Team Mitsubishi Ralliart Australia has set themselves up as the team to beat at this weekend’s Dial Before You Dig Australian Six Hour, to be held at Eastern Creek Raceway.
During the last two rounds of the Australian Manufacturers Championship, the Melbourne based squad have proven to be unbeatable, and for this weekend’s event the team have expanded to field a total of three cars.
Championship front runner Stuart Kostera will team up with Jim Beam Racing V8 Supercar endurance driver Warren Luff, while Inky Tulloch will race with tarmac rally star Steve Jones, and Glyn Crimp will pair with Improved Production front runner Matthew Cherry.
Team manager Alan Heaphy believes his Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 10s have the driving talent to be the class of the field.
“Our driver combinations should be very strong, we’ve got some quick new guys teamed with some more experienced drivers,” Heaphy said.
“Certainly on paper Kostera and Luff would have to be favourites, Warren needs no introduction, and I believe Stuart is probably the most under rated driver in Australian motorsport.
“He always looks very laid back and gets around with a minimum of fuss, but in the car he is just incredible.
“Inky has done a million miles in his career, but is still very competitive and determined, and Steve Jones is vastly experienced, just not in circuit racing, so it will be interesting to see how he goes.
“Inky and Stuart have definitely been the pair to beat in the Championship, and between them they have been racing very hard.
“It’s good that with the Six Hour that production car racing has another feature race on the calendar, things will only continue to grow from here.”
Joining the three Team Mitsubishi Ralliart Australia cars on the grid will be father and son combination Tony and Klark Quinn, who are specialists at long distance endurance racing.
With results including a victory in the Dubai 24 Hour race, the pair are seeking their first victory in domestic production based racing aboard their proven EVO 9 specification Lancer.
Other entries of note in the 28 strong field include Tony Alford and Barrie Nesbitt aboard their HSV GTS, while Colin Osborne has enlisted multi-talented racer Rick Bates to lead their two-car attack.
Subsequent to a strong run in the opening rounds of the Championship, Richard Gartner’s Renault Clio 197 will be joined by a sister car on the grid at Eastern Creek Raceway.
Gartner will team up with Francois Jouy and Carl Schembri, with the second car to be piloted by Ian and Aaron Thorp, as well as Ray Curry.
Another interesting addition to the field in the small car class will be a Toyota Yaris, with driving duties to be shared between 1966 Bathurst 500 winner Bob Holden, and Paul Nelson.
Other entries already announced include contenders in Bendix Class A for High Performance All-Wheel drive cars, including David and Des Wall with Trevor Symonds aboard a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 9, Peter Conroy and Mark Brame’s EVO 10 Lancer, and the Barton Mawer, Jim Hunter and Gavin Bullas late model Subaru WRX Sti.
The all-wheel drive set won’t be without their challengers, with their rear-wheel drive counterparts set for a strong show.
Aboard BMW 335is for the event are John Bowe and Peter O’Donnell, along with another father/son combination in Barry and Nathan Morcom.
The traditional Ford and Holden battle will be on in earnest, with Rod Barrett teaming with Peter Boylan and Geoff Morgan aboard an FPV F6, up against the HSV Clubsport of Steve Briffa and Christian D’Agostin.
In the smaller car classes, the experienced combination of Ryan McLeod and Eastern Creek based Garry Holt will be quick in their Holden Astra.
Allan Shephard has picked up Garth Duffy as the co-driver of his BMW 130i, while Jake Camilleri will once again team up with Scott Nicholas in their Mazda 3 MPS.
The Dial Before You Dig Australian Six Hour forms the fourth round of the Australian Manufacturers Championship, doubling as the sixth round of the Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships.
Supporting the main event will be the Australian Saloon Car Series, HQ Holdens and the Mazda MX5 Challenge.
The 29 car strong Saloon Car field is poised to provide plenty of on track excitement, with defending champion Shawn Jamieson returning to take on last start victors Simon Tabinor and Tim Rowse.
Also racing in the field are the two Dial Before You Dig Ford Falcons, driven by Mark Primmer and Ian Chivas.
For those who can’t be trackside at Eastern Creek for the event, Sunday’s racing will be streamed live via the Shannons Nationals website.
For more details on the Dial Before You Dig Australian Six Hour, log onto www.thenationals.com.au/australian6hour/.
About the Dial Before You Dig Australian Six Hour
New for 2010, the Dial Before You Dig Australian Six Hour at Eastern Creek on July 18 will become a highlight on the Australian motorsport calendar. Doubling as round four of the Australian Manufacturers Championship, the world’s top automotive brands will be pitted against each other, with marques including BMW, HSV, FPV, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Mazda, Honda, Toyota, Renault and Alfa Romeo.
Colin Bond will act as Grand Marshall for the inaugural event, giving competitors the command to start their engines, as well as presenting trophies on the podium.
About Dial Before You Dig
Dial Before You Dig is a free national community service designed to prevent damage and disruption to the vast pipe and cable networks which provides Australia with everyday essential services, including electricity, gas, communications and water.
The service is also designed to protect Australia’s excavators.
From back yard renovators, to tradesmen and professional excavators, Dial Before You Dig provides accurate information about work sites, minimising the potential for injury and personal liability.
For further details on Dial Before You Dig, phone 1100 during business hours or log onto www.1100.com.au.
