Around the tracks December 12 2008

STEVE Owen became the newest development series winner in the V8 Supercar world at Oran Park on Sunday afternoon. He claimed the Fujitsu Championship crown, despite young Jack Perkins taking top points for the weekend, after a season-long battle with another 'main game' refugee, Dean Canto.

HONDA is not the only company winding back its motorsport involvement because of the global economic decline, even if the Japanese maker is the first to desert Formula One. Audi is slashing its sports car racing schedule for 2009, withdrawing entirely from the American Le Mans series, although it has built is new R15 turbodiesel racer to try and continue its string of Le Mans 24-hour victories in France.

DRIVERS have begun their team switches for the 2009 V8 Supercar season, with James Courtney moving to Dick Johnson and Jim Beam, Todd and Rick Kelly setting up a new Melbourne workshop for Kelly Racing, Will Davison moving into the Holden Racing Team, and Alex Davison doing ride days as he gets ready for Stone Brothers Racing. Among the potential changes for next season are David Reynolds in a fourth car with Walkinshaw Racing, although no-one knows yet who will take the plum place at the Toll-HSV Dealer Team which has been vacated by Rick Kelly.

COST cutting in motorsport has even hit the well-funded Nascar series in the USA. All off-season testing has been banned in the stock car series, although the decision only applies to tracks where the three championship series teams actually compete.

CHRIS Atkinson had a miserable end to a miserable season when he crashed out of Rally GB on the second day in his Subaru Impreza. The young Australian was in the leading group when he slid into the trees on an icy corner in Wales with a heavy impact that meant a precautionary trip to hospital, although he was not injured.

PHILLIP Island will host the long-distance lead-up to Bathurst for at least the next decade under a new deal agreed with V8 Supercars Australia. The two-driver, 500-kilometre enduro moved to its new home this year from Sandown Park and has now been confirmed until 2018 in a deal negotiated by Phillip Island's Andrew Fox.

DAVID Murcott continued his strong recent run with sprintcar victory at Avalon Raceway in the fourth round of the SRA series, a win made easier when Luch Monte blew his right-rear tyre with just seven laps to go in the feature. The win made Murcott a three-straight winner of the Fireball Derby as he beat out series leader Matthew Reed and South Australian Steven Lines.

ADELAIDE motorcycle racer Brendan Roberts will hit the big time next year when he competes in the World Superbike Championship. He is joining the Guandalini Racing team in Italy and, not surprisingly, will be racing a Ducati.

A GOOD samaritan act in the Classic Adelaide rally has finally been rewarded, with Kevin Weeks and Bec Crunkhorn being named as winners after eventually losing top spot with a time penalty after stopping for a crashed car. Bill Pye and Grant Geelan were originally named as winners in their Porsche 911, but Weeks appealed and was given back enough of his lost time to regain the lead he held throughout the event and another victory in his Porsche.

LAMBORGHINI racer Mark Eddy is Australia's new GT Champion. He claimed the title with his Gallardo at Sandown Park in Melbourne, as Richard Kimber took the GT Challenge crown with his Porsche and Tim Poulton used a Lotus Exige to become GT Production champion.

RICK Kelly is really shaking his racing world. He has already confirmed he is leaving the Toll-HSV Dealer team to drive for Kelly Racing in 2009 and has also set up his own website, rickkelly.com.au