A Perfect Dawn for Creation As LMS Prepares for 2008
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THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF DUNLOP MOTORSPORT IN TOUCH [ www.injection.tv ] ISSUE THREE, APRIL 2008 A perfect dawn for Creation as LMS prepares for 2008 Fast fit retailing company HiQ is offering 20 per cent discount on race-inspired Dunlop tyres at stores across the county to co-incide with its three-year title sponsorship of the British Touring Car Championship. The deal was formally announced at the BTCC media day held at Rockingham in March ahead of the season opener at Brands Hatch on March 30. The British Touring Car Championship enjoys the support of Dunlop as the sole tyre supplier, as do major touring car series around the world, including the DTM and the Australian V8 Supercar series. HiQ is in the process of a big expansion around Britain and believes that the BTCC will help to raise the profile as it seeks to open a further 100 stores in the UK. For the BTCC, celebrating its golden anniversary in 2008 with an official entry list featuring 27 cars, the long-term partnerships formed with HiQ and terrestrial television in the UK are key to the success of the series. Jamie Campbell-Walter on his way to third fastest time overall at Paul Ricard BTCC Series director Alan Gow explains: "Stability is vital not only for the championship, but for the competitors. It gives them the opportunity to know Dunlop leads the fight against diesel as what the programme is and they can plan around it and make sure that everything is in place. You don’t need to find out Creation sets third fastest time at Ricard every year what the television package is, for example. "I can remember three years ago we Dunlop reaped the rewards of its by the diesel-powered Peugeot team time in the class. The Team Essex had 12 cars on the grid. Now we have a development programme with the which then went on to win each of the Racing Porsche finished just one bigger grid than I have ever known. And British Creation team at the official Le six 1000km races. However, this year, tenth of a second behind the similar the success of the championship is not Mans Series test at Paul Ricard early in the two Audi R10 TDIs set the fastest car of former Grand Prix driver Jos just grid size, but spectator numbers, March, when Jamie Campbell-Walter times overall ahead of their challenge Verstappen, with the Dunlop-shod and the quality and closeness of the set third fastest time overall. The 2000 to Peugeot this year. Quifel – ASM Team half a second down competition. FIA GT Champion set the fastest time Dunlop’s partner LMP1 teams ran in the hands of Olivier Pla and Miguel "I believe there will be more winners, of the petrol engine LM P1 prototypes through testing programmes, with the Amaral. The British Bruichladdich team more surprises and an even more wide- on Dunlop's race tyre to head the Rollcentre team testing Belgian Vanina ran through an extensive driver test open title race in 2008. And, as we know petrol powered prototypes against the Ickx, the former Audi DTM driver who programme and set fourth fastest time. of more entries that will be joining the Audi diesel prototypes which were first raced for the British team for two Le In GT2, the Virgo Motorsport Ferrari championship as the season progresses, our fans are in for a real treat. and second fastest. Mans Series seasons. team concentrated on set-up for each Campbell-Walter set a best time of Other drivers using Dunlop with the of the five race tracks rather than "I would like to thank all the BTCC's 1m41.797s on Dunlop’s race tyre in British team were Frenchmen Pierre working on an overall lap time. partners - in particular our television a car which has gone through a new Bruneau and Marc Rostan. Portuguese Rob Bell and Gianmaria Bruni worked broadcaster ITV and title sponsor HiQ. development process in Luxemburg driver Joao Barbosa is expected to be on car set up and on the second Both are superb to work with and have demonstrated the kind of support that over the winter. confirmed to drive the car this season, day tyre development to prepare most championships can only dream of. The Le Mans Series test was a preview though his racing commitments in the themselves fully for the season ahead. to the five race series which will visit US mean that he will miss the race at They set second fastest time in the "Their enthusiasm and commitment is some of the most challenging race Monza on April 27. class behind the new Porsche 997 of direct benefit to everyone connected circuits in Europe, including Barcelona, In the LM P2 category, Casper Elgaard GT3 RSR, but were running a 2007 with the BTCC and, of course, our huge fan base. Above all, I'm tremendously Monza, Spa, the Nurburgring and completed most of the testing in the high-mileage engine and the 2007 proud of the very strong shape the Silverstone. Each race lasts 1000kms, new Porsche RS Spyder and, with aerodynamics. Both are expected to be championship now finds itself in. or six hours, and the grid comprises 1990 Le Mans winner John Nielsen, updated in time for the opening round four classes; two prototype categories the Danish drivers set second fastest in Spain on April 6. "So, 2008 is going to be an extremely fitting way in which to celebrate our for prototype racing cars, and two for golden GT cars such as Aston Martin, Ferrari anniversary." and Porsche. Dunlop has increased its commitment in 2008 to the series, which runs Alan Gow, to the same regulations as the Le Series Mans 24 hours. This year, Dunlop is Director, expecting to supply up to 14 of the 50 British car entry at each of the LMS races. Touring Car Campbell-Walter's time, set early on Championship the second day of testing in southern France, was nearly two seconds faster than the best time achieved in 2007 Dunlop engineers oversee testing of the Virgo Motorsport Ferrari 430 GT 2 Mattia Pasini won the first ever night race for the 250cc class in Qatar Out of the dark, into the night, Dunlop in dominatant form Gadea and Pasini win in Qatar at Daytona in bike week '08 The first of the 18 round 2008 MotoGP Debon took the first pole of the year, but At the multi-venue racing extravaganza of to win by a comfortable margin but was championship lit up the desert sky outside it was Pasini who took a rookie victory, Daytona Bike Week 2008, Dunlop earned later disqualified for a technical infraction; Doha, Qatar on March 9th. An area the emerging from a second row start and a more race wins and podium positions than final results are pending appeal. size of 70 football pitches had been fully four-way battle for the lead with Barbera, all other tyre manufacturers combined. Not far away at Daytona Municipal Stadium, floodlit with 3,600 floodlights illuminating Kallio and Debon - the four covered by less Dunlop riders not only won the Superbike dirt-track fans witnessed an historic event the 5.4 km circuit for the event. All than 1.4 seconds at the finish. race and swept the podium, they also filled when Jake Johnson became the first rider practice and racing was held at night, with As with the 250cc category, all 34 125cc out the top eight positions. Rockstar Makita in history to sweep the Daytona double. racing continuing until just before midnight. riders have chosen Dunlop. Defending Suzuki's Mat Mladin took the victory in The first night of the AMA Grand National Despite concerns that the increased levels champion Gabor Talmacsi of Hungary grand style to tally his 64th national win. Singles Championship races saw Johnson of humidity and the lower temperatures (Aprilia) knew from the winter testing that Defending Superbike champion Ben Spies finish ahead of fellow Dunlop riders Ken would result in much lower grip levels, he would be under pressure from a group followed teammate Mladin over the line, Coolbeth and Glen Schnabel. The following actual track temperature on race night of youngsters. Notable amongst these are while Graves Yamaha's Jason DiSalvo evening, Johnson won again, Schnabel never fell below 20C, and each of the three three teenage British riders; 17-year-old rounded out the top three, notching his moved up to second place, and Bryan Smith races were run at record pace. Bradley Smith who has succeeded Pasini first-ever Superbike podium. rounded out the all-Dunlop podium. The MotoGP race saw strong performances in the Polaris World Aprilia team, 15-year- The Supersport contest witnessed another Dunlop's overwhelming Daytona success from the ex-250 riders: Lorenzo (Yamaha) old Scott Redding making his GP debut Dunlop podium sweep, an impressive carried over to the evening Supercross started from pole and finished second to after a strong performance in the Spanish debut for the all-new D211GP DOT racing races. In the most brutal conditions ever defending champion Stoner (Ducati) with Championship in 2007, and 16 year old tyre which is available to the racing public. encountered in a Supercross event, Torco Pedrosa (Honda-Michelin) third in a closely Danny Webb. The ever-popular Ben Bostrom took his Racing Fuels Honda rider Kevin Windham fought race. Rossi (Yamaha) could only Smith took his first ever pole and led the first Daytona win as he fought off the took his second win of the season on finish 5th, behind Dovizioso (Honda) and first lap, but developed technical problems charge of his Graves Yamaha teammate, a muddy, flooded racetrack in a driving ahead of Toseland (Tech 3 Yamaha).