Hazelwood ready to bounce back after fifth placing on day one

Dunlop Development Series, Todd Hazelwood Racing

Hazelwood in Practice yesterday. Credit: Jake Burgess/0-100 Photography

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN Todd Hazelwood has placed fifth in practice for Round 2 of the V8 Supercars Dunlop Series at Barbagallo Raceway for the Perth SuperSprint this weekend.

The round is coming off the bat from a successful test day last week at Matt Stone Racing’s home track at Queensland Raceway, and the 19-year-old is confident going into qualifying tomorrow.

“Our performance in Practice 2 was very encouraging and showed that we have genuine speed to compete for the podium this weekend,” Hazelwood said.

“I was held up in traffic on my fastest lap which cost me time.

“We have good potential to move further forward tomorrow and hopefully we can put it all together in the short qualifying session tomorrow, as the times are very close so the smallest mistake will be costly.”

The teenager believes that preserving the tyres as much as possible will help this weekend in the races.

“The practice session was rather frustrating as the first few flying laps of the session were the fastest, and then for the last 30 minutes we were making good progress with set-up but didn’t have enough tyre life left to get a reading if we were making progress or not,” Hazelwood said.

“But it was good to have a long run on the tyres and see how long they lasted.

“We had good speed on old tyres, which will help us with long high tyre degradation tomorrow.”

The South Australian will head into Round 2 of the championship at Perth sitting inside the top ten of the Dunlop Development Series in ninth position on 174 points.

The Mike Kable Young Gun managed to finish fourth on debut at Barbagallo last year, and wants to go that step further gaining his first podium in the series.

Today’s racing kicks off with Qualifying and Race 1, which will be live on Foxtel.

Racing schedule: Perth SuperSprint (Live on Fox 5)
Saturday
Qualifying 1 – 11:55 (40 minutes)
Race 1 – 14:15 (28 laps)
Sunday
Race 2 – 10:10 (28 laps)
Race 3 – 12:45 (28 laps)

Maxwell ready for title fight at next Australian Formula Ford Round

Formula Ford, Thomas Maxwell

DESPITE THE start Thomas Maxwell had at the first round of the Australian Formula Ford Championship, the 16-year-old is more than ready to get back into the championship fight at Round 2 of the open-wheel series at Phillip Island.

The Northern Territory driver showed his fellow competitors he has what it takes to win, putting the Sonic Motor Racing Services Mygale on the front for practice, but had bad luck heading into the races.

Maxwell was involved in another driver’s incident during the final race of the event, taking the teenager out of the race and contention for a round placing.

“The Sonic Mygale showed strong pace during the first round of the series, but some unfortunate luck took away what would have been a very strong start to the season,” Maxwell said.

“There were positive glimpses which we took away from the weekend, but as always there are areas we can improve and further develop.

“As long as I can keep refining my technique it’s all grounding steps in the right direction.

“Onwards and upwards for now, I’m going to bite the bullet and focus all of my energy in preparing for the next round at Phillip Island.”

The Bosch Car Service Centre driver is currently placed ninth in the Australian Formula Ford Championship.

Maxwell’s next round will be held at the prestigious Phillip Island Circuit for Round 2 of the series on May 22.

Hazelwood Reflects on Perfect Rookie Season

Dunlop Development Series, Todd Hazelwood Racing

Todd Hazelwood Racing team at the Sydney NRMA 500

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN Todd Hazelwood could not be more pleased with how his overall rookie year in the V8 Supercars Dunlop Development Series, after winning the prestigious Mike Kable Young Gun Award and finishing his personal best in the final race of the season at the Sydney NRMA 500 in fourth position.

The Tecalemit Australia driver managed to finish seventh for the round after an altercation in Race 1 finishing 20th, and also walked away being the highest placed rookie in eighth place on 1131 points.

“Sydney was a great success for the team at Tecalemit Racing, Saturday was good in a lot of ways even though our result was disappointing – we showed great race speed and ability to race through the field at a clean rapid rate,” Hazelwood said.

“Sunday was a much better day for the team, it was a long night Saturday getting the car prepared for the early morning qualifying so it was great to reward the team with ninth in the session.

“Race 2 was close and tough the whole way, and I was fortunate enough to avoid serious damage on a number of occasions during the opening laps of the race.

“I was able to use my great car speed and put some serious pressure on Andrew Jones for the remaining 10 laps of the race and on the final lap I had a crack for third but it didn’t quite pull off.

“It was still fantastic to finish fourth in the race and eighth overall in the series.”

The 19-year-old was also very humbled to receive the Mike Kable Young Gun Award for 2014.

“It was an absolute honour to win the Mike Kable Young Gun Award, all of the previous winners have gone on to have very successful careers in motorsport – it is a great reward for what has been an incredible journey throughout 2014,” Hazelwood continued.

The rookie believes that 2014 was the perfect way to start his debut V8 Supercar campaign, and it would have not been possible without the help from his team, family and sponsors.

“The team at Matt Stone Racing have done an incredible job all year, they have helped me get up-to-speed at a rapid rate,” Hazelwood continued.

“A big thank you must go out to my Mum, Dad and Sister for their dedication and work this year, without the help from my family I would not be racing.

“My sponsors throughout 2014 have been amazing and I can’t thank each and every one of them enough for all their support.”

Hazelwood is now focused on the off-season and cannot wait to hit his home streets of Adelaide for the first round of the 2015 Dunlop Series racing with Matt Stone Racing and compete under the Tecalemit Australia banner.

Maxwell Finishes Fifth on Debut in Australian Formula Ford Final Round

Formula Ford, Thomas Maxwell

Thomas Maxwell racing to an impressive fifth at Island of Magic

NORTHERN TERRITORY’S Thomas Maxwell has finished an impressive fifth on debut in the final round of the Australian Formula Ford Championship, held in conjunction with Phillip Island’s Island of Magic.

The 16-year-old had competed throughout the Victorian State Series in Formula Ford throughout this year, but overcame all rookie odds to finish inside in the top five out of a 32 car field, racing with one of the oldest cars on the grid.

The teenager had also qualified in fourth for Race 1, which was a personal best for the rookie at Phillip Island.

“What a fantastic weekend it was,” said Maxwell.

“Being able to run up at the front and race wheel-to-wheel with Australia’s best drivers was unbelievable.

“The qualifying lap was crucial, being able to put it on the second row of the grid played a big part – especially with the amount of cars in the field.”

“It was a fantastic way to cap off an outstanding rookie year in Formula Ford!”

Maxwell had also recently raced at the Phillip Island circuit in October, finishing his first strong year in the Victorian State Series coming home in seventh in the championship.

The Bosch Car Service Centre driver has had a great first season in Formula Ford with the team at Sonic Motor Racing Services, and is looking forward for what is yet to come in the 2015 racing season.

Paying my respect to motorsport: maybe you should too

NASCAR, Speedway, Spultured

One major racing incident occurs and suddenly every second person is an expert on racing.

Motorsport is something that is barely covered in the media, but once a surreal incident occurs, way too many keyboard warriors jump on board the blame wagon.

The incident that occurred Saturday night involving NASCAR driver Tony Stewart and 20-year-old Kevin Ward Jnr was an absolutely devastating situation, making news around the globe and within minutes of the catastrophic event happening. Police immediately investigated Stewart about the death of young sprint-car driver Ward Jnr, but have ruled out that the NASCAR regular will be charged with manslaughter. The incident is however still under investigation.

A completely heart-breaking situation, yet people are still quick to judge saying crude and disgusting comments involving the beauty of hindsight. And if you were one of those who quickly jumped to a conclusion and started to blame – shame, shame, shame. Just to let you know, your face wasn’t inside either of the drivers’ helmets.

This was an incomprehensible tragedy, but this has happened before. Motorsport is dangerous, and it needs to be treated with respect. People involved in the sport are fully aware of the dangers, and so should the audience in order to fully understand the big picture.

I’m also not attaching the incident to this article, just to pay my respects to both drivers in this shocking situation.

My prayers go out to Kevin Ward Jnr, Tony Stewart and their families during this difficult time. Rest In Peace Kevin Ward Jnr; another racer taken too soon.

Dan Ricciardo = Australia’s New Hero

Formula 1, Spultured

He’s the young pup who started out in Formula 1 with his teeth covered in braces and his ambitions high to make it to the top. Well, four years later and this rising star has clinched his maiden Grand Prix win in Montreal, with his dentist gifting Ricciardo the biggest smile any racer has ever had, making Aussies more proud than ever.

The world was not ready for his smile, let alone the skill and determination this Australian has to offer. Many non-believers thought he would end up in the same position as Mark Webber being defeated by his four-time world champion teammate Sebastian Vettel.

Oh boy, were they wrong.

Of course the Merecedes’ Silver Arrows have dominated the 2014 season so far, but Ricciardo has been the talk of the pits with his dominance in the Infiniti Red Bull team this year. He also broke the Mercedes winning streak, being the first driver this year to defeat the victorious Nico Rosberg and the swag of Lewis Hamilton.

Not only is the rookie sitting third in the championship, he’s out-performing Vettel. VETTEL! The guy who was booed every time he was on the podium last year. Just, wow.

Only two Australians have tasted Formula 1 world championship glory – Sir Jack Brabham and Alan Jones – I wouldn’t mind betting$1,000 that Ricciardo makes that tally three.

Ricciardo may have an Italian last name, but his heart is full of Aussie gold. He has the Australian fighting spirit and has blood the colour of wattle. This bloke is going to break history, and eventually will give us the Formula 1 championship that Webdog was so close to claiming.

And you know what, who cares about the Queen’s fake birthday. Let’s make this public holiday dedicated to Daniel Ricciardo and his firstFormula 1 victory. Happy Daniel Ricciardo Day people, hope you had a lovely long weekend.

And Dan, cheers to your maiden victory at the Canadian Grand Prix!

Published by Spultured

(Image source: ABC)

Rally champ breaks four-wheel Isle Of Man record

Fiasco Sports, Isle Of Man TT

Three-time British Rally Champion Mark Higgins broke the official Isle Of Man TT lap record for four-wheels in his Subaru WRX STI.

It’s not everyday you see a Subaru Rally car taking on the course of the Isle Of Man TT race, but Mark Higgins rose to the occasion, breaking the lap record for cars on the dangerous motorbike circuit.

Higgins managed a time in his Subaru WRX STI of 19m 26s, with an average speed of 187.44 kp/h.

The British Rally champion actually defeated and bettered his original lap record set in 2011 driving an earlier model Subaru WRX STI, breaking the original average speed of 185.65 kp/h.

The Snaefell Mountain Course will see the end of the Isle Of Man TT today, with the motorbikes reaching top speeds of 321 kp/h, with New Zealand rider Bruce Anstey racing around the course in 17m 6.6s.

Higgins believed he could have bettered his lap if he didn’t lose time over the top of the mountain.

“That was quite a wild lap, there’s definitely more time out there,” Higgins said.

“I probably dropped about 10 seconds going over the mountain, we lost some power, and locked up at Signpost.

“The first two thirds were perfect though – it’s a great feeling to break the record, but I want to break it by more.”

Higgins plans on coming back with Subaru to break his new record.

Written by Loren Hazelwood @LorenHazelwood

– See more at: http://fiascosports.com/rally-champ-breaks-four-wheel-isle-of-man-record/#sthash.Tp6XgpGj.dpuf

You’ll never be forgotten, Sir Jack Brabham

Fiasco Sports, Formula 1

The loss of a legend in the motor racing world, Sir Jack Brabham passes away at 88 years of age.

He was not only a household name, but also a motor racing legend. An inspiration to many, and made Australia overly proud. His records will never be broken, and he will never be forgotten. Sir Jack Brabham, a legend in his time and a motorsport icon forever.

Brabham began his career in a different place to other racing car drivers, running a small engineering workshop and was a Royal Australian Air Force flight mechanic, before he started racing midget cars back in 1948.

The Australian’s natural knack for driving and strong success in midget racing events in Australia and New Zealnd pushed for Brabham to make the move to Europe to race with a team led by John Cooper, while he also engineering his own car in 1955.

Brabham formed a great friendship with Cooper, and was eventually given the keys to his transporter to take the cars to the events. Brabham made his Grand Prix debut in sports cars at the 1955 British Grand Prix, but later retired from the race due to a broken clutch.

Brabham later in the year ran a non-championship event for the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Australia, before selling his car to make a permanent move to England with his family.

The Australian then pointed his racing campaign towards Formula 2 in 1956, becoming the champion just two years later in 1958.

Sir Jack Brabham was unique, as no other driver worked on the mechanical side of their own racecar, and he also contributed to the design of the car that Cooper introduced into the world of Formula 1 in 1959.

Brabham went on to win his first world championship in 1959 with Cooper, going into the final round of the Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship, the Australian was among two other drivers that could take out the championship – Ferrari’s Tony Brooks and Stirling Moss. Brabham was awake until 1am working on the car with the team, and they went on to win the final round of the championship in Sebring, US.

Despite winning his first world championship, he strived for more and believed he could achieve higher, winning his second Formula 1 Driver’s World Championship in 1960.

In 1962, Sir Jack Brabham left Cooper to race for his own team. He also asked his friend from Australia Rob Tauranac to come to the UK and build a Formula 1 car, producing the first of the Brabham cars – the Brabham BT-3.

Despite not winning a single Grand Prix in ’62, in which some teams felt was because Brabham was reluctant to spend money – he continued on with the team.

In 1965, Sir Jack Brabham stepped aside to manage his team and Dan Guerney took the lead driver role, winning the Brabham team their first Formula 1 World Championship. Towards the end of the season, Guerney announced his intentions to leave the team, with Sir Jack pushing on with his dream.

In 1966, a new 3-litre engine formula was introduced into Formula 1, with all engines having to be 12-cylinders and were difficult to develop because of the weight and unreliability. Sir Jack Brabham took on a different approach, and convinced an Australian Engineering Company called Repco to develop an engine for him.

The Repco-Brabham BT19 chassis went on to win the 1966 Formula 1 World Championship, with Brabham being the first – and only – man to win a Drivers’ and Constructors’ World title in a car that carried his own name.

Brabham won his last Grand Prix in Africa during 1970, retiring at 44 years of age.

The three-time world champion then made the move back to Australia, to raise his three sons Geoff, Gary and David on a farm for a life away from motorsport. Of course, this didn’t happen, with all three of his sons making a career out of motorsport.

In 1979, the Australian driver became the first person in motor racing history to be knighted by the Queen, being knighted for his services in motorsport.

Sir Jack Brabham has influenced the way we all look at motorsport, and the world of Formula 1 today would not be the same without Sir Jack Brabham’s determination and will to become one of the best.

The saddening news of Sir Jack’s passing has impacted the motor racing world, with tributes flowing from all over the world.

The Queensland Government will be holding a state funeral for Sir Jack, with the ceremony confirmed for June 11, 1:30pm at the Southport Church of Christ on the Gold Coast.

Sir Jack Brabham will never be forgotten, and will always be remembered as one of the great legends in world motorsport. Rest In Peace, Sir Jack Brabham.

Written by Loren Hazelwood. @LorenHazelwood

– See more at: http://fiascosports.com/youll-never-be-forgotten-sir-jack-brabham/#sthash.ycF23F6V.dpuf

Australian Ambrose gets hit with 25k fine

Australian V8 Supercars, NASCAR, On The Record

Photo: Sangjib Min

Sprint Cup NASCAR driver Marcos Ambrose has been fined $25,000 for punching fellow driver, Casey Mears, after an on-track altercation in last Saturday’s Toyota Owners 400 at the Richmond International Raceway in Virginia.

Mears was fined $15,000 after pushing and intimidating the Australian, enticing Ambrose to punch him in the face , after a disagreement about the result of a large crash.

Mears talked to Fox Sports 1’s Race Hub and said he and Ambrose are okay.

“At the end of the day, none of that should ever happen,” Mears said.

“But in the heat of the moment, when you get out of your race car, and some stuff just happened that you didn’t like, we started going at each other, and before we knew it, it escalated very quickly.”

Ambrose finished the race in 18th, alongside Mears in 19th place.

Both drivers have been put on probation until May 28, with neither suffering suspension for the post-race incident.

Ambrose, a former V8 Supercar champion, is known for his fiery attitude at the racetrack after having a similar altercation with New Zealand driver Greg Murphy at the Bathurst 1000 in 2005.

In an exclusive interview in 2012, a NASCAR journalist asked Ambrose if he had any regrets.

“Anything I regret? Yeah. There was this guy in Australia – Bathurst 2005 – and he took me out of the race.

“We had a bit of a shouting match, and I regret I didn’t punch him.”

Murphy later watched the video of Ambrose in America punching Mears.

“I didn’t think he had it in him,” Murphy said.

“Maybe he saw a picture of my head on Casey Mears’ shoulders, who knows?

“He obviously got a big shove from Casey for whatever reason that moved him aside and that was enough to get him riled up.”

Ambrose and Mears will come head-to-head at the next Sprint Cup race held at Talladega this weekend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbsE2weoQ4w (video courtesy of Fox Sports)

Jason Richards Memorial win goes to Winterbottom

Australian V8 Supercars, Fiasco Sports

Mark Winterbottom has claimed the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy after beating Scott McLaughlin to the finish line in Race 13 of the V8 Championship.

Ford Performance Racing’s Mark Winterbottom became the second winner of the prestigious Jason Richards Memorial Trophy, after taking two race wins at Pukekohe Raceway for the fourth round of the V8 Supercars Championship.

Winterbottom defeated young-gun Scott McLaughlin, overtaking McLaughlin in pit-lane to win Race 13 of the championship.

Chaz Mostert also gained his first podium with Ford Performance Racing, finishing in third place with his new team.

Despite McLaughlin taking two pole positions over the weekend, he was unable to grab a win in front of his home New Zealand crowd like last year.

Front-row starter Tim Slade qualified second for Race 13, but due to a clutch failure the Supercheap Auto Commodore only managed 21st.

Craig Lowndes‘ championship also took a beating, with the Red Bull racer only finishing in 20th position.

Shane van Gisbergen fell shy of another podium finish in front of his home finishing fourth, with Michael Caruso, Jason Bright, Will Davison, Rick Kelly and V8 Champion Jamie Whincup rounding out the top ten.

Winterbottom was also able to grab the championship lead after Saturday’s race results, with the number 5 Falcon driver currently in first to Craig Lowndes by 107 points, with Fabian Coulthard third and Holden Racing’s James Courtney fourth.

“What an awesome race, the car was really good,” Winterbottom said.

“I had a bit of a bodgy start and trucked on through…

“A 100 point lead, that’s cool! I wanted to lead going out, not just halfway through.

“I feel honoured to win [the JR trophy].”

The next round of the V8 Supercars Championship will see the drivers head to Barbagallo for the Perth 400, on the 16-18 May.

Race 13 results

Position	Car	Driver	Team	Car
1	5	Mark Winterbottom	Ford Pepsi Max Crew	Ford Falcon FG
2	33	Scott McLaughlin	Valvoline Racing GRM	Volvo S60
3	6	Chaz Mostert	Ford Pepsi Max Crew	Ford Falcon FG
4	97	Shane Van Gisbergen	Team Tekno VIP Petfoods	Holden Commodore VF
5	36	Michael Caruso	Norton Hornets	Nissan Altima
6	8	Jason Bright	Team BOC	Holden Commodore VF
7	9	Will Davison	Erebus Motorsport V8	Mercedes E63 AMG
8	15	Rick Kelly	Jack Daniel’s Racing	Nissan Altima
9	14	Fabian Coulthard	Lockwood Racing	Holden Commodore VF
10	1	Jamie Whincup	Red Bull Racing Australia	Holden Commodore VF
11	222	Nick Percat	Walkinshaw Racing	Holden Commodore VF
12	2	Garth Tander	Holden Racing Team	Holden Commodore VF
13	16	Scott Pye	Wilson Security Racing	Ford Falcon FG
14	22	James Courtney	Holden Racing Team	Holden Commodore VF
15	4	Lee Holdsworth	Erebus Motorsport V8	Mercedes E63 AMG
16	360	James Moffat	Norton Hornets	Nissan Altima
17	55	David Reynolds	The Bottle-O Racing Team	Ford Falcon FG
18	18	Jack Perkins	Team JELD-WEN	Ford Falcon FG
19	23	Russell Ingall	Repair Management Aust Racing	Holden Commodore VF
20	888	Craig Lowndes	Red Bull Racing Australia	Holden Commodore VF
21	47	Tim Slade	Supercheap Auto Racing	Holden Commodore VF
22	21	Dale Wood	Team Advam/GB	Holden Commodore VF
23	34	Robert Dahlgren	Valvoline Racing GRM	Volvo S60
24	7	Todd Kelly	Jack Daniel’s Racing	Nissan Altima

By Loren Hazelwood @LorenHazelwood

– See more at: http://fiascosports.com/jason-richards-memorial-win-goes-to-winterbottom/#sthash.AhRGTwFW.dpuf

Why fans should stop the Volvo jokes

Australian V8 Supercars, Fiasco Sports, Film and TV

It’s the age-old joke, calling someone a ‘Volvo driver’ if they couldn’t drive. Well, now we are the ones who should be laughing because Volvo are a dominant force.

Scott McLaughlin racing at the Clipsal 500 Adelaide. Photo: Mark Horsburgh

Volvo is a name synonymous to car manufacturers, and one that has had its fair share of jokes, but this year Volvo has smashed its debut in the V8 Supercars, exceeding everyone’s expectations.

The S60 V8 Supercar was entered this year by Garry Rogers Racing, and developed by World Touring Car team Polestar Racing who have re-created a car suitable for Australian circuits and an engine competitive enough to run at the front of the first race of the season.

It already appears much stronger than last year’s new manufacturers Erebus and Nissan.

Not only have Polestar and Rogers come together to create a blue-montser, but with a team of drivers including superstar rookie Scott McLaughlin and Swedish World Touring Car driver Robert Dahlgren, you have a team ready to smash some records.

At the Clipsal 500 Adelaide, McLaughlin made the crowd roar with his late-race manoeuvre on current V8 Supercar Champion Jamie Whincup, giving Volvo their first ever podium in the category.

And of course for our at-home entertainment, McLaughlin dropped the f-bomb on live television.

As McLaughlin explained, “I just plucked her in first, gave it some jandal and f*ck yeah!”….and to explain what exactly a ‘jandal’ is

Not only did Volvo make history placing on the podium, GRM actually sold out of merchandise at the Clipsal 500 Adelaide round and were automatically on back-order as fans demanded for more Volvo merchandise!

The team continued to power on two weeks later in Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix, breaking Shane van Gisbergen’s hat-trick of race wins to take out their first ever V8 Supercars victory.

McLaughlin managed to stay out of trouble, and the car managed to pull-through for history to break, putting the team in an even stronger position for the next round at Symmons Plains Raceway in Tasmania on March 28-30.

Just in case you missed the social media frenzy Volvo and McLaughlin started, you can show your support by using the hashtag #jandalarmy.

Written by Loren Hazelwood @LorenHazelwood

– See more at: http://fiascosports.com/why-fans-should-stop-the-volvo-jokes/#sthash.sOa8qDhZ.dpuf

Go Aussie Adam: Rising V8 Ute driver Adam Marjoram

Fiasco Sports, Sprint Karting, V8 Utes

Rising Australian motorsport star Adam Majoram recently caught up with Fiasco Sports to talk all things racing and V8 Utes.

V8 Ute driver Adam Marjoram racing on the Gold Coast. Source: Adam Marjoram

V8 Utes has a strong place in the heart of Australian motorsport and 20 year old Adam Marjoram is set to make his 2014 racing campaign stronger than ever.

While studying a double degree of Economics and Commerce and racing all over Australia, this year is set to be a challenging and exciting year for the Western Australian.

Marjoram was recently signed as part of V8 Supercar’s Erebus Motorsport Academy and Erebus Motorsport V8 Ute team, making his debut round at Adelaide’s Clipsal 500 look very strong.

The V8 Ute driver recently caught up with Fiasco Sports’ journalist Loren Hazelwood to talk about his exciting up-coming season.

Adam Marjoram confirms signing with Erebus Motorsport V8 Ute team. Source: Adam Marjoram

Loren: You had a great debut season in the V8 Ute series last year, how will this help your 2014 campaign?

Adam: Yeah, it was a great year learning all the tracks and handle the V8 Utes – they’re very different to any other form of race car! For 2014, I have signed with the Erebus V8 Ute team and the Erebus Academy. With the resources and access to all areas with Erebus, it will help me to develop as a driver on and off the track and provide me with a really competitive car. Hopefully we can push the top 5 consistently!

Loren: Now you just mentioned that Erebus Motorsport have signed you as a ute driver, will their experience in V8 Supercars be beneficial for your second season in V8 Utes?

Adam: For sure, Erebus are an extremely professional outfit and many of the things they have learned in V8 Supercars can be transferred to the V8 Ute team, whether it be technical or PR related.

Loren: You started out your racing career in sprint kart racing all over Australia, how has this helped in getting yourself to the level you are at today?

Adam: Karting is a great base for any young driver. It allows you to learn the fundamentals of racing and race craft. Transitioning into car racing is a hard process, however, the one thing you never lose is that race craft. Coming from Perth, you are very isolated; therefore you really have to travel abroad to race where the competition is. Because of this I was always learning new tracks; this really develops the adaptability of the driver so that when they are immersed into a new environment they can pick it up as quick as possible.

Loren: What has the V8 Ute experience been like?

Adam: It has been amazing! To only be in the car racing scene for two years and getting the chance to race at places like Bathurst, Surfers Paradise and in front of my home crowd at Barbagallo [Perth], has been amazing. I have learned so much about racing over the 2013 season…the tracks, the cars, the media. It has just been a dream come true for me! When I go to the track I am honestly like a kid in a candy shop, there is nowhere else I’d rather be!

Adam Marjoram walking away from his horrific crash. Source: Adam Marjoram

Loren: You unfortunately had a massive crash last year at the Gold Coast 500 and had to replace the car for the final round at Sydney, how did you take that challenge of overcoming a crash and coming to grips with a new car?

Adam: Yeah, that was definitely the biggest crash I had been in. You race knowing that accidents like that happen, but you just never expect it to happen to you. I felt pretty sore after the crash as you’d expect, but went straight into exams so I couldn’t see anyone about it! I have since seen a physio, and all is well now. But I was very lucky to get another V8 Ute for the Sydney 500. Unfortunately we were plagued with problems from chronic understeer to overheating engines. That dropped us three positions in the Championship and down to third in the Rookie of the Year Championship which was not ideal.

Loren: You’ve been busy juggling university studies and racing, do you have anything else planned for 2014?

Adam: Yeah, has been a busy, busy year! As part of the Erebus Academy I will be travelling to more V8 Supercar rounds outside of the V8 Ute calendar to learn and help the team. Otherwise, I am looking at getting back into a kart back here in Perth to keep my eye in a little more and keep up the training so that I am at my physical peak whenever I jump into a car! There also may be a couple of cool little things pop up during the year …you’ll have to keep posted.

Loren: The team here at Fiasco Sports will definitely be watching you this year! Is there anyone you would like to thank?

Adam: Thanks! Look everyone that has been instrumental in forging my Motorsport Career has been amazing, namely the support from Auto One, Valvoline, Supercharge Batteries, Nova, my team last year – Williams Race Tech – and and my new team, Erebus Motorsport.

Loren: Thank you very much Adam, catch you on the track!

Written by Loren Hazelwood. @LorenHazelwood

– See more at: http://fiascosports.com/go-aussie-adam-rising-v8-ute-driver-adam-marjoram/#sthash.qNLeeJLp.dpuf

Working as hard as Steel: future F1 star Steel Guiliana

Fiasco Sports, Formula 1, Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship, Sprint Karting

Motorsport is a long and hard road, and no one knows the international track more than Australian Steel Guiliana, who is on the way to his Formula 1 dream.

Steel Guiliana leading the pack at Mt. Panorama, Bathurst. Photo: Dirk Klynsmith

For 22-year-old Steel Guiliana, life is a juggle between working hard and driving with pure dedication and skill to make it to the pinnacle of world motorsport, Formula 1.

Raised on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Guiliana immediately impressed those competing against him, from the beginning in go-karts and winning numerous titles in the rookie and junior ranks, even against current V8 Supercar drivers and current F1 driver, Daniel Ricciardo.

Guiliana pursued towards his dream at a very young age, at just 15 years old he lived in Austria to compete in the European Rotax Karting Championship, where Guiliana went on to finish second in the series.

Austria kickstarted Guiliana’s international racing career, then he moved to Italy where he won the Italian Karting Championship and was also given the opportunity to race in the Formula BMW category.

The rising star then raced in America, but later returned back home to Australia to compete in the Australian Formula 3 Drivers’ Championship, where Guiliana claimed seven race wins in his first season in the national class and was also awarded a $50,000 scholarship to race in the series for the following year.

Guiliana continued to pursue his dream to the Formula 1 grid, testing in GP3 at the end of 2012, showing the world he has what it takes.

The Central Coast driver decided in November 2013 to team up with 1980 Formula 1 World Champion Alan Jones to travel to Abu Dhabi, to hopefully seal a deal for GP3 in the 2014 season.

Fiasco Sports motorsport reporter Loren Hazelwood recently caught up with Guiliana, asking about his future and delving into how hard he has worked to get where he is today.

Steel at Symmons Plains, Tasmania. Photo: Steel Guiliana’s official website

Loren: Racing is your passion and has always been in your blood, how did you first get involved with racing?

Steel: My Dad came from a racing background running Formula Ford earlier in his career, so he took me to a kart track when I was five years old and we went to Newcastle to see what it was like. I was instantly hooked, then Dad bought an old go-kart and started practicing when I was six. I started at Coffs Harbour and raced at Newcastle by the time I was seven.

Loren: You’ve raced all over the world and at some incredible circuits, what would be your favourite?

Steel: My favourite tracks would definitely be Monza and Singapore, mainly because of the atmosphere behind the venues, it makes it more exciting to drive around. Singapore is probably my favourite circuit to race at though, but Monza is awesome because of the venue.

Loren: All round, you have sacrificed a lot to go racing, what has kept your passion alive for the last 15 years?

Steel: Going fast. I love the speed and the adrenaline, and also the competition, I don’t like losing. I have a passion for fast cars and everything that goes on behind the scenes. It’s awesome to be honoured to drive a car that hundreds of people have prepared just for you.

Loren: Would you be able to describe a typical lap in an open wheel car?

Steel: It’s very challenging to start with, the harder you push under brakes the more stable the car is, you have to get rid of the fear of the speed and once you’ve done that you will be confident to go fast, and in saying that you have to be fit to handle the g-forces the car produces. You also can’t just plant your foot coming out of a corner, so there is a lot of different techniques that can be used. The hardest thing is to not make a mistake over 20-40 laps and hold concentration for that period of time, while other people are racing with you.

Loren: What is your plan for 2014?

Steel: To compete in the GP3 series in Europe.

Loren: Who is your racing idol and mentor?

Steel: That would be Alan Jones, and also Ayrton Senna. Ayrton was my first idol and when I started to learn a bit about what Alan did to get into Formula 1 and the hard route he had I started to look up to him and achieved world champion status from a difficult background.

Loren: What has the experience been like working alongside the likes of Alan Jones?

Steel: It’s ben great to get inside knowledge to how people work in Formula 1. It’s a very cut throat business and if you don’t know the right people it’s very difficult, so to be able to work next to Alan is a great pleasure for myself and it’s great having someone of his status to help support my racing. He’s been able to give me advice on fitness he used to do and it’s been incredible to talk to someone who raced in the 70s and 80s when the cars weren’t easy to drive.

Steel Guiliana and Alan Jones. Photo: Steel Guiliana

Loren: How big is the difference between racing in Australia against racing Internationally?

Steel: I think the level of competition is very similar, but the different is you may have the top two or three guys to take victory, which we saw in the Australian Formula 3 category this year, where as overseas there can be ten different drivers in a series that win races. The way the teams go about it is very different also, overseas you don’t get a lot of practice, where as over here you get a bit of time to try different things.

Loren: Where was your best ever race?

Steel: When i finished third in the championship round in England back in 2005, that was definitely a highlight to be able to be in the European championship as a privateer and run alongside factory teams on their home track and to end up on the podium was a big thing.

Loren: Anyone you would like to thank or any other comments?

Steel: Big thanks to my parents who have supported me since I was seven, my crew back home for their continued support, my manager Titus Day, my girlfriend for helping out with my media, Alan Jones and his manager Patrick Wedes, R-Tek Motorsport for preparing my Formula 3 car over the last three years and Peter Hawkes and Aaron Borg for mentoring me. The list could go on forever really, but these people have been crucial in helping me get to Formula 1.

Steel racing in Formula BMW. Photo: Steel Guiliana’s official website

Written by Loren Hazelwood. @LorenHazelwood

– See more at: http://fiascosports.com/working-as-hard-as-steel-future-f1-star-steel-guiliana/#sthash.RrOFXTEf.dpuf

Hazelwood Wins Series Three of Shannons Supercar Showdown

Australian V8 Supercars, Film and TV, Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship, Todd Hazelwood Racing

Todd being congratulated by team mentor Will Davison

AUSTRALIAN FORMULA 3 racer Todd Hazelwood has taken out the grand finale of the Shannons Supercar Showdown, winning series three of the motor racing reality TV show.

The grand prize entitles the South Australian to a testing contract with Ford Performance Racing, as well as a race in the Dunlop Development Series race which will be held at the final round of the V8 Supercar Championship, the Sydney 500 at Homebush.

The 18-year-old went through several challenges among seven other rookies, having Ford Performance Racing’s Will Davison as his team coach, along with Mark Winterbottom and Tim Edwards also watching his progress throughout the show.

Hazelwood is ecstatic with the result, with the win really boosting his career progress.

“This is absolutely phenomenal, can’t believe I’ve won the show with the smallest of margins and to top it off be connected with leading V8 Supercar team Ford Performance Racing,” said Hazelwood

“The competition in the show was really tight between everyone and especially the Davison team, and after a long hard eight weeks, it was awesome to finish it all off with a win.

“Both Shannons and Ford Performance Racing have given me a once in a lifetime opportunity, I can’t wait to test their cars and experience the V8 Supercars for the first time.”

The Shannons Supercar Showdown ran over eight episodes, airing on Seven Network’s 7mate, with all episodes available to watch on YouTube among other special features.

The South Australian is set to test in a FPR Falcon before his Dunlop Development Series race in Shannons colours at the Sydney 500, over December 6-8.

Hazelwood also has his final round of the Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship, currently second in the championship and held at Sandown Raceway, November 15-17.

What A Bloody Rush

Film and TV, Formula 1, Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship, Spultured

Ladies and Gentleman, fasten your seatbelts because Rush is by far one of the most inspiring yet adrenalin pumping movies you could ever watch. Whether you’re a racing fanatic or know nothing about those things that move on four wheels, this movie is a winner.

Directed by Academy Award Winner Ron Howard and written by Peter Morgan, Rush is based on the true story of Niki Lauder and James Hunt’s rivalry in Formula 1 back in the late 70’s, entering a world that most Formula 1 fans would have never discovered.

The movie is rather long, but definitely worth the time. It starts off with Lauder and Hunt’s rivalry back in the Formula 3 days, showing straight from the start how different the two characters were and how they progressed to the pinnacle of open wheel racing leading in two different directions.

If you aren’t familiar with the rivalry between these two amazing drivers and the 1976 Formula 1 season, I’d strongly suggest you Google it before watching the movie. The way Howard conducts the life of these two drivers is impeccable, with Australian actor Chris Hemsworth (James Hunt) and Daniel Brühl (Niki Lauder) turning in outstanding performances as these Formula 1 champions.

This movie shows the audience just how dedicated you have to be to race in Formula 1, especially when it’s life or death. Rush will definitely keep you on the edge throughout, making you wonder just how those two drivers survived racing all those years ago.

If you loved Senna and World’s Fastest Indian, I’d strongly suggest you go see this when it hits cinemas (October 3). Rush follows a similar storyline to the World’s Fastest Indian, yet draws you in on the true story just like Senna. Motorsport fan or not, this movie is a must see.

Keep your eyes peeled and go feel the rush – everyone’s driven by something.

Australian F3 Driver on the Road to Recovery

Fiasco Sports, Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship

Despite being involved in a monstrous crash at Hidden Valley in Darwin a few weeks ago, Steel Guiliana will be racing his Formula 3 at Sydney Motorsport Park this weekend.

Australian Formula 3 driver Steel Guiliana is set to race at this weekend’s round of the championship at Sydney Motorsport Park despite being involved in a crash at Hidden Valley a few weeks ago.

The 22-year-old endured the effects of a high impact crash at turn one, hitting the tyre barriers at the end of the 1.2km straight reaching speeds of 230 k/ph.

Fortunately Guiliana walked away unhurt due to the safety standards of the Formula 3 cars, however his car was too damaged to continue the rest of the round at Hidden Valley.

Guiliana climbed into Team BRM’s car for this weekend’s round of the championship at Sydney Motorsport Park, with the team at R-Tek Motorsport working tirelessly to prepare the car in a short period.

“The team have done a great job to turn this car around ready for Sydney and have been very supportive after my big accident,” said Guiliana.

“It certainly knocked me around but shortly after the race I felt fine and was keen to get back out there.”

“I hope we can have a strong return to the front at my home race and get our championship back on track.”

Guiliana will be racing at his home circuit this weekend, with the Sydney driver currently sixth in the Australian Formula 3 championship.

Written by Loren Hazelwood @LorenHazelwood

– See more at: http://fiascosports.com/australian-f3-driver-on-the-road-to-recovery/#sthash.4svSM40C.dpuf

Todd Hazelwood Finishes Fifth in Action Packed Bathurst Enduro Race

Dunlop Development Series, Todd Hazelwood Racing

Hazelwood crossing the line after the 38-lap race. Photo: Speed Shots Photography/Nathan Wong

ROOKIE DRIVER Todd Hazelwood has defied all rookie-odds, finishing an impressive fifth place in the Bathurst Wilson Security Medic One endurance race for Round 6 in the V8 Supercars Dunlop Development Series.

Due to safety cars, the race was shortened to 240km with the South Australian racing from ninth place on the starting grid – battling right to the end.

Pit stops played a huge part on the result, with the 19-year-old having to learn the whole new dynamic of taking a pit stop during a longer race.

“The race was one of the toughest I have ever endured and so much happened during the race,” Hazelwood said.

“The team did a great job in the pits helping us gain a few positions on the track … we changed the tyres on Lap 10, so by the end of the race I was really struggling with tyres but I just drove the wheels off the car and held on.

“Five guys behind me had fresh tyres on with 10 laps to go and I was under immense pressure, I just had to believe I could hold on and make this work!”

Despite not electing a co-driver, Hazelwood was quite impressed with his own physical and mental health during the race.

The rookie was stoked to finish fifth on debut in at V8 Supercar at Bathurst – and also mentioned that this felt like a win to him.

“I’m really proud of our efforts during the Bathurst weekend, we kept the car straight and came home with a strong result,” Hazelwood continued.

“All of this would not be possible without the on-going efforts from the team, my family, sponsors and supporters – I cannot thank them enough.”

The fifth place pushed the teenager to eighth in the championship on 966 points, with Hazelwood currently leading the rookie standings in the Dunlop Series.

The finish also left Hazelwood the highest ranked driver that did not race in yesterday’s Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.

“We will now start preparing for Sydney, hopefully we can finish the year off with a good result.”

Round 7 is the final round of the Dunlop Series championship, and will be held at the Sydney Olympic Park circuit at Homebush on December 5-6.

Rookie Hazelwood Finishes Ninth in Qualifying for Bathurst Enduro

Dunlop Development Series, Todd Hazelwood Racing

Todd Hazelwood made a great rookie debut, P9 in Qualifying

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN Todd Hazelwood has qualified inside the top ten in the V8 Supercars Dunlop Development Series for this afternoon’s Bathurst 250km endurance race.

During a 30-minute session that was red-flagged twice, the 19-year-old drove a strong lap to secure him ninth on the starting grid for the 41-lap race.

Hazelwood also finished a strong ninth position in Practice and at one stage was a high as fourth on the lap time board, with the teenager stoked with yesterday’s results.

“Very pleased with our efforts in both Practice and Qualifying,” Hazelwood said.

“It has been a tough day both getting confidence around the Mount Panorama circuit and understanding what set-up to use.

“We need to work on set-up for today’s big race … hopefully with some more homework we can find some more speed for the race later this afternoon.”

The rookie driver also mentioned that this race will be his biggest challenge to date – and he is still focusing on getting further towards the top of the series championship.

“250km around Bathurst is going to be my biggest challenge in my racing career – both mentally and physically,” Hazelwood continued.

“I feel being placed ninth is a good starting position and we have the potential to go forward from there.

“Maintaining our position in the race would be amazing, it would feel like a win for us … hopefully we can have a good and clean race, keep out of trouble and bank some good points for our championship.”

The teenager is currently eleventh in the championship on 744 points, with Hazelwood currently leading the rookie standings in the Dunlop Series.

Hazelwood will hit the Mount Panorama circuit in his Tecalemit Ford Falcon at 9:55am local time for a brief warm up session; with the race being telecast live on Channel 7 at 12:30pm.

Race schedule – Mount Panorama, Bathurst
Saturday: Warm up – 9:55 (15 minutes)
Race 1 – 12:30 (250km) live on Seven

Hazelwood Pumped for Debut at the Mountain

Dunlop Development Series, Todd Hazelwood Racing

Hazelwood sporting a new Tecalemit Racing/Thomas Steel Fabrication livery

DUNLOP SERIES rookie Todd Hazelwood will be making his debut at the historic Mount Panorama circuit today, and could not be more excited to make his V8 Supercars Dunlop Development Series debut.

The 19-year-old tested last week at Queensland Raceway for this year’s new 250km race format and said this helped with his preparation leading-up towards this week.

“Testing last week went really well, I mainly focused on cold-tyre pace and pit-stop procedures,” Hazelwood said.

“This will be the biggest race of my career to date, 250km around Australia’s toughest track including a compulsory pit-stop in front of big crowds – the pressure could not be greater.

“My mental and physical training for the last few months has been successful, hopefully I can take some of the rookie success at the mountain.”

Although Hazelwood has focused on mental physical strain for the mountain, one of his biggest tasks was to find the financial support to make it to the endurance race on Saturday.

The South Australian is very thankful for all the on-going support and would like to thank Tecalemit Australia, Thomas Steel Fabrication, iSeek, Verto, Australian Post-Tensioning and The Pool Shop Group for partnering with Hazelwood for the Bathurst week.

This is a dream come true for the teenager and he cannot wait to hit the circuit this morning for Practice 1.

“I’m super excited about this week … it is very special to be racing at the iconic Bathurst 1000 weekend for the first time in a V8 Supercar,” Hazelwood said.

“I cannot wait to get on track and absorb all of the emotions the mountain brings.”

The teenager is currently eleventh in the championship on 744 points, with Hazelwood currently leading the rookie standings in the Dunlop Series.

Hazelwood will hit the Mount Panorama circuit for the first time in his Tecalemit Ford Falcon at 10:05 local time.

Race schedule – Mount Panorama, Bathurst
Thursday: Practice 1 – 10:05 (50 minutes)
Friday: Practice 2 – 10:25 (50 minutes)
Qualifying – 15:55 (90 minutes)
Saturday: Warm up – 9:55 (15 minutes)
Race 1 – 12:30 (250km) live on Seven

Tecalemit Australia Partners with Hazelwood for Bathurst

Dunlop Development Series, Todd Hazelwood Racing

V8 SUPERCARS Dunlop Development Series regular Todd Hazelwood is proud to announce that Tecalemit Australia will be the major sponsor at the Bathurst Endurance Round.

The vehicle hoists and lubrication equipment brand are excited to be supporting the 18-year-old for his debut in a V8 Supercar at the Mount Panorama circuit in October.

“All of the staff here at Tecalemit Australia are very excited and proud to be the naming rights partner for Todd Hazelwood Racing at the mighty Bathurst event,” National Sales and Marketing manager of Tecalemit, Dean Rothapfel said.

“We are strong supporters of Todd and his family, and we trust Todd will perform well on-and-off the track to ensure our Tecalemit brand will receive great recognition and exposure throughout the event.

“We can’t wait to be involved with Todd and the team – and we all look forward to cheering him on in the Tecalemit V8 Supercar.”

Tecalemit are a regular sponsor of the young South Australian, having jumped on board at the start of Hazelwood’s National Formula 3 campaign in 2013.

The teenager is very grateful for Tecalemit’s strong support during his racing career to date.

“It is fantastic to have the iconic South Australian business come on-board as the naming rights partner for Bathurst and I am very proud to continue our partnership going into the biggest round for the year,” Hazelwood said.

“Tecalemit have been a strong supporter of mine over the last two seasons, and I believe there is no better event than Bathurst to come on-board as a major partner in the V8 Supercars Dunlop Series.

“Without the support of Tecalemit and my other sponsors throughout 2014, the Bathurst dream would not have been possible.”

About Tecalemit:
Tecalemit has been a name synonymous with lubrication equipment since the 1920’s and commenced manufacturing operations in Australia in 1941.

Tecalemit’s vehicle hoists & lubrication systems can be observed in many leading light and heavy vehicle workshops Australia wide.

At Tecalemit, they understand the importance of reliability and safety and built their reputation around by only providing quality products. They can also assist with the design and lubrication equipment specification to provide a state of the art workshop development.

Tecalemit are the leaders in providing solutions for critical and sophisticated lubrication systems for the mining industry, managing many complex fixed and mobile plant lubrication projects.

Whatever your lubrication equipment needs, Tecalemit can provide equipment based solutions that safely deliver reliability, durability and improved productivity, making your job easier.

For more information on Tecalemit contact on 1800 68 55 77, or click the links to view their website, Facebook and YouTube pages.

Written by Loren Hazelwood for Todd Hazelwood Racing and Tecalemit Australia.

Ten years later: Diamonds announced lost after strapped to F1 car

Fiasco Sports, Formula 1

A bizarre story has filtered from the Formula 1 paddock, and it’s not to do with this weekend’s race.

Whoever thought it would be a good idea to place two diamonds on the nose of a Formula 1 car, ripping around the streets of Monaco?

Well, in 2004 for the movie premiere of Ocean’s Twelve, movie producers decided to place diamonds worth $300,000 on the front of Austrian driver Christian Klein’s Jaguar.

Of course traditionally on an opening lap at Monaco, the car was involved in a crash and the diamonds were – well, nowhere to be seen.

Due to strict FIA Formula 1 regulations, the team were not allowed to search the track hours after the race.

No one knows what happened to the diamonds – however it is to be believed that a lucky spectator found the sparkling rock.

According to script writer Doug DeMuro, the diamonds were not insured.

Written by Loren Hazelwood. @LorenHazelwood

– See more at: http://fiascosports.com/ten-years-later-diamonds-announced-lost-after-strapped-to-f1-car/#sthash.zbmI1y5o.dpuf

Athlete Profile: Daniel Ricciardo

The Australia Times

Published in Volume 2 Issue 11 Page 26 of The Australia Times.

Media by Loren Hazelwood

Motor sport media, marketing and content specialist

Hazelwood ready to bounce back after fifth placing on day one

Maxwell ready for title fight at next Australian Formula Ford Round

Hazelwood Reflects on Perfect Rookie Season

Maxwell Finishes Fifth on Debut in Australian Formula Ford Final Round

Paying my respect to motorsport: maybe you should too

Dan Ricciardo = Australia’s New Hero

Rally champ breaks four-wheel Isle Of Man record

You’ll never be forgotten, Sir Jack Brabham

Australian Ambrose gets hit with 25k fine

Jason Richards Memorial win goes to Winterbottom

Why fans should stop the Volvo jokes

Go Aussie Adam: Rising V8 Ute driver Adam Marjoram

Working as hard as Steel: future F1 star Steel Guiliana

Hazelwood Wins Series Three of Shannons Supercar Showdown

What A Bloody Rush

Australian F3 Driver on the Road to Recovery

Todd Hazelwood Finishes Fifth in Action Packed Bathurst Enduro Race

Rookie Hazelwood Finishes Ninth in Qualifying for Bathurst Enduro

Hazelwood Pumped for Debut at the Mountain

Tecalemit Australia Partners with Hazelwood for Bathurst

Ten years later: Diamonds announced lost after strapped to F1 car

Athlete Profile: Daniel Ricciardo