Race track

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Perhaps, aided and abetted by top V8 Supercar officials who regularly malign viewing facilities at the track, Eastern Creek has earnt a reputation which, for all intents and purposes, cost it a round of the championship in 2006.Eastern Creek officials, however, point to collated V8 Supercar attendance figures to argue that criticism of the crowd figures, especially when compared with Oran Park, is unjustified. Here, bearing in mind the old line of "lies, damned lies and statistics" is a breakdown of three-day crowd figures at Eastern Creek, Oran Park and others, over the past decade.In 1997, when the modern era of V8 Supercar racing started, Eastern Creek drew a crowd of 18,000, while Oran Park drew 42,000.By 2000 that was 22,650 to 40,500. So the argument was cut and dried. Then in 2001 the trend changed and Eastern Creek beat Oran Park 32,600 to 28,000. The Creek won again by a similar margin in 2002 before Oran Park regained the ascendancy in 2003 and 2004, again by a margin of about 2000 fans.In 2005, Oran Park attracted 39,013 fans and Eastern Creek pulled 30,900.When V8 Supercars promoted a second event at Eastern Creek in 2003 they drew 200 fewer fans than Oran Park and 1500 more fans than the earlier Eastern Creek round.The next year when the V8s again promoted their own race they blew the opposition away with a figure of 52,918 to 30,000 and 28,000 respectively. But that figure is partially skewed by a wet Sunday at Eastern Creek.Since the start of this century these figures are as good as or better than the three Victorian circuits of Winton, Sandown and Phillip Island. V8 officials maintain Eastern Creek needs to do more to promote its events but the venue has been invited back to the fold for the 2007 season. At which stage fans of both Sydney venues will be able to vote with their feet.

About 10,000 people today packed the raceway where Brock, killed in a rally in Western Australia two weeks ago, won nine Endurance classics.They heard from contempories including teammate John Harvey and team owner Fred Gibson, as well as from Mark Skaife, the five-time Supercar champion.Ford driver Allan Moffet, who was Brock's major rival in race tracks around the country during the 1970s, choked back tears as he spoke of his friendship with the Holden legend.Skaife, who inherited Brock's leading role in the Holden team, described the nine-times Bathurst champion as a driver who had an amazing ability."He had flair, flamboyance, determination and creativity," Skaife said.As part of the tributes, Brock's son James drove a lap of honour in a replica of his father's Austin A30, in which he first sprang to prominence.As the Austin crossed the line, Brock's daughter Alexandra waved the chequered flag.

They include his six-lap winning margin at Bathurst in 1979, on the day he slam-dunked his superiority by setting the fastest lap of the race on his last lap.And his first Bathurst win, driving single-handed for 500 miles in a giant-killing Holden Torana XU1.And what about the two-hour queue of fans at Bathurst, waiting patiently for a word and an autograph the year of his first (second and third) retirement race?Many of the Brocky stories have passed into folklore. Such as fans getting his autograph on their body and then having a tattoo put over the top of his signature ...There are countless youngsters named Brock by parents who loved the man. Some of us were lucky enough to spend more time with Brocky, and Peter in private, and so the memories are even more special.Here are a few of mine:THRILL RIDESRiding with Brocky was always something to remember. He was brilliant at the Holden proving ground in a V8 Commodore rally car, holding the car in massive sideways drifts as he calmly chatted about a bunch of stuff I can't remember. My brain was overloaded and as frozen by his skill as a kangaroo in a set of headlights.He was totally relaxed as we headed out of the pits at Phillip Island in his Ford Sierra race car, even though my side of the ride was on a piece of foam without a seat belt or even a seat.He was incredibly focussed as he blitzed Sandown in the same Sierra, after asking what lap time Dick Johnson had done in an earlier passenger ride. Brock was so committed to beating the mark that he fired us on to the track before I had time to grab a helmet. And, yes, he went quicker. But only after we slip-streamed past Allan Moffat at the top of the back straight.The last time I took a track lap was at Bathurst in 2002. Mount Panorama was damp, we were on slicks, and Brock's black eyes were flashing like a pair of precious pearls. Then we ran off the road coming into The Chase. It was never a drama but Brocky was annoyed."Bugger," he joked. "As soon as I realised we were going on to the grass I knew you had your story."MONEYBrock never spoke about money. And often didn't have his wallet with him but he lit up when we published a story which said he was earning $1 million a year.I was called into the presence of Peter Perfect for a severe dressing down.Once he had calmed down, it emerged that he was really worried about the Tax Department reading the story and chasing him for more money.After all, he had been through a long, tough fight with the cash men in Canberra after the collapse of his Holden Dealer Team operation that was only resolved many years later.A few months later, Brocky was smiling again when I asked him about the $1 million man tag. "So, did we get it right?" I asked. "Actually, you were about $200,000 light," he said laughing.LUCKUntil last Friday, Brock had barely stubbed a toe during his race career. He walked away from some big hits and was only really injured twice, once while driving Bob Jane's Chevrolet Monza sports sedan in Adelaide and more recently when he raced a go-kart in a fun run in Darwin.But there was much more to his luck."Brock never made a mistake," says his friend and rally co-driver, journalist Wayne Webster. "He never took the wrong road, it was always my fault."He never crashed when we competed in the Australian Safari. I had told him the wrong thing."LIFE ADVICEYou could always rely on Brock for an inspiring note alongside his signature. Something along the lines of "Live your dream". But, privately, he could deliver amazing insights.There were many times when Brock was involved in a difficult story, from his troubles with the Tax Department to his Bathurst comebacks and even the split from Beverley.His attitude was simple, like the time I called to ask about that Bathurst comeback. "Please don't ask me today. I don't want to have to lie to you," Brock said.And when things got messy with his life partner? "You have to do what you have to do. I understand," he said.CO-DRIVERSOne-time Bathurst winner Tomas Mezera shared a Commodore with Peter Perfect at Mount Panorama and learned all about the legend."Brock ruined my career," Mezera jokes. "He came in at Bathurst and gave me the car and it was like a pachinko parlour in Japan. All the lights were on and flashing. It was stuffed."But Brock told everyone on TV that 'Tomas broke the car' and they believed him. The bugger. But no one thought that Peter Brock could do anything wrong."THE POLARIZERA tiny device cost Brock his Holden Dealer Team business and drove a wedge into his relationship with Holden.It was called the Energy Polarizer and was developed in partnership with his friend Ric Dowker to align the energy fields in a car. The theory was that it would make any car drive better.I sampled a car in 1986 and agreed. I even wrote in a story that I thought the Polarizer worked.Most people though it was bunk and Brock was driven into the wilderness, while Dowker was branded as "Doctor Feelgood" and the man who brought Brock down.But Brock bounced back, he and Dowker remained best friends, and he privately stayed committed to the Polarizer."How do we prove it works? They haven't invented the machine yet to prove it works," Brock said, just last year.SAFETY Brock knew that motor racing was dangerous. He also believed he could not be hurt in a car, and had no real fear of death.Which is perhaps why his ideas on an upgrade for Mount Panorama were not what the officials were expecting when they called to consult him."I told them to get big billets of aluminium, then sharpen them like pencils," he said."Then I told them to install them in the wall where you come over Skyline. That would get people thinking. You have to have consequences in motor racing."NICKNAMESIn Brock's world, all the significant people had some sort of nickname. Beverley became "Bevo" and his public relations man Tim Pemberton became "Plastic" (something to do with his ability to withstand heat).Neil Burns was "Part" because of he was prematurely bald and had the world's lowest hair parting.John Harvey was "Slug" because he was from Sydney, which Brock called "slug city", and Grant Steers was "The Spear" because he had a pointed head but also because he was the Mister Fixit for Brock at Holden.THE LAST STARTWhen Brock went to Bathurst in 2004 to drive for the Holden Racing Team he was past it. He had not driven a V8 Supercar for too long, he was getting old, and his heart was not in the racing.No one said it, no one wanted to believe it, but the stopwatch does not lie. Still, Brocky was as popular as ever and in huge demand from his fans, who were dreaming of a miracle 10th win at the Mountain.HRT had imported crack British racer Jason Plato and he was chosen to start the race, to keep Brock out of the early rough-house racing. But he hit the wall and then was hit by John Cleland, who upended his Falcon over the top of the 05 Commodore.Brock was still in the pits, wearing his fireproof suit and looking like the legend. Now he did not have to race, or have his incredible reputation tarnished by a sub-Brock result."It's amazing how the universe looks after these things, isn't it," Brock told me, with just the touch of a smile. 

We were at the Lakeside track near Brisbane and Brocky was driving, whisper it, a Volvo - albeit a roll-caged, Super Touring race-car version.As we approached the first, hairpin corner at the end of the straight I was gripped by a mixture of fear and embarrassment.I was pretty sure The Great Man had missed his braking marker and was about to stuff up big time and send us both into the weeds at high speed.Strangely, I wasn't as worried about my own safety as I was fearful for his reputation - surely it was going to be a shameful situation for the much-worshipped King of the Mountain, crashing with a journalist in the car.A few seconds later, fear was replaced by sheer wonder as Brocky nonchalantly nerfed the car sideways, setting in train a spectacular rear-wheel drift and slamming us around the bend with inches to spare.I honestly though we'd shared what race drivers call “a moment” until he did it again, on the next lap. And the lap after that.It was only on the third time around that I realised he was pulling off this berserk bit of driving with one hand, while the other arm rested, in typical Brock style, on the window sill.All the while he kept up a relaxed, riotous commentary - asking me if I wanted a sick bag and cracking jokes.This was the hero I'd built up in childhood made real. Years of watching him on the box at Bathurst were burnt into the brain - the wiley, smiley old champion who made the massive challenge of taming Mount Panorama look like a Sunday drive with the family.Brock never disappointed. To see him at Bathurst in his semi-retirement years was to see a racing rock-star surrounded by groupies.Children called Brock in his honour were presented, tattoos of his signature were proffered and Peter Perfect had a kind word and a smile for all of them.In the history of motorsport in this country there has never been anyone like him - so wildly successful and so widely loved.He will be sorely missed.Stephen Corby is a senior roadtester for the CARSguide team whose work also appears in the Sunday Telegraph. A version of this review plus more news and analysis can be read in the Sunday Telegraph.More Corby rantings on non-car stuff can be found on his Daily Telegraph blog.

Schumacher sensationally kept in contention for an eighth world drivers' title by closing the gap on Spain's Fernando Alonso to two points in what was his 90th career victory in Formula One.The 37-year-old German, who in emotional scenes at the old Autodromo Nazionale hugged his wife Corinna, Ferrari team president Luca di Montezmolo and team chief Jean Todt, announced his retirement in a statement issued as he crossed the line.Fans flooded the circuit as he stood atop the podium for the 90th time, having trimmed Alonso's lead in the drivers' championship with three races to go.The Renault driver was forced to retire with engine trouble 10 laps from the finish while running in third place.Schumacher finished ahead of the McLaren-Mercedes of Kimi Raikkonen, who will replace him at Ferrari next year.Poland's Robert Kubica in a BMW Sauber took third place in only his third race.Australian fans had something to cheer about as Mark Webber had a rare finish, taking 10th place in his Williams.In a statement, Ferrari said: "Michael Schumacher will retire from race driving at the end of the 2006 world championship."There are three Grands Prix left in the season — in China on October 1, Japan on October 8 and Brazil on October 22.Schumacher is expected to compete in his last race in Brazil.The German will now prepare to bring the curtain down on 15 years of almost unrivalled, statistical domination of the sport.To his millions of fans worldwide, it is perhaps fitting then that Schumacher's Ferrari team made the announcement at Monza, the scene of many famous moments in his story.His achievement last night was his fifth win at the famed Italian circuit.An emotional but controlled Schumacher said afterwards: "There has been a lot of discussion for a long time about my decision to retire."And all the motor sport people have a right to have an explanation of what will happen."You have to find the moment, and we feel this is the right moment. It's going to be my last Monza race. I have decided with the team that I'm going to retire from racing."I have loved all the good times and the bad moments which makes life so special."I would like to thank my dad and my mum and kids who have supported me."Without their strength, it would have been impossible. I cannot thank my family enough but also to all my mates at (former team) Benetton and at Ferrari and I have so many great friends there."It has been so great but the day had to come and I felt that this was the moment."Now I would like to concentrate on the three (remaining) races and finish in style, hopefully with the championship."The German's final season has been one which has seen a resurgence in his driving. And after Alonso's domination last year it appears that, as Schumacher has predicted, the title will go right down to the wire.Schumacher added: "It's a championship which started difficult in the beginning, and now we're only two points behind (Alonso) with three races to go."We are 100 per cent focused on the constructors' and the drivers' championship."

So putting my life in the hands of two guys I had never met before, as they took me around a racetrack sideways, was a little challenging, to say the least.It all started when I saw the film, Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift, and jokingly said that I would like to try it. The next thing I knew, I was preparing to go drifting.I arrived at Eastern Creek Raceway this week feeling surprisingly few butterflies — but they were there. Watching my two drivers for the day, Andrew Parissis and Fernando Wiehrl, do warm-up laps, left me just about ready to head to my own car for a quick getaway.But these guys are professionals, and to be honest, I kind of wanted to experience that rush.So, I jumped (well, it was more like a crawl) into Parissis' Nissan 200SX S15, with my helmet and seatbelts strapped very tightly.With my left hand clenching the roll cage and my toes curling in my shoes, we were off.The first lap had me thinking, "this isn't so bad", but then Parissis put his skills into action.Quick manoeuvring and what seemed like a routine run-through of technique, left the rear of the car flinging from left to right. I felt like I was in a movie, with the car heading sideways towards a barrier, almost in slow motion, anticipating the collision, not to mention the ensuing carnage.But my reliable driver gained control and sent us flying in the other direction. And after the first slide, I knew I was in good hands, with the manner of control and skill that Parissis demonstrated.While the older generation may see this sport as simple hooning, sitting in that passenger seat proved it was so much more. These drivers know what they're doing, and I'd be willing to trust my life with them ... oh, hold on, I did.We went out on a smaller warm-up track and only reached speeds of about 60km/h. But that was enough for me. In competitions, such as the Australian drift series these guys will be competing at Eastern Creek next weekend, drivers reach speeds of up to 160km/h.And in a competition, two cars will hit the track in a cat-and-mouse scenario, where one car leads and performs slides and handbrake entries through a series of turns and the second car follows. In a second battle, the follower takes the lead and the judges award points for speed, the angle of the slide and the car's ability to produce tyre smoke.But I'm getting ahead of myself, I'll build up to that for next time.I smiled hugely as I was flung from side to side, while my drivers performed feint drifts, handbrake entries and clutch kicks. You're strapped in so tightly, but your body still gets thrown around and the rush even led to a couple of embarrassing "Woo-hoos".Despite my apologies in advance for screaming, I didn't feel the need.After a few laps of jolting round the track, my hands made their way from their tight squeeze of the roll cage to almost above my head and flowing in motion with my body. A little "uncool" perhaps, but, hey, I was enjoying the ride.We headed for the gate, so I could make a swap into a Nissan 180SX, where my next talented driver, Fernando Wiehrl, awaited.So excited by my first dabble in the sport, I jumped into Wiehrl's car, ready for him to show me what he could do. Also a very capable driver, he gracefully spun us from left to right and even spun us round in a circle, just like in a scene from Tokyo Drift.Wiehrl seemed to create more smoke than Parissis, which seeped through into the cabin, and left me choking just a little. But even that couldn't wipe the smile off my face.These guys go through about 20 tyres in one competition and after our hour or so at the track, Wiehrl's tyres were completely bald.So, I'm hooked. I'm now a drifting fan. The feeling was just incredible as I allowed the excitement to take over. The force at which the car moves, and the angles in which they slide around the corners while following what would normally be considered the traditional racing line, felt truly amazing and it was an unforgettable experience.The cars felt like they were almost dancing on the track. I can see this taking off as a celebrity reality program a la Drifting With The Stars.So, what's next? Skydiving? Bungy jumping? Becoming a drift driver myself? Well, I think I'll live off this high for a while and let my mum sleep a little easier at night. Fast factsToyo Drift Australian Series, Round 3When: Next weekend (July 29, 30) 9am-5pm both daysWhere: Eastern Creek RacewayPrice: Saturday, $15; Sunday $25; weekend pass $35; children under 12, freeDrifting techniques include:Feint drift: Flicking the car from one side to the otherHandbrake entry: A pull on the handbrake on the way into a corner to initiate a slideClutch kick: When a driver turns into the corner and clicks the clutch to give a sudden jolt and break the traction.

Mark Skaife has just taken the crown with a 271.44km/h blast down the deserted bitumen strip at the disused Woomera test range in South Australia.The V8 Supercar ace cranked out a maximum speed of 277.16km/h in the stock-standard Maloo, but his entry in the Guiness World Record books is a two-way average to eliminate any wind assistance.Still, it was easily better than the previous mark of 248.78km/h set by a Dodge Ram SR-T with an 8.3-litre V10 motor in 2004.Chris Sheedy from Guiness World Record was present to monitor and certify the record attempt, which was for the Fastest Production Pick- up/utility.Around 100 members of the local Woomera community also watched the runs. Skaife says there were no dramas with the Maloo or its speed and is happy to have a new trophy in his collection."Records are made to be broken, I think this one will stay for some time to come!", Skaife says.

Over the years the incredible athlete and her offspring won scores of championships in track and field.Many men hankered after them, but were put off by reports of the Swedes' expensive tastes. These girls were "high-maintenance".As time passed, a flood of Japanese beauties and anorexic Austrians began pulling in the younger guys and Husky fell on hard times.After an unhappy dalliance with a vacuum cleaner salesman named Electrolux, she was forced to marry MV Agusta in 1986 and move to Schiranna in Italy.As it happens, things turned out pretty well. The marriage spawned a wave of muscular crossbreeds sporting sexy Italian clothes.Husky's proud history has been recognised for 2006, when the family's track athletes will carry the red and white of Varese, their new home province, and the field stars retain Sweden's yellow and blue.The motocross team consists of the CR125 two-stroke and the TC250, 450 and 510 four-strokes.The blue and yellow enduro range features the WR125 and WR250 two-strokes plus the TE250, 450, 510 and 610E four-stroke machines.There's also a bunch of supermotard bikes, including the black sheep of the family, the SM610.Though the colour switch is the most visible change, there are plenty of upgrades below the surface.All the four-stroke engines get bigger valves, lumpier cams and two-ring pistons. Motocross versions get an all-titanium exhaust system and a redesigned kickstarter, but their electric starters are optional, which won't please "recreational registration" riders, but saves 4kg and gets rid of the battery in the airbox.The two-stroke models have had engine work designed to improve power, with V Force reed valves and redesigned manifold.The CR125 and TCs now run the excellent Ohlins rear shocks with compression and rebound damping adjustment. No such luck on the WR and TE models, which stay with revalved Sachs shocks.The Marzocchi forks have increased by 5mm, to 50mm, on the 450 and 510 models.Digital trip computers and handguards are a big bonus on the enduro models while the handlebars are now adjustable for height and offset. ON THE DIRTChasing 2005 Australian Off-Road champion Anthony "AJ" Roberts on the single-track enduro loop at Toowoomba is hard work.With loads of power on tap, the WR250 like the one he races is a blast to ride on open trails, steering with the back tyre spinning.But with less than 1000km on the clock it is jetted rich and stalls fairly easily. In comparison, the TE450 makes traction everywhere and won't spin the rear as easily. It doesn't stall on the loop which, by this stage of the day, is a big bonus.Husqvarna-sponsored V8 Supercar driver Russell Ingall has no trouble on the WR, which proves you can't hold a good racer down.Interestingly, the factory claims only a 5kg advantage for the WR250 two-stroke over the TE450 and no weight difference from the TE250.On the groomed Echo Valley motocross track, it's hard to pick between the three EC models.The Ohlins shocks are a big bonus, but the bigger Marzocchi forks don't seem to make much difference on directional changes.All the bikes are beautifully finished with smooth castings, excellent plastics and quality welding — something you could not say about the old Swedish Huskys.With a two-year parts and labour warranty on the enduro models and one year on the motocrossers, the Huskys are worth considering, especially if you are serious about your riding.