Around the tracks 28 October 2010

BRITISH driver Ben Barker has won the Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship by the smallest winning margin in the series history and with the closest top three in series history. The 19-year-old scored the fastest lap in the final at Sandown Raceway last weekend by five one hundredths of a second claiming a bonus point and clinching the title from Mitch Evans. Barker's title is the third in three years for the dominating Adelaide outfit, Team BRM, and the third consecutive title for British-born drivers. Barker scored 220 points to Evans's 219, with Tom Tweedie on 208. Barker wasn't informed of his win until well into the cool-down lap following the race. "I couldn't believe it. It was a huge relief. I didn't know I had won and didn't know who had fastest lap so it was an amazing feeling to know that I had done it," Barker said. Tim Macrow won the race ahead of the three title contenders with Barker in fourth.

BRISBANE teenager Chaz Mostert dominated the Formula Ford races at the Gold Coast 600 with pole position and a clean sweep of the three races to extend his championship lead to 83 points and his race-winning streak to six. The 18-year-old also secured a full-time drive in a Miles Racing Falcon in the V8 development series next year. He had his first race in the development series at Bathurst this month finishing fourth for the round. "Doing the development series next year seems to be the best way to go to get into the V8 Supercars," he said.
There are two rounds to go in the eight-round Formula Ford series and 122 points up for grabs.

QUEENSLANDER John Martin has wrapped up the Superleague Formula season with victory in two out of three races at Navarra in Spain, claiming more than $140,000 in prizemoney. Martin, 26, also charged from 18th to sixth in the reverse grid second race in his Beijing Guoan FC machine while his Alan Docking Racing (ADR) crew scored the fastest pitstop. It was the sixth time the 2006 Australian Formula Ford Champion had stood on the top step of the podium this season. The championship was won by Davide Rigon for (RSC Anderlecht ahead of Craig Dolby (Tottenham Hotspur) and Max Wissel (FC Basel). Martin was ninth in the series but fourth in the prizemoney with $516,000. He will return in 2011 with ADR.

STUART Kostera took a clean sweep of race wins in the Australian Manufacturers Championship at Sandown at the weekend to clinch the title in his Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X. The West Australian took the title lead from Garry Holt (BMW 335i) who crashed out in the first corner of the first race and finished fourth in the second race. Kostera's teammate Inky Tulloch was second in both races, ahead of Jake Camilleri in his Mazda 3 MPS. Darren Hossack and James Sera finished one-two in the three Kerrick Sports Sedan Series races, with Sera scoring enough points to secure the title despite missing the opening round. Roger Lago wrapped up the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge after series rival Matt Kingsley crashed out in qualifying.

THERE were three different winners in each V8 Ute race at the Gold Coast 600 at the weekend. Chris Pither won the first race and the round, rookie Rhys McNally claimed race two and series leader Grant Johnson won race three to extend his lead over Jack Elsegod by 86 points with one round to go at Sydney in December.

PAUL Stokell won his first overall round of the Mini Challenge at the weekend in the Gold Coast 600. He scored a third, second and first place with former V8 Supercar racer Glenn Seton second for the round and local Beric Lynton third. The championship will come down to the wire in Sydney in December with series leader Chris Alajajian winning race one, but fourth in the second race and retiring with suspension damage in the third race. He leads Stokell in

THE absence of Chad Reed from the second round of the Australian Super X at the weekend allowed three American imports to dominate. Kevin Windham, Josh Hansen and Justin Brayton took out the open supercross on a slippery Canberra Stadium track. Best Australian was Jay Marmont in fourth. Hansen now leads the championship race followed by Brayton and Marmont in third. Reed won the first round in Newscastle with a one-off ride on a Honda, but flew back to the US last Sunday to stitch up a deal for the next season with either Honda or Yamaha. He is expected to miss this weekend's round in Launceston. Defending lites champ ion Matt Moss grabbed the holeshot and won the race to retain top slot.

SEBASTIEN Loeb had already secured his seventh World Rally Championship in the previous round, but underlined his domination with his seventh victory of the season and 61st in his career by leading the Rally of Spain from start to finish in his Citroen. He was 35.3 seconds ahead of Petter Solberg with a slim 5.8 second margin over Loeb's teammate Dani Sordo. You Tube drifting star Ken Block finished ninth to secure his first WRC points. The final WRC round will be held in the UK next month.

WAYNE Gardner's motorcycle racing legacy will continue with his son, Remy, following in his wheel tracks. The 12-year-old had his debut road race at the weekend in the Honda Racing Corporation NSF100 Trophy Worldwide Mini Bike race at Albacete Circuit in Spain. He raced against 35 other riders, but grappled with the reverse gear pattern shift and missed out by three places on the final for the top 18 riders. However, he finished fourth in the consolation final. "I loved battling against everyone. It was so much fun, I couldn't believe it," said the former World 500cc Champion's son.