News

30 March 2016 | General

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