Motorsports

Garland, Di Lallo hit trouble in leg 3 of Australasian Safari.Isuzu Motorsports had a troubled run during the third leg of the Australasian Safari desert rally, with the podium contending D-MAX of Bruce Garland and Harry Suzuki grinding to a halt during the day's first stage.Garland said the D-MAX was performing well when the high-performance vehicle suddenly lost power."We were going gangbusters, but not driving overly hard, when the D-MAX just came to a halt," he said."It was like someone had turned off the ignition. Harry and I crawled all over it, but despite the fact we are pretty good bush mechanics there was nothing we could do. We had to get towed in."Isuzu teammates Adrian Di Lallo and Roger Pedersen also encountered problems during the day's tough stages, with their production-class MU-X suffering damage from hitting a creek too quickly and rolling.The accident removed all the communications and GPS monitoring equipment, with Roger Pedersen saying the racing gods were smiling on them."In hindsight, it was probably to our advantage that we lost the terratrip and communications because it made us back off a bit," he said."The car is going great, considering what we put her through. There’s really not much work to do on it tonight."With Garland and Suzuki not completing the day, Di Lallo and Pedersen now find themselves in sixth outright, although they are now over an hour from the race leading Holden VF of Steve Riley and John Doble.Isuzu Motorsports Thailand's entry of a production-class D-MAX driven by OLan Sornsirirat and Veerachai Thorangkoon managed to steer clear of all the trouble and finished the day in 11th outright, 2.5 hours behind class leader Di Lallo.Wednesday's stages will see the field leave Gascoyne Junction and head towards the coastal town of Exmouth. On the way are two competitive stages: 212km at Williambury and 108km at Winning.

Isuzu D-MAX of Garland fourth overall, while MU-X of Di Lallo seventh after third day of the Australasian Safari.Isuzu Motorsports have consolidated their position after the yesterday's two competitive stages of the Australasian Safari desert rally with Bruce Garland maintaining his top five spot and teammate Adrian Di Lallo moving into the top ten.Di Lallo and co-driver Roger Pedersen came out firing in yesterday's first stage - a 171km run through Bedracoine Find - with his production-class Isuzu MU-X finishing the stage with hte sixth quickest time. Their run bested the high-performance, Dakar-spec D-MAX of Garland and Harry Suzuki by 30 seconds.Garland and Suzuki recovered during the second marathon 256km stage at Sonny Find, before finishing the stage with the fourth quickest time and five minutes ahead of Di Lallo and Pedersen.Although the Holden VF of Steve Riley and John Doble ended the day with the race lead, the pace of the Garland D-MAX meant it remained less than ten minutes behind when the field returned to the bivouac.The strength of Di Lallo's day means he hold onto the lead in his class despite dropping some time to the outright leader.Bruce Garland said he was maintaining his cautious approach to the opening stages of the rally. "It was a fairly tough day today and we have two more hard days to come, but we are making good progress and I am really happy with the D-MAX. It’s perfect," he said."We’re not at full pace but doing a good clip and I’m happy with that."Adrian Di Lallo said his MU-X is handling the terrain really well."For a production car, it’s outstanding," Di Lallo said."This morning’s stage was great but the marathon stage this afternoon was difficult, technical and rough."For the Isuzu Motorsports Thailand entry of OLan Sornsirirat and Veerachai Thorangkoon yesterday's stages did not go so well with their production D-MAX dropping nearly two hours and ending the day back in 21st.Leg three of the Australasian Safari comprises a 147km stage at Gifford and the longest stage of the rally, 288km, at Eudamulla with the bivouac spending a second night at Gascoyne Junction before heading to Exmouth in leg four.

Bruce Garland D-MAX third overall and Di Lallo MU-X leading class after first Australasian Safari competitive stages.Isuzu Motorsports’ Bruce Garland and Harry Suzuki sit third overall after yesterday's first three competitive stages of the 2014 Australasian Safari desert rally in Western Australia.Garland and Suzuki, in their Dakar-spec Isuzu D-MAX, improved over the day to sit only 10 minutes behind the race leading Ford Ranger of John Purshouse and Murray Hynes when the field rolled into the bivouac for the overnight stop in Murchison.Isuzu teammates Adrian De Lallo and Roger Pedersen had an even better time in their production-class MU-X finishing the day leading their class.The Isuzu Motorsports Thailand entry of OLan Sornsirirat and Veerachai Thorangkoon finished the day 14th overall and second in class behind Di Lallo and Pedersen.All three cars became more competitive as the day wore on.The Garland/Suzuki D-MAX was only eighth fastest in the first stage of the day, but improved to finish fifth in the long second stage at Murchison River as well as the final stage at Murchison Oasis. Di Lallo and Pedersen started their rally with 14th in stage one, 10th in stage two and 7th in stage three.The second day of competition involves two competitive stages at Bedracoine Find and Sonny Find as the field continues heading north from Murchison to Gascoyne Junction.

Isuzu Motorsports Australasian Safari entries to start 7th, 12th, and 18th after Glengarry Prologue.The 2014 Australasian Safari desert rally kicked off in Western Australia yesterday, with competitors taking to the 10km Glengarry Prologue to determine the starting order for Sunday's first day of competition.Isuzu Motorsports' Bruce Garland and Harry Suzuki will start 7th. Their Dakar-spec D-MAX ute completed the stage with a time of 9:25, 47 seconds behind the pace-setting Riley Motorsports Holden VF of Steve Riley and John Doble.Western Australia's own Adrian Di Lallo and Roger Pedersen finished 12th, a further 14 seconds behind, in their production-class Isuzu MU-X while the Isuzu Motorsports Thailand effort of OLan Sorniriat and Veerachai Thorangkoon in a production-class D-MAX ute finished 18th, second in class behind Di Lallo and 1:37 behind the leader.Garland said the Isuzu Motorsports teams were taking a laid back approach to the first day. "We all took it pretty easy out there and we're all pretty happy with our pace," he said."There's a long way to go before the finish next weekend and if you push too hard too soon, it's very easy to come unstuck."Di Lallo, who is looking to take a class victory at rally's end, said his MU-X is performing well. "The car is going really well and feels strong and quick," he said."I'm happy with it and think we'll do well in the production class."The next leg sees the field take on the first competitive stages of the Australasian Safari. The run from Utakarra to Murchison comprises three timed stages at Greenough River (88.48km long), Murchison River (167.14km) and Murchison Oasis (26.22km).

Mitsubishi unveils its Outlander PHEV Australasian Safari challenger.Mitsubishi has revealed its Outlander PHEV entry for this weekend’s Australasian Safari rally in Western Australia, with the Japanese manufacturer claiming the entry as a first for a vehicle of its type.Prepared by Team Mitsubishi Ralliart Australia and driven by 2008 Targa Tasmania winners Steve Glenney and Bernie Webb, the Outlander PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) will compete in a category created specifically for electric and hybrid vehicles.To help the PHEV deal with the Safari’s seven stages through tough desert conditions, Team Mitsubishi Ralliart Australia has fitted a roll cage, tougher suspension, increased ride height and special rally tyres.  However, the Outlander PHEV racer’s dual electric motors and 2.0-litre petrol engine produce the same combined 120kW and 332Nm as in production trim, along with the standard 300-volt lithium-ion battery system.Former Mitsubishi rally driver Ed Ordynski - who will be providing support to the team during the event - said the characteristics of electric motors may prove advantageous in rallying.“The high torque characteristic of the electric motors and instant throttle response – which work so effectively in everyday driving – are ideally suited to the demanding driving conditions we’ll experience during the Safari,” he said.It won’t all be down to the car, however, with Steve Glenney saying those behind the wheel will need to match the Outlander’s sturdiness.“The Australasian Safari is a notoriously challenging event – its gruelling combination of long straight desert roads, dry creek bed crossings and rocky terrain means drivers and co-drivers need to be both physically and mentally ready for eight full days of competitive driving,” he said.The 2014 Safari entry builds on the PHEV's pedigree from the 2013 and 2014 Asia Cross Country rallies, which culminated in a class victory in the 2014 event across Thailand and Cambodia.The 2014 Australasian Safari will run between September 19-27, from Perth to Kalbarri in Western Australia.

Chris Atkinson is crazy. Then again, it could be me.Atkinson is crazy fast as he flings his Hyundai i20 WRC into the scenery and I’m even more crazy for strapping in alongside him as he completes his final preparation for Rally Australia this weekend.We’re hitting 140km/h on a gnarly forest track just outside Coffs Harbour and the hotrod Hyundai is bucking and kicking as Aussie Atko bends it to his will. It feels as if we could crash at any moment as the tail slides wildly, we fly over humps, and his feet dance a crazy beat between the accelerator and brake.This is normal for Atkinson, who sees the world in rally driving slo-mo with a skill level that puts him in the top 20 in the world. For me, it’s almost supernatural and the world is accelerating towards me at a frightening pace.Right now, Atkinson is locked and loaded for the most important race of his life, shooting for a podium place in the local leg of the World Rally Championship and a fulltime Hyundai seat in 2015.From where I’m sitting, in the co-driving space usually filled by Stephane Prevot, he is doing everything right. He’s going ridiculously fast on a road where a regular motorist would be jamming the brakes and holding the speed down to 40km/h to prevent a disaster.“Top speed? We probably cracked about 200,” Atko tells me as we wait for my heart rate to drop below that number.“It was five kilometres, so the average speed was around 110. And don’t forget that’s with a couple of hairpins and the start of the stage.”I won’t forget. Not in any sort of hurry. How can I forget a Hyundai tiddler that’s been transmorphified into a forest fighter that would easily jump a Ferrari 458 or Skyline GT-R in a drag race?When Atkinson practices his rally start, with the engine popping and banging and then an explosion of speed, I’m slammed into the seat and can barely keep up with the shifts that come every time he tugs on the gear lever.“What about that? I don’t think people realise what these cars can do on slippery gravel,” he says.I can only nod my head in agreement.Everything in the car, from the smallest nut to Atkinson at the wheel, is intended to make it faster.That means the $14,990 you see in Hyundai showrooms now costs more than $1 million.Running costs? You can bank on $1000 for every kilometre the car covers.“We have seven cars at the base in Germany. The cost of each is around 500,000 Euros, just for the parts. Then you have to put it together,” the Hyundai WRC team boss, Michel Nandan, tells me.He is overseeing a three-car entry for Rally Australia that’s spearheaded by last-start winner Thierry Neuville, with Kiwi youngster Hayden Paddon also driving a car.Victory in Germany lifted a huge weight from Nandan’s shoulders, but he’s still looking for a solid result in Australia. And what about Atkinson?“He is a good driver. He should be able to get to the finish in a good position,” Nandan says.That means Atkinson is the ‘banker’ in the team, leaving Neuville free to shoot for the top.But he does not feel like any banker I know and he’s still looking for speed after clocking the 11th-quickest time in the official pre-rally shakedown.“It’s a bit too tail-happy still. I need to settle it down,” he says.“I haven’t been in the car for six months and that makes it difficult too. But we’ll settle in, see how we’re going, and have a crack from there.”At the end of the shakedown, Irishman Chris Meeke sets the pace in his Citroen DS3, ahead of his team mate Mads Ostberg and Thierry Neuville, the best of the Hyundai runners in third.Rally Australia runs from Friday morning (tomorrow) until this Sunday afternoon.Rally Australia 2014 - official shakedown times:1. Chris Meek, Citroen DS3, 2 minutes 52.9 seconds2. Mads Ostberg, Citroen DS3, 2:53.33. Thierry Neuville, Hyundai i20, 2:53.74. Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo, 2:54.35. Sebastian Ogier, Volkswagen Polo, 2:54.46. Mikko Hirvonen, Ford Fiesta, 2:54.47. Hayden Paddon, Hyundai i20, 2:54.78. Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo, 2:54.79. Robert Kubica, Ford Fiesta, 2:54.910. Elfynt Evans, Ford Fiesta, 2:57.311. Chris Atkinson, Hyundai i20 WRC, 2:58.3

Bruce Garland and Harry Suzuki to lead three-car Isuzu Motorsports Australasian Safari assault.Off-road racing legends Bruce Garland and Harry Suzuki will return to Western Australia to attempt a sixth victory in the Australasian Safari desert rally later this month. The 2014 Safari will be the pairing’s 18th entry in the gruelling endurance event, piloting their race-prepped Isuzu D-Max ute and spearheading a three-car Isuzu Motorsports assault. The Sydney-based Garland/Suzuki pairing will compete in the Extreme 4WD (T1) class, and will be joined by a lesser-modified MU-X SUV driven by West Australian Adrian Di Lallo in the production car (T2) class and a production class D-Max ute driven by Thai driver OLan Sornsirirat.The Isuzu-supported outfit will cover more than 2500km over seven days of endurance racing throughout the Western Australia outback between Perth and Kalbarri.  Garland is aiming to be the first diesel-powered outright winner in the event’s history – a credible ambition given his first diesel and 11th outright result in the 2009 Dakar rally. “I still reckon a diesel can win the Safari even though history has so far proved otherwise,” five-time winner Garland says.“You need the right car, the right crew and the right tyres and a bit of luck, so if we have all that lined up – and we believe we do – then we shall see what happens. It’s certainly a trophy I would love to add to my collection.”The Australasian Safari has been traditionally dominated by petrol-powered vehicles, but Garland’s aim is backed by the circa-200kW/700Nm tune of the 3.0-litre turbodiesel in his D-Max racer. The production-based version of the same engine in Di Lallo’s MU-X isn’t far behind, producing around around 180kW/600Nm – up from the 130kW/380Nm in factory-trim. The 56-year-old Garland’s confidence is also unaffected by age and a range of health issues he’s faced in recent years. “The Safari is as much about driving smart as driving hard and that something you only learn from experience. Harry and I have the experience, the car is great and a proven performer”, he said.Carsguide will bring you all the news from the Isuzu Motorsports entries during the Australasian Safari from September 20-27. 

New film details the Polarizer scandal that brought Peter Brock undone in the 1980s.Peter Brock is about to star in a new movie. And Eric Bana could play a pivotal role.The Bradman of Bathurst is the subject of a new documentary on the most turbulent period of his life, the Polarizer scandal in the 1980s.Brock was fired by Holden and lost his Holden Dealer Team business and more than $15 million in a dispute over the controversial device. Eventually he bounced back for his ninth win at Mt Panorama and string of other racetrack successes, as well as resuming his role as a Holden frontman.Now the '80s events have been recorded in a television documentary - Brock: King of the Mountain - with archival footage and up-to-date interviews with the major players, from Bev Brock to Allan Moffat, John Harvey, Neil Crompton and Brock's PR chief, Tim 'Plastic' Pemberton.The man in charge of the project, Melbourne filmmaker Liam Firmager, has done a classy job and is now hoping he can persuade Bana - a lifelong Ford fan, a passion reflected in his own 2009 film Love the Beast - to provide the voice-over for the documentary."I think Eric Bana would be perfect. And he clearly has a passion for cars," Firmager says.With the eighth anniversary of Brock's death just over a fortnight away, Firmager says the documentary is also the teaser for a major motion picture. He has a script and believes television and video sales can propel it into pre-production. Not surprisingly, Bana is also on his short list to play Brock on the big screen.

New video highlights Audi's trio of 24 hour endurance race wins in 2014. Audi's win at the Spa 24 Hours in Belgium on the weekend marked the German brand's third 24-hour race win in six weeks, after the R18 e-tron quattro won outright at Le Mans last month and the R8 LMS ultra took out the Nurburgring 24-hour the week after. Clearly the brand's motorsport arm is doing something right, as the Le Mans win was Audi's 13th in 16 years, the second in three years at the Nurburgring, and the third in four years at Spa. On local soil, Audi have also taken out the Bathurst 12 Hour in 2011 and 2012 with the R8 LMS, in addition to Super Touring Championships in 1996 and 1998 with Audi A4 Super Tourers.

Goodwood. There is nothing remotely like it, anywhere in the world.It's a combination of a British summer garden party, the world's most upmarket motor show, a classic car event and a high-speed hill climb. Then there is the air show, a rally stage and so, so, much more.Officially it's called the Festival of Speed and it's held each June on the driveway and front lawn — yes, really — at the stately home of the Earl of March, about 90 minutes into the green British countryside from London.The difference is that Charles March has a driveway that is ferocious fun at 250km/h in a retired Formula One car. His front lawn hosts more than 120,000 people over four days.He also knows some very special people, from F1 heroes Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen to rock gods and movie stars. And they like to show their collectable cars and cut loose in the speed trials."This is just amazing. It is unique," Bentley Motors chairman Wolfgang Durheim tells me. He's prowling like a regular punter, taking a close look at the new Jaguar F-Type Project 7 as thousands check the new arrivals in giant temporary showrooms and the Moving Motor Show.And that's what has changed at Goodwood. The event began as a fun run for classic cars and old-timer drivers but the collapse of the last surviving British motor show means the car companies now put all their effort into "The Festival".If you added the investment from all the brands, you would quickly run beyond $50 million. But even that doesn't sound like much when there are classic Ferraris on display that would cost more than $5 million each to put in your garage.The Festival now runs for a full four days and there are regular demonstration runs up The Hill by the most desirable cars on the planet, including the latest LaFerrari, Porsche 919 hybrid and McLaren P1. If you want to see how a Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series looks in action, this is the place, and it's the same for Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Maserati, Lotus and Bentley and more.There's an everyday side, too. Peugeot and Citroen and Toyota and Nissan have giant displays and Ford shows the new Mustang that's coming to Australia in 2015.Ford also uses the Festival to reveal its new Focus ST hot hatch, as Land Rover teases a hot rod Range Rover from its new Special Vehicles division, and Aston Martin and Nissan display concept cars created to debut digitally in theVisiting the show is an automotive overload. It takes a full day just to appreciate the size of The Festival. My weekend passes in a blur because Goodwood blurs dreams with reality, the past with the future, and unspeakably exotic cars with road-going runabouts. Goodwood is much more immersive than a regular motor show. And the cars move, which brings the whole thing to life.It helps immensely that the classic race cars, which truly provide something for everyone from the Dakar to Le Mans, fire up all the senses. How can you not smile as a Blitzen Benz from the dawn of motoring chugs up the same piece of bitumen that Kimi Raikkonen tears apart with a near-new F1 Ferrari?This is passion, and excitement, and a smile-a-second reflection of everything that is good about cars. "Why am I here? Where else would I be?" laughs Martine Walkinshaw, widow of Tom and now the driving force behind Holden Special Vehicles and the Holden Racing Team. She has driven to the event in an HSV Commodore and is watching son Sean driving classic Jaguar racers.It should come as no surprise that the death of the Australian International Motor Show has sparked a lot of interest in Goodwood, and how it can be copied and adapted down under. A couple of attempts are already under way and we'll see in 2015 whether the headline act in Melbourne, combining the resources of the VACC and RACV, can get somewhere close to The Festival.But that's still in the future and, despite all the glorious cars from the past and the sight of so many of the motorsport heroes even from my childhood, I'm still deeply immersed in Goodwood 2014.If you have a Bucket List, and you're remotely interested in cars, add the Festival of Speed. At the top.