Farewell Commodore

A Motorsport Affiliatied Organstion

QMROA News

2020 QMROA Management Committee

President – John Miller

Secretary – Warren Jackson

Treasurer – David Wickham

Committee Members

Brendan Pratt

Charles Tickell

Corey Dyer

Patrons

Steven Johnson

Jett Johnson

Members of Interest

Regalia Officer – John Miller

Newsletter Editor – John Miller

Circuit Member Liaisons – Charles Tickell, David Wickham & John Miller

Rally Liaison Officers – Ian Gorski & John Miller

Training – David Wickham & Paul Baxter

CAMS State Delegate – John Miller

Alternate CAMS State Delegate – Warren Jackson

CAMS Motor Race & Speed Advisory Panel – Paul Overell & John Miller

CAMS State Officiating Panel – Susie Brook, Nigel Faull, & Paul Overell

Social Media Admin – Brendan Pratt

Webmaster – Brendan Pratt Disclaimer

QMROA News is an information source for its members only. QMROA News makes and no statements, representations or warranties about the completeness of the information contained in this publication.

QMROA News is a Jamie Holepunch production and no animals were harmed in the production of this publication, but some of us still crave the ultimate doughnut.

QMROA News

2019 has gone at a frantic pace, and as we now pause to catch our breaths (for some?) thoughts turn to end of year time with families, as we refresh and contemplate developments for 2020. The new year will bring an exciting (if not challenging) year, and it will be kicking off for me in the second week of January. 2020 will present eight race meetings at Morgan Park including the four state rounds, two historic rounds, the Improved Production Nationals, and a National Championship event. In addition, there is also the and Gold Coast Supercar events (with the latter to be held under lights for the first time), plus the usual International events, such as Asian Le Mans Series, and . Regrettably Rally Australia will not be gracing our shores in 2020, and although it is due to return in 2021, there are no assurances if it will come back to Coffs Harbour, and what date it will get in 2021.

Motorsport Australia also came into being on January 1, 2020. In short, this a rebranding of our National Sporting Authority (ASN). It is a trading name, and the parent name is still CAMS. A similar rebranding exercise happened two years ago in the UK, where their ASN in 2018 changed from Motor Sport Association UK to Motorsport UK.

The Quarter in Review

State Round September 28 – 29

This time I managed get Post 6, in my small ambition to work every post around Morgan Park. It was a warm weekend with QRDA putting on a fantastic programme with the Warwick 1000. The highlight was the ex Al Unser Junior Sheirenson March 86c IndyCar. When it did run, the DFX was an aural delight, and for a car that’s over 30 years old, it did have some grunt, considering it was only being driven at only 60% capacity.

Bathurst

I have to say this year I caught less than an hour of the telecast as I shifted house. Apart from almost killing me in the process, plans were also thrown out the window, as I didn’t make it to the usual annual Bathurst Party, and thus I have since vowed never to do this again - especially not on THAT weekend. Our presence at that race was noted, providing Sector Marshals, Race Control Communicators, and a Race Director whose love of doughnuts has reached new bounds.

Supercars – Gold Coast

Two weeks later, on the sunny Gold Coast, it was hot and dry, and thus a really good weekend. No storms, or even a hint of rain but the usual issues presented themselves. Aussie Race Cars started it all on Friday with a demonstration on how to stuff seven cars nose to tail into the wall and each other at turn 12 and Scott McLaughlin demonstrated the inverted Mustang technique on Sunday practice between turns and three and four, with ex QMROA and QFRC member, fire marshal John Zysnewski being the first on the scene and safely getting the driver out of the car. Not to be out done, an Aussie Race Car also caught fire near turn 6 over the weekend, which was also put out very quickly. A big thanks to Andrew Mutton at the Supercars Officials Party for the recruiting plug and providing a forum to thank all QMROA members that worked tirelessly over the weekend.

State Round November 2 – 3.

As to emphasise the frantic pace as the end of year was fast approaching, a lot of us backed up for the final state round of the year. Nigel Faull was Clerk of Course; Susie Brook was an Assistant Clerk of Course. I roughed it at an Airbnb with a bed bigger than the whole of Morgan Park, found a meat lovers paradise, and the racing was fantastic. All points were manned, but it was warm with mild evenings. Post 12 was interesting view, with one of the biggest QMROA News spins I have witnessed in years in the Trans Am event. A Mustang literally spun for over 200 metres, set new world record in laying brown Axminister, and not surprising when he stopped for almost a minute to gather his thoughts, and contemplate a dry-cleaning bill.

Noosa Summer Hillclimb

The weather gods conspired, and the event was cancelled due to an extreme bushfire threat, however the loss of the event didn’t appear to deter some of our members from lounging around the pool, telling tall tales whilst sipping on cold beverages. The threat was real and with Noosa North Shore being evacuated, the possibility of the event was sadly curtailed because of the fire threat. Thankfully, with the dawn of 2020, we can now look forward to the next upcoming Noosa Winter Hillclimb later on this year in June.

Rally Australia

In the same vein of lightning striking twice, Rally Australia at Coffs Harbour was cancelled on the Tuesday afternoon also due to bushfires. Ian and Cameron Gorski and I were already in Coffs Harbour and were well into our pre-event routine - with the radios having been collected and in the process of being charged and tested, and thoughts turning to reconnaissance strategies and which areas to visit. We checked out Ceremonial Start on Monday afternoon. Trips to Macksville and Glenreagh remote refuel were planned for Tuesday, accreditation had been completed, but unfortunately it literally all went up in smoke on Tuesday morning. On Monday afternoon we received messages that Macksville & Glenreagh remote refuel were cancelled, no forest stages were to be used due to bushfires threatening Macksville, Glenreagh, Ceremonial finish, and other stages. As the hours ticked over, a plan to get a truncated route to meet the minimum FIA Rally mileage failed as the situation changed by the minute. By Tuesday lunchtime, it was all over. The crunch came that Macksville refuel at the showgrounds were turned into evacuation area. The Pacific Highway was cut near the Wooli turn off on Tuesday morning; there was smoke everywhere reducing visibility to less than 20 metres. The blanket of grey was not going away, and it was hard to breathe. We knew something was very wrong at breakfast, and anticipated then that the realisation was that Rally Australia would not go ahead.

The organisers put on a wonderful lunch for the officials who there on the Wednesday, with drivers such as Seb Ogier, Ott Tanak, Jari-Matti Latvala and Esapekka Lappi signing shirts, mingling with us, and making speeches. Once we returned our equipment, as we couldn’t go anywhere, we elected to have a beach holiday instead. The surf was good, but the water was freezing. As some of you may know, Rally Australia is supposed to return in 2021 in an event sharing deal with New Zealand. It is yet to be determined if it comes back to Coffs Harbour.

Supercars Newcastle

To my knowledge, Paul Howlett, Scott Long and Nigel Faull made the journey. I have been advised that all went well, but I only caught some of the Saturday programme. My goal that weekend was the second battle of Kokoda to be waged in the backyard on Sunday, so that took precedence.

Challenge – Bathurst

Charlie Tickell made the journey, I am not sure who else went. Despite generous incentives offered by the Z Car Club of Queensland, I believe the main reason for ‘lack of attendance’ is due its scheduling. I was quite happy after Rally Australia, to sit back and have a break, and actually stay home for a number of weekends. I will be getting in touch with the Z Car Club to ascertain who went, and ascertain what options can be offered for 2020.

Asian Le Mans Series – The Bend – South Australia

It’s history repeating itself. In 2000 I worked as a Sector Marshal for the Race of the Millennium which was the Asian Le Mans Series on the ‘old’ full Grand Prix circuit. In January I will be going again, however as of yet, I am not sure what role I will be doing.

QMROA News Committee

We have been busy as usual in growing the club and getting a training regime up and running for 2020. Our Training subcommittee now comprises of Paul Baxter and David Wickham. The Sector Marshal training event is still on track for February please keep a look out on our social media sites.

One area of good news is our membership. It is still growing, this year at the end of 2019, we now have 65 members, which was my target for 2019. In 2018 we had 50 members, and at the end of 2017, the club had 28 members. The committee is focussed on our core responsibility that is to serve the members and their interest. My target for 2020 is 80 members, so we will keep this growth phase going.

For 2020 we will be disposing of the trailer. The committee will be having a working bee. The condition of years of storage has presented problems that require a clean-up and us accepting a reasonable offer to get the asset disposed of. The tools and equipment will be donated to other like-minded CAMS clubs when the trailer is ready.

Finally, I have become aware that some marshals who are not from a CAMS aligned entity have been approaching some of our members requesting event assessments. What I have ascertained is that they have been advised to approach CAMS Marshals for a walk-up assessment at National Championship events such as Supercars. If you are approached for such an assessment, the answer is no. The procedure is that Event Assessments are to be booked through the state office, State Office arrange for an event assessor and a subject matter expert to conduct the assessment usually at a State Round, and that official should have already be seen working at State events, so he/she is known. Most of these officials are currently have a General Official Licence (GO) and at National Championship events the roles these officials perform are commensurate to their experience at CAMS sanctioned events.

Cover

As the Commodore takes it final bow, as we explore the Touring Car from VB to VK models.

QMROA wishes a warm welcome to the following new members;

Sam Lane, Colleen Kniepp, Andrew Mutton, Scott Long, Cameron Gorski

QMROA News Out and About

Nigel Faull – Morgan Park with the who stole my doughnut stare.

Scott Long – Newcastle Supercars – Modelling his Red Doc Martins

QMROA News

Brent Catran – Supercars Gold Coast – I will still you down if you enter that loo

Paul Baxter & Ian Gorski – Discussing the finer points of being Wine & Beer Snobs

QMROA News

Craig Bourke, Mark Buckingham, Scott Long, and Sean Beggs – Morgan Park – ‘How ya Going’!

Anatomy of a Racecar – The Group C Touring Car – 1980 to 1984

Background and Brief History

In 1979 the factory backed entered a three-car VB Commodore team in the 20,000-kilometre (12,000 mi) which started and finished at the Royal Showgrounds and travelled clockwise around the country over some of the most inhospitable terrain imaginable. The team Commodores were powered by the 3.3-litre straight-six Holden Red motor rather than the more powerful V8 due to their much lighter weight. Anxious to prove the then new cars reliability, the cars were perfectly prepared and finished first, second and third. Lead HDT driver won the event along with co-drivers Matt Phillip and Noel Richards. Brock has cited this event as his career highlight as it was an event in which many motor racing experts throughout Australia, as well as the media, did not believe he would do well in despite his previous rally and exploits.

With new regulations for Group C introduced by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport in 1980 which forced teams to use low emission engines, the HDT (by now owned by Brock and with actual support from Holden dealers after Holden had pulled out of racing at the end of 1979) had been secretly testing a VB Commodore as its replacement for the A9X Torana. The new regulations saw that the Holden's racing 5.0-litre face a drop in power from 1979's 380 hp (283 kW) to approximately 300 hp (224 kW). However, the new regulations also saw to it that the HDT had arguably the only race ready car for the 1980 Australian Touring Car Championship. Peter Brock won the championship in his VB Commodore, winning four of the eight rounds while claiming pole position at each and every round. 1979 ATCC winner Bob Morris also won a round of the championship driving his Craven Mild Racing VB Commodore. QMROA News Brock then won the 1980 CRC 300 at 's circuit before upgrading to the VC Commodore by the Hang Ten 400 at Sandown. By then the first of the homologation specials namely the VC HDT Commodore was in the market. To ensure the VC HDT was homologated, 500 road going visions were produced thus enabling the VC to race at Bathurst. The VB's final placing in an Australian touring car race was a strong third place by Ian "Pete" Geoghegan and Paul Gulson at the 1980 Hardie-Ferodo 1000 at Bathurst (Brock and Jim Richards won their third straight in their VC Commodore).

The 1981 season got off to a fractious start, in that Brock and other runners of the VC (HDT) Commodore were requested by CAMS to run all ‘luxury parts’ contained within a road going HDT VC Commodore which was released in late 1980. That meant, power steering, electric windows and air-conditioning units, had not be fitted to the Car to pass scrutineering. At the Calder ATCC round, there was confusion what that meant, as many teams developed their cars without the offending parts, and how they would fit them. Some showed up with an air-conditioning unit strapped to passenger side floor, Brock turned up with his fully plumbed and working air-conditioning unit, electric windows and a functioning radio. That was not the end of acrimony, with Brock and HDT taking legal action against CAMS as the accusations flew in relation to what constituted a homologated VC Commodore. An agreement was eventually reached, but it consigned the death sentence to the Group C category, as homologation battles continued to rage between Ford, GM, Mazda, , and BMW as CAMS tried hard to establish parity within the category.

The VH Commodore was introduced in 1982 Australian Touring Car Championship. Unfortunately, controversy reigned again as the Holden Dealer Team attempted to run Peter Brock's car with yet-to-be homologated parts. Brock scored enough points to win the 1982 ATCC (using both the VC and VH) but was disqualified from all but two races of the series. Stung by the VC Commodore debacle, HDT responded by homologating a lightweight version of the VH Commodore called the SS. The result was a basic package of a road-going, stripped-out SL Commodore with an options package that basically constituted little more the 5.0 litre big valve engine producing more horsepower.

QMROA News With the HDT VH Commodore SS now properly homologated, Allan Grice drove his Commodore to pole position in the 1982 James Hardie 1000 at Mount Panorama with a time of 2:17.501 after earlier having been the first driver to lap the 6.172 km (3.835 mi) circuit in a touring car at better than 100 mph (161 km/h) with a lap of 2:17.8 in official qualifying. The Holden VH Commodore SS went on to fill the top 4 places in the race with the HDT Commodore of Peter Brock and winning the race.

The Commodore was still a major force in the 1983 Australian Touring Car Championship with both Grice and Brock each winning two of the eight round series. However, they were forced to give best to Allan Moffatt and his smaller, lighter (and thus much better suited to the tight Australian tracks) Mazda RX-7. Moffatt won four of the eight rounds, and with the emergence of the smaller capacity turbo of , Brock and Grice finished only 3rd and 4th at the end of the championship.

Further homologations granted by the Confederation of Australian Motorsport (CAMS) in August 1983 saw the VH Commodore SS once again the car to beat. Peter Brock set pole position at the 1983 James Hardie 1000 (VH Commodores filled seven of the top 10 spots on the grid), and although his own car suffered a rare engine failure on lap 8 of the race, he and Perkins then moved into the teams second car with its lead driver John Harvey to go on and win the race. The second HDT car was in fact the 1982 winning car giving the Commodore the distinction of being the only car to twice win the Bathurst 1000. The VH Commodore would fill six of the top 10 finishing positions in the race.

The VH continued to be a major force into 1984, with Brock winning the opening two rounds of the 1984 ATCC before finishing second to Moffatt’s Mazda in Round 3. Unfortunately, however Brock was to miss two rounds of the series while racing a at the 1000 km of Silverstone and Le Mans 24 Hours. Brock would eventually finish second in the championship behind the Ford XE Falcon of Dick Johnson. The VH Commodore SS has the distinction of winning the final ATCC race held under the locally developed Group C regulations when Allan Grice won the 7th and final round of the championship at the Adelaide International Raceway on 1 July that year.

The VK Commodore was introduced in the last half of 1984, though it was only the HDT, Roadways and Warren Cullen's team who would race the new model. The VH remained the Commodore of choice for the privateers. The model's touring car racing life ended at the completion of the 1984 season as CAMS had decided that new rules based on the FIA's international regulations would apply to Australian Touring Cars from the beginning of 1985.

As a comparison, the VK Commodores run by the HDT at the 1984 James Hardie 1000 under the old Group C regulations (which saw the cars have much larger wheels and large aerodynamic spoilers front and back) produced over 410 bhp (310 kW) and were recorded at 275 km/h (171 mph) on the 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) long Conrod Straight.

Whilst seeing more manufacturer involvement from the Japanese with Nissan and Mazda and German marque BMW, the final three seasons of Group C (1982-1984) were unfortunately plagued by parity arguments and leading teams and drivers campaigning over technical regulations that were increasingly losing touch with the original intent of the class. In mid-1983 CAMS decided that beginning on 1 January 1985 they would replace Group C with new regulations based on FIA's international Group A rules which had been in place in the European Touring Car Championship since 1982, and in New Zealand since 1984.

QMROA News Love/Hate – Six Questions with Brendan Pratt

Who was you first motor racing love?

ATCC Group C and A Touring Cars, but discovered Formula 1, Sportscars, and now Formula E.

First event as an official/marshal

ATCC Round Surfers Paradise International Raceway, 1985.

Favourite Series?

Formula 1

TCR’s Yes or No?

Yes

Sport you hate the most.

Cricket, Golf and Tennis in all equal measure!

Favourite Football Code and which team?

AFL – North Melbourne, but lately if they are against any other team.

Brendan, thanks, you for your time Matters concerning Training.

This month we look at heat management and the insert below. As the season starts in February /March it is important to look at how we manage heat and how to cope on hot days out on circuit. Below is brief first aid guide to heat management if it be on circuit, rally stage, or other general activities.

If a person/official has pre-existing medical conditions and medications, this will need to be taken into account. In addition, previous heat-related illness, certain medications and medical conditions can make a person/official more susceptible to heat related illness and can affect how the person/official can be treated. You should alert your Senior Officials to this risk and monitor them closely as far as is reasonably practicable.

Dehydration – Seek medical advice if symptoms don’t improve or are severe

Symptoms

− Mild to severe thirst (remember that thirst is satisfied before fluid loss is fully replaced).

− Dry lips and tongue.

− Slowed mental function and lowered performance.

− Reduced or dark urine output.

First aid for dehydration

− Drink water. Avoid caffeinated, carbonated and alcoholic drinks, and salt tablets.

− Loosen tight clothing and remove unnecessary clothing, including PPE.

− In cases of extreme heat or dehydration, replace electrolytes.

Heat rash – Seek medical advice if symptoms don’t improve

Symptoms

Itchy rash with small raised red spots on the face, neck, back, chest or thighs.

QMROA News First aid for heat rash

− Move to a cooler, less humid environment.

− Keep the affected area dry and remove unnecessary clothing, including PPE.

− Apply a cold compress.

Heat cramps – Seek medical advice if symptoms don’t improve

Symptoms

Painful and often incapacitating cramps in muscles, particularly when undertaking demanding physical work.

First aid for heat cramps

− Stop activity and rest quietly in a cool place until recovered.

− Drink an electrolyte solution.

Fainting – Seek Medical Assistance

Symptoms

Fainting (heat syncope) can occur while standing or rising from a sitting position.

First aid for fainting

− Lie the person/official flat immediately with their legs slightly raised.

− Do not raise the head.

− Treat as for heat exhaustion.

Heat exhaustion – Seek Medical Assistance

Symptoms (not all will be present)

− Dehydration, thirst, and reduced or dark urine output.

− Sweating.

− Elevated body temperature.

− Weakness or fatigue.

− Headaches and dizziness.

− Nausea.

− Muscle cramps.

Severe symptoms:

− The person/official stops sweating.

− Cold, pale or clammy skin.

− Clumsiness or slower reaction times.

− Disorientation or impaired judgement.

− Rapid or short breathing.

− Rapid weak pulse or heart palpitations.

− Tingling or numbness in fingers or toes.

− Visual disturbance.

QMROA News − Vomiting or an unwillingness to drink.

First aid for heat exhaustion

− Move the person/official to a cool place with circulating air.

− Lie the person/official flat.

− Remove unnecessary clothing, including PPE.

− Loosen tight clothing.

− If the person/official is fully conscious sit them up to facilitate drinking and provide cool – not cold – fluid to drink.

− Provide an electrolyte solution or water.

− Cool the person/official with cold compresses or apply cold water to skin.

− Observe the person/official and obtain medical advice if symptoms don’t improve.

− Seek medical assistance if there is no improvement or the first aider is in doubt.

Heat stroke – Seek Medical Assistance

Symptoms (not all will be present)

− The person stops sweating.

− Skin can be pink, warm and dry, or cool and blue.

− High body temperature above 39 degrees Celsius.

− Cramps.

− Pounding, rapid pulse.

− Headache, dizziness and visual disturbances.

− Nausea and/or vomiting.

− Clumsiness or slower reaction times.

− Disorientation or impaired judgement.

− Irritability and mental confusion.

− Collapse, seizures and unconsciousness.

− Cardiac arrest. Can be characterised by unconsciousness, stopped breathing and no pulse

First aid for heat stroke

− Move the person/official to a cool place with circulating air.

− Remove unnecessary clothing, including PPE

− Loosen tight clothing.

− Cool the person/official by splashing room temperature water on their skin or sponging their skin with a damp cloth.

− Make a wind tunnel by suspending sheets around, not on, the person/official’s body. Use a fan to direct gentle airflow over the person/official’s body.

− Apply cold packs or wrapped ice to the person/official’s neck, groin and armpits.

− If the person/official is fully conscious sit them up to facilitate drinking and provide cool – not cold – fluid to drink.

− Provide an electrolyte solution with sugar. Do not attempt to give oral fluid if the person/official is not fully conscious.

QMROA News − Shivering is an automatic muscular reaction which warms the body. It will make the body temperature rise even further. If the person/official starts shivering, stop cooling immediately and cover them until they stop. Once they have stopped recommence first aid treatment. The Industry Dumpster Dive – Holden Part II – The End Game

It was no surprise late last year that the Holden Commodore ZB and BK Astra have been knocked on the head. On the back of GM US & China axing the Buick Regal (which is the Insignia clone), the Commodore was axed a week later. I take my hat off to the Holden PR department for their robust rebuttal at the time that all was going well, but it was evident to everyone playing along at home that the A Grade Bullshit & Spin machine was running flat out. The mighty red lion had been cruelly keeled, and Holden’s loyal customer base had sadly moved on.

Holden have had their worst quarter ever since 1948, and on the back of their ninth CEO in ten years resigning, doubts about their viability are now starting to be noted in the mainstream press. Holden now sit out of the top ten and were beaten in overall sales for 2019 by Mercedes Benz. To add insult to injury, the once fabled Commodore was outsold last year even by the Chinese sourced MG3 small car.

It can be reasonably asserted that Holden burnt all their credibility with their main customer base when they axed local manufacturing. Holden was the Commodore car company and when it ceased manufacturing, most of the car- buying public quite fairly questioned the quality and performance levels of imported product, despite Holden hubris and propaganda still trumpeting the rebadged Opel Insignia as a new and improved Commodore range that would immediately help us to forget how good our previously locally sourced product ever was.

Of course that was the first fail - the public didn’t buy it, and even the most rusted-on devotees to the brand gave the company a well-deserved ‘stuff you’ and went elsewhere. It was always going to be a bitter pill to swallow given that the VF arguably remains one of the best automotive products that has ever graced our country’s shores from the GM stable to date. Naturally, the fact that the very hero car that had at times enjoyed cult status and a notoriety for encouraging hot-blooded Australian men to put posters up on their walls, lay down thick trails of rubber and smoke on suburban streets, or given them an aspiration to dream about at night, had been reduced to a somewhat lukewarm, insipid, and much more introverted front wheel drive was arguably the second. Indeed, those that are old enough to remember will not forget the days of Bathurst of old, where you did not dare bring anything but an Aussie made car up to McPhillamy, Reid or Sulman campgrounds unless you were of the clear understanding that you wouldn’t be driving it home due to it becoming the next piece of fodder to go on the camp fire – sometimes with your earthly possessions still inside!

Holden’s efforts to pin their hopes of sales charts success around a fully-imported line-up have undoubtedly been helped further down the gurgler in a more spectacular fashion than ever before by dreadful previous Korea (Daewoo) sourced models such as the Cruze, Epica, Viva and infamous “Craptiva” which continue to single-handedly keep mechanics with large families in gainful employment and dog long-suffering owners with their horrendously

QMROA News expensive and well-documented premature engine and turbo reliability dramas that continue to see them spend more time on tow trucks and in mechanical workshops than they do in people’s garages.

In short, the nameplate should have been retired, like what Ford did with the Falcon. Ford at least had the guts to ‘shoot it’. They say that fortune favours the brave, and Ford has been damn lucky that the Ranger took off in sales and saved from the similar position Holden now faces. The now orphaned ZB Commodore is not a bad car to drive, but is hardly aspirational and is quite soulless and devoid of any personality. Where at least an SS had street cred and you could be a hooligan in it, a VXR V6 just doesn’t cut the mustard. The last nail in the coffin was PSA (who now own Opel) making the call to bin both models by 2022 as their own platforms will take precedence. This will no doubt play to the European market, where large cars are very niche.

If you look at their current product line up Holden is still a mess and they are compelled to continue making the same mistake with the current SUV line-up from the US/Mexico. Equinox and Arcadia cannot compete with competent vehicles from Mazda, Kia, Hyundai, Honda and Subaru. The Arcadia as a SUV has gone wrong with Holden completely oblivious to the market, and beholden to its parent. The engine choice is the 3.6 litre V6 (Commodore based) engine pushing around a porky 2-tonne barge, where its competition is using high efficiency diesel or turbocharged four cylinders which are far more responsive and economical. Then there is the styling where the ugly stick has been repeatedly used, wasting the time and money Holden invested to tune this boat anchor to our market. What sells in the US doesn’t translate here. Of late, only the Mustang has had some sort of cred, but its sales, and safety rating are level pegging downwards as with its residuals. So, what sells? It appears it’s only the Colorado Ute, and to lesser extent the Trailblazer which share its platform with Isuzu, which will soon come to an end given that Isuzu is co- developing their new dual cab Ute with Mazda, and thus any new Colorado will either be developed in the US or South America, namely Brazil.

Holden has approached the tipping point to decide if they will stay in this country. Australia in the GM world is no longer the darling child fabled for its engineering excellence. As Australia is such a small market, GM US are concentrating their focus on the US, and Chinese markets. The other problem that Holden faces is that many dealers, bleeding cash due to a lack of sales, have become multi franchised to offset the lack of floor traffic, but a lot are still stand-alone dealers, and as the second biggest dealer network in the country. If the downward trend in sales continues, GM will be announcing that Holden will be withdrawing from the Australian market. That will hurt, but you only need to look at the past two years, as GM has form in hiving off non profitable divisions such as Opel and Vauxhall to the PSA Group (Peugeot). I cannot see GM hiving Holden nameplate off to another manufacturer, and my informed opinion is at the end of 2020 that announcement will be made.

If that happens, the consequences will be that you can forget the Corvette. Despite the fanciful article by in News Corp papers, it won’t happen unless it’s through a specialist importer. If you think about it who would want drop $150k on an US muscle car with average build quality, and reliability when there are so many better, cheaper options which would murder it on every aspect. HSV will name will quietly change within the Walkinshaw Group and mirror their activities of the parent company in the UK.

Finally, what happens to Holden’s Motorsport activities. I would dare say that will also come to end in the fullness of time. As for the teams currently in Supercars, it will be a worrying time, and how that plays out no one will know. The category will remain unaffected in the short term as Commodore teams will effectively function as the Kelly Racing have with Nissan, but questions around how they frame their future is open to all kinds of conjecture?

Once again thanks to John Cadogan for the source material.

QMROA News For your Calendars Date Organiser & Event Venue 8 February 2020 MGCCQ – Come & Try Hillclimb Mt Cotton 16 February 2020 Motorsport Australia Expo Beenleigh Showgrounds 22 to 23 February 2020 HRCCQ Come & Try /Supersprint Morgan Park 29 to 1 March 2020 QLD – NSW Sprint Challenge Morgan Park 29 to 1 March 2020 MGCCQ Hillclimb Mt Cotton 8 March 2020 HSCCQ Interclub Motorkhana Sleeman Sports Complex 12 to 15 March 2020 FIA Australian Grand Prix Albert Park - 27 to 29 March 2020 MGCCQ – State Circuit Racing Rd 1 Morgan Park 4 to 5 April 2020 SBMIM Wondai Sprints Wondai 2 to 5 April 2020 FIA Vietnam Grand Prix Hanoi - Vietnam Motorsport Australia Bathurst 12 10 to 12 April 2020 Bathurst NSW Hour

Midas Tingalpa – Contact Justin Wade – 07 3390 5633

Parting Shot

Derek Warwick – Brabham BT55 – 1986

QMROA News

QMROA News