News
KUMHO SERIES READY TO EMBRACE THE NEXT GENERATION
This weekends round at Sandown is likely to be one of the most open in series history with a host of new contenders and new cars set to shake up the establishment.
Amongst those fighting at the front of the field is likely to be former series champion Chris Smerdon the series most successful ever driver at Sandown.
A two-time round winner (2008 and 2011) at the suburban Melbourne venue Smerdon has traded his ex-Stone Brothers BF Falcon for a later-specification FG Falcon raced last year in the Development series by Todd Hazelwood.
Smerdon also has four race wins and three pole positions in the Kumho Series at Sandown both the most by any driver at the venue.
Like his old car Smerdons new ride hails originally from Stone Brothers Racing where it was raced in Irwin colours by Alex Davison and Lee Holdsworth and is a potent addition to the Kumho Series field.
One of several new additions to the field Bathurstian Michael Anderson is set for his Kumho series debut this weekend driving the ex-FPR BF Falcon raced last year by teenage sensation Alex Rullo.
A winner at the Winton round the car has changed hands and will now be run by Anderson a noted Historic Touring Car racer best known for successfully hustling a Falcon GTHO around Mount Panorama.
Sandown will also mark the Kumho series debut of Brad Jones Racing who become the first team to enter all three tiers of V8 racing in Australia thanks to the entry of a VE Holden Commodore for 18-year-old Queensland teenager Josh Smith.
Former Saloon Car racer Jason Wright steps into the 501 Performance Falcon raced for several seasons by Tony Evangelou while Jim Pollicina returns with a two-car team of ex-Tasman Motorsport VE Commodores for himself and new teammate Anthony Loscialpo.
Meanwhile Former Bathurst 1000 podium finisher Taz Douglas will run a VE Commodore for THR Developments and is expected to be a leading contender this weekend while Emily Duggan will make her first V8 Touring Cars start this weekend when she lines up in an R-Sport entered ex-Kelly Racing Holden Commodore.
There’s also a two-car team by Kumho series mainstay Steve Briffa who finished third outright in last year’s championship in his poco.com.au Holden Commodore. Briffa has confirmed that former V8 Supercars privateer Simon Emerzidis will race his team’s second VZ Commodore.
The Kumho Tyre V8 Touring Car Series will contest three races across the weekend with Sundays action streamed live on the internet and via the MotorsportsTV app for Android and iPhone.
In addition to the new model influx the category will also lift its engine rev limit to 7500rpm for 2016 bringing it into line with the V8 Supercars Championship and the Development Series. The Kumho Series has used a 7000rpm rev limit since it was first introduced in 2008.
The series which commences its ninth season this weekend has the blessing of V8 Supercars and has emerged as effectively a third-tier of V8 racing in Australia.
As well as competing at a pair of high-profile Shannons Nationals rounds this year the Kumho Series will also race alongside their V8 Supercar big brothers at Winton Raceway and Queensland Raceway as well as a headlining slot at the annual Muscle Car Masters event at Sydney Motorsport Park to end the year.
ROUND 1 ENTRY LIST:
|
ENTRIES |
CAR # |
SPONSOR/TEAM NAME |
CLASS |
DRIVER NAME |
STATE |
VEHICLE |
COLOUR |
|
1 |
5 |
Haymans Virginia/JCH Electrical |
Priv |
Jason Heck |
Qld |
Ford Falcon BF |
White/Blue |
|
2 |
6 |
501 Performance |
Pro |
David Wright |
Vic |
Ford Falcon BF |
White |
|
3 |
7 |
MoComm Motorsports Communications |
Priv |
Jim Pollicina |
NSW |
Commodore VE |
Red |
|
4 |
8 |
Poco/Simons Earthworks |
Priv |
Steve Briffa |
NSW |
Commodore VZ |
Red/Yellow |
|
5 |
11 |
Kenwood Homes |
Priv |
Michael Anderson |
NSW |
Ford Falcon BF |
TBA |
|
6 |
14 |
Brad Jones Racing |
Pro |
Joshua Smith |
QLD |
Commodore VE ll |
TBA |
|
7 |
15 |
Rsport Race Engineering |
Pro |
Emily Duggan |
NSW |
Commodore VE |
Black |
|
8 |
16 |
Image Racing/Lubrimaxx |
Pro |
Leigh Moran |
VIC |
Ford Falcon BA |
Black/Silver |
|
9 |
25 |
Savs Auto Electric/Westco Equip/United Racing |
Priv |
Sam Morabito |
WA |
Commodore VE |
White |
|
10 |
37 |
Tempest Solutions Air & Mechanical |
Priv |
Anthony Loscialpo |
NSW |
Commodore VE |
Red |
|
11 |
38 |
Eggleston Motorsport |
Pro |
TBA |
 |
Commodore VZ |
Blue/Blk/Silv |
|
12 |
39 |
Vectra Corp/Lubrimaxx |
Pro |
Chris Smerdon |
SA |
Ford Falcon FG |
Blue/Yellow |
|
13 |
45 |
SA Racing Logistics/THR Developments |
Pro |
Taz Douglas |
VIC |
Commodore VE |
Black |
|
14 |
49 |
Image Racing/Lubrimaxx |
Pro |
TBA |
 |
Ford Falcon BF |
Blue |
|
15 |
62 |
MW Motorsport |
Pro |
TBA |
WA |
Ford Falcon BF |
Blue |
|
16 |
66 |
Unichip Dynomotive |
Pro |
Jack Sipp |
QLD |
Commodore VE |
Black/Yellow |
|
17 |
75 |
Strong Excavations/ Kirra Automotics |
Priv |
Brendan Strong |
NSW |
Commodore VZ |
Red/White |
|
18 |
88 |
WARLORD |
Priv |
Simon Emerzidis |
NSW |
Commodore VZ |
Black/Yellow |
SCHEDULE:
Friday 1 April:
Practice 1: 10:45am
Practice 2: 1:20pm
Practice 3: 3:50pm
Saturday 2 April:
Qualifying: 11:35am
Race 1 (12 Laps): 4:15pm
Sunday 3 April:
Race 2 (12 Laps): 10:40am
Race 3 (15 Laps): 3:25pm
SANDOWN KUMHO SERIES LAP RECORDS:
Race Lap Record: Jack Perkins Holden Commodore VZ 1m11.7351s 2015
Qualifying Lap Record: Ryan Simpson Ford Falcon BF 1m11.2646s 2013