But perhaps not as optimistic as he was. The season started at Zandvoort in the Netherlands where a crowd in excess of 100,000 filled the circuit with the colour orange. Australia's Ryan Briscoe, probably the best open-wheel driver the country can claim at the moment, finished third in the feature race. Jones was genuinely excited about his young team's chances. But Briscoe could not be held to a permanent contract and, perhaps inevitably for a man of his talent, was lured away. By the time the event reached New Zealand, Briscoe was warming up for the Le Mans series in the US. "Ryan received an offer he couldn't refuse. There was a lot of money involved. And there was no way I could stand in his way," Jones says. "In a disjointed season, it was disappointing. But one door closes and another opens." Briscoe had struggled to replicate his Dutch form as wet weather followed the series and Australia slipped down the championship table. The series places less emphasis on the driver and more on the engineering side of the one-make motors than others, but nevertheless the driver is the one who wins the races. So Karl Reindler has the job of revving up the local crowd at Eastern Creek on Sunday where a rolling start sprint and a standing start feature race are highlights of the program. In a multicultural society such as Australia, Reindler has an unenviable job. All 22 teams will have their support. But unlike Zandvoort, the circuit will not be unanimous in its colours. In a way, the success of the event is more likely to be judged by the size of the crowd rather than Reindler's finishing position. Anything less than last year's estimated 50,000 fans will have the cynics sharpening their claws. Jones knows the scenario and knows the problem. "Sydneysiders have so many entertainment options," he acknowledges. "Given a sunny day, the beach is a great lure. "But I would like to emphasise that this is a magnificent family day out. "Yes, it is motorsport. But it's bloody good motorsport." Germany leads the championship, as dominant this year as France was in the initial season. It may not be a coincidence that Germany and New Zealand, first and third this year, have acquired the services of the same engineer who guided France to victory last year. With Reindler taking the lead role at Eastern Creek on Sunday, Jones will use Ian Dyk (pictured on cover) as the rookie in today's practice sessions, designed to give younger drivers more experience of open-wheel racing. And that's a subject which irks Jones. The lack of experienced open-wheel drivers in Australia will always rather undermine Team Australia's opportunities. He has long decried the lack of open-wheeler schooling compared to Europe or South America. But by the same token, he is equally disturbed by the number of instant experts who will suggest everyone from their own son to the leading V8 drivers as the answer to his problems. "These are not particularly easy machines to drive," he says. "No, they are not F1. But they are very powerful open-wheel, single-seater cars. They are hard to handle. You can't just jump in and race away." The NSW Government has backed the A1GP for the second year in a row. "A1GP is a world-class event which puts Sydney back on the international motorsport map," Premier Morris Iemma said this week. "With its `World Cup' feel there is something for fans of all nationalities and ages to enjoy. We hope the race can be a fixture on the sporting calendar for years to come." However, Iemma also said his government would analyse the figures after this weekend's race before committing to further events. The A1GP has a new CEO, South African Pete da Silva, who regards Sydney as a key event in the series and who plans to have Sydney and Australia in the mix for the long term. Fast facts A1GP, World Cup of Motorsport Where: Eastern Creek International Raceway, Brabham Drive/Ferrers Rd, Eastern Creek. How to get there: A 45-minute drive from the city or airport. The closest railway station is Blacktown, 12km away. From the city, approach via the M4 Motorway, take the Reservoir Rd exit to the Great Western Highway, turn left on to Great Western Highway then eft into Brabham Drive (Shell service station on corner). From west of Blacktown, approach via M4 Motorway, take Wallgrove Rd exit, turn left on to Wallgrove Rd, right on to the Great Western Highway, and right into Brabham Drive (Shell service station on corner). When: Today (practice), tomorrow (qualifying), Sunday (feature race and sprint race) How much: General admission: Today free; tomorrow adult $49, child/concession $34; Sunday adult $69, child/conc $44; weekend pass $79 Grandstand: Tomorrow $74, Sunday $104, weekend pass $124 Trackside: Saturday $120, Sunday $180, weekend pass $250 Tickets available at a1gp.com, ticketek.com.au or Ticketek outlets What is A1GP? 23 nations compete, all on an equal playing field with the same equipment and same cars. TV coverage: Fox Sports, 2pm, Sunday (live)   INSIDE AN A1 GRAND PRIX CAR Although not as complex as a Formula One car, A1GP cars are still sophisticated. Unlike F1 cars, mechanics are allowed to do very little to the engine, which keeps the cars an on equal footing.   DIMENSIONS Length: 4833mm Width: 1468mm front and 1476mm rear Height: adjustable   ENGINE The all-new A1GP engine, code named ZA1348, is a 3.4-litre V8 generating up to 540bhp of power and 442Nm of torque. It takes the car from 0-100km/h in just 3.5 seconds. It also has advanced electronic fuel injection, quad cams and four valves per cylinder. The engines are built to last all season and despite their large capacity and high power output, weigh only 120kg.   FUEL All A1GP cars run on control fuel rated at 100 RON. This unleaded petrol is similar to the 98 RON petrol available at your local service station. The fuel tank is a flexible bag, which is less likely to puncture in a crash, and holds 130 litres - enough for a full race.   BRAKES Instead of carbon or ceramics, A1GP cars use steel alloy discs, providing fade-free braking at all temperatures.   SUSPENSION Front and rear suspension is a double wishbone and pushrod operated twin coil over damper construction. It's all adjustable to help control speed, downforce and handling dynamics.   CAMERAS There are six different locations to attach cameras to an A1GP car, giving spectators a view of almost every angle, inside the cockpit and out.   GEARBOX The gearbox is a six-speed transverse sequential unit, operated via a paddle shift system.   STEERING WHEEL Similar to F1 cars, A1GP cars have highly complex steering wheels. In the middle of the wheel is a dash providing all kinds of driving data for the driver, such as oil pressure and temperature, engine revs, lap times and fuel levels. Adjustments to various parts of the car can also be carried out through the wheel while on the run.   TYRES A1GP cars can run on two types of tyres - slicks in the dry and grooved tyres when it rains. Slicks maximise the grip in dry weather because more rubber is in contact with the road, while the grooved tyres help move water away so the rubber hits the road.   G-FORCES Acceleration forces of around 3.5G are similar to that of a jet fighter pilot. This means a 60kg driver will weight up to 210kg when the most extreme g-forces are reached.

The former rugby league star has defied the knockers who generalise that anyone with a profile who arrives in motor sport is a mug lair who can't drive.Elsegood elevated himself above that status when he was runner-up in the ute series in 2004, his second year of ute racing.He is running second again this year, still in with a chance of winning the championship and locked in a serious battle with the championship leader Marcus Zukanovic, who lives in Melbourne.That title fight will be decided at the Creek, but regardless of the result, Elsegood has decided it's time to raise the bar.He will move into the Fujitsu series in 2007 with an aim of fulfilling his dream of driving in the main game with the likes of Craig Lowndes and Mark Skaife in years to come.As a footballer for Eastern Suburbs and Manly, Elsegood was one of the more glamorous stars in the sport. A career of about 150 games produced 70 tries and his blond hair and good looks ensured a high media profile.But as soon as the footy was over Elsegood switched to cars, essentially straight to the utes. “I always wanted to race cars. I think every young bloke wants to race cars at some point of his life,” Elsegood says."It's always been a passion. As soon as I finished the footy I got into property development which gave me enough money to get started. No motor sport is cheap but utes is one of the cheaper ones and along with the TV coverage it made economic sense."V8 utes are an Australian icon and everyone relates to them," he says.Elsegood's rise in the sport is more impressive considering that when most budding motor sport stars were learning their craft racing go-karts, Elsegood was sidestepping and swerving his way around a rugby league field."I've given away between 10 and 30 years of experience to some of the other drivers," he says. “But if you are a naturally competitive person you can overcome some of that."I suppose that's why the first few years were a pretty steep learning curve, but I got up to speed pretty quickly."I've had good speed, got the odd lap record here and there and won plenty of races."Elsegood says he will need some luck to haul in Zukanovic's 40-point lead over three races."I need to win races to win the championship," he says. "Marcus might be able to accumulate a few points but I don't have that luxury. There's only ever one tactic: go out and race as hard as I can and try to win."As for the future, Elsegood points out there are not many V8 Supercar drivers living in Sydney. "Most live in Melbourne or Queensland. I'm hoping sponsors will see a bit of value in having a driver who lives in Sydney," he says.Apart from the utes there will also be racing for the Australian Performance Car championship, the GT Championship, Commodore Cup, Saloon cars and Superkarts. Racing starts at 9am next Sunday at Eastern Creek Raceway. Adult tickets are $15 and children under-13 enter free.

Lowndes was fined $15,000 yesterday for irate comments he made after twin penalties at the Indy meeting last month.He had seen a 101-point championship lead reduced to just 30 after Indy and responded unwisely to reporters' questions about the stewards' penalties.Lowndes left open the interpretation that the stewards' decisions had had the effect of ensuring a close finish in this year's championship.While he clarified his statements the next day, saying he never meant stewards were trying to manipulate the championship, he was charged with bringing the sport into disrepute.After an initial hearing last week before the sport's prosecuting officer, Peter Wollerman, Lowndes decided to fight the charge.However yesterday, with a further points penalty possible, Lowndes changed his mind and pleaded guilty.He repeated the clarification of his comments but this time the statement also came with a full-blown apology."I recognise some of the comments I made were inappropriate and I therefore apologise unreservedly to the stewards and officials for any offence I caused," he said.Of the total $15,000 fine, $5000 was suspended and with no points penalty Lowndes takes his lead into the Tasmanian round of the championship this weekend.The races at Launceston, ahead of the international round in Bahrain and the season-ending Phillip Island round, will decide this year's V8 Supercar champion.Lowndes' main rival is Holden driver Rick Kelly although Ford driver Mark Winterbottom also harbours some aspirations from third place.

The car, originally modified by a 12-year-old Brock with an axe, was the vehicle in which Brock taught himself to drive on the family farm in Victoria. "It's truly amazing," Brock's brother Lewis said yesterday. "Peter drove it everywhere around the farm with me sitting on the back, most times holding a battery. "He caught the motor sport bug in that car. "It's where he learned his early race craft. "The thing had no brakes so Peter would have to throw a huge slide just to stop it." Brock died in a rally crash in Western Australia in September and a national search for all his cars failed to unearth the original. The modified car is believed to have been sold by Brock's father, Geoff, along with other junk when cleaning up the farm. The chassis was found "stored" in the roof of a factory in Victoria last month and it was identified by young Brock's axe marks. The car was bought from the factory owner and will be presented to the Peter Brock Foundation. The chassis will be fully restored to original condition with the help of the Austin 7 club with a view to featuring at future historic race meetings. The car was originally purchased as a road car by Brock's father before being modified by the axe. Father and son then welded a steel frame to the chassis and installed a seat to make Brock's first racer. "It's a miracle it has survived," Lewis Brock said. "It was a bit like a 1950s go-kart. "It was instrumental in him realising he had such an affinity with cars, racing and driving. It was paramount to him deciding on racing as a career. "It's the first car Peter built and the first car he drove. It's very significant to his history."

The complexity of motor racing around the concrete canyons at the Gold Coast Indy circuit can be summed up by the fact Russell Ingall broke the lap record last year. Without brakes.Ingall's novel approach didn't win him the round but he held his precarious championship lead to the end of the season."We had a few brake dramas but broke the lap record. More throttle, less brake tends to do that," Ingall said.Every corner at the Gold Coast Indy event is dangerous.Craig Lowndes won Bathurst and leads the V8 Supercar championship. He won the V8 round at Indy last year.But as he chases this year's championship he knows from bitter experience overconfidence is his worst enemy.Lowndes was cruising at Bathurst 2005 when a simple mistake put him into the wall. He has acknowledged the enormity of the mistake, saying this year's win provided some redemption.In the championship chase, Lowndes at least has an undamaged car. So, too, does fellow Ford driver Ingall.Rick Kelly, the main Holden hope for end-of-year glory drives one of the few Commodores which emerged unscathed from Bathurst.Spare cars, rebuilt cars, swapped cars and repaired cars dominate the landscape at Holden garages.Indy is probably the last of the championship killers for the leading drivers.After Indy, the tracks at Launceston, Bahrain and Phillip Island should be more forgiving.With a lot of drivers left with nothing to race for but the race itself, Lowndes and Rick Kelly are the ones with the invisible targets on the side of their cars this weekend.

There's probably a lucrative scholarship and university thesis involved in trying to sort out the motor-racing fans from the party set at the Gold Coast every October.But the combination works well with 316,000 fans last year enjoying the high-octane action over four days, on and off the track.The other arrangement that works well is the dual appearances of both the Champ cars and Australia's V8 Supercars. Twice the action, twice the fun is a good selling point.Indy's once a year appearance has its detractors. It's hard to see why. After all, F1 only arrives once a year, too, but the same voices remain quiet.The Champ cars have the regulation built-for-speed appearance and that throaty, ear-splitting noise necessary to get motor sports pulses racing.But, without headlights, they're not so flash in the wet, thunderstorm conditions which can engulf the Coast at this time of the year.As well as praying for safety, the motor sport chaplain Garry Coleman might well be praying for clear skies.Without wishing to pump up their tyres, it should be noted that Indy officials have an entertaining Champ car program coming up next weekend.Two-time series winner Sebastien Bourdais of France can be a three-time winner if he takes the chequered flag. But first he has to avoid his arch rival, Canadian Paul Tracy, before he can go on to create some history.These two bring a simmering feud to each meeting and most of the time it shows. Mind you, Bourdais is not the only driver squarely in Tracy's sights.His fellow Canadian, Alex Tagliani, who drives for Team Australia, famously crossed swords with him this year, too. Also driving for Team Australia is Will Power, currently seventh in the championship and the leading rookie in the field.He will be joined this year by another home-grown Aussie, Sydney driver Ryan Briscoe, who will add Champ cars to an impressive and growing list of motor sport achievements when he drives for the American RuSPORT team at the Gold Coast and Mexico events.Two Aussie drivers will add local interest to a race which tends to suffer in profile by comparison to Australia's V8 Supercars. Also adding interest this year will be the appearance of the English rose, Katherine Legge, the only female racer in the series.Legge walked away from a high-speed crash at the previous round in Wisconsin just days after coming to Australia to promote the Gold Coast race.That race was won by A.J.Allmendinger who, technically at least, can stop Bourdais from winning the championship at the Gold Coast. Bourdais won this race last year but Gold Coast Indy has been impossible to win twice. No driver since the first race in 1991 has ever doubled up.Perhaps it's time for a little bit of history to gladden the heart.