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Opes Prime National Class set to explode in 2008 |
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Thursday, 31 January 2008 |
The fight to claim a fully
backed drive in the 2009 Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 championship – or a
stunning $40,000 in cash – looks likely to make the Opes Prime Australian
Formula 3 National Class a battle to watch in 2008.
The ‘race within a
race’ has stepped up a level in 2008 thanks to the investment from Opes Prime
and interest is at an all time high ahead of the first round, with 11 cars
nominated in the class for Eastern Creek’s kick-off this weekend.
Up to eight of those cars will be eligible for the lucrative prizes on offer
thanks to their decision to run the new Opel Spiess engine that is set to level
the National class competition and instil new levels of practicality and
affordability.
To be serviced locally, the new engine program will
provide a dedicated engineer at each round of the 2008 championship to assist
teams. Data between each car running the ‘spec’ engine will be shared between
entrants to allow competitors to benchmark themselves against the quickest in
the class.
Only cars running the Opel engine can win the prizes, however
all cars entered in the class will score championship points in what looks to be
a very open competition.
Engineer Paul Barker will oversee the local
engine program and says that it will offer teams the opportunity to race on a
level playing field amongst their National Class rivals.
”We will have
the top two or three laps from each session available for teams to look at and
compare their data to,” he explained.
”Not only will their engines be
identical, but they will have the chance to see what the fastest people in the
class are doing compared to their own laps, so we are expecting a very close
battle this year.
”We have set up a workshop in Melbourne to service the
engines and will have a spare at each round, as well as plenty of spare parts.
So far we have delivered eight or nine engines and it looks like we should have
that many on the grid at the first round, with more hopefully coming online as
the year progresses.” He said.
Opes Prime Team BRM driver Lee Farrell
and experienced F3 driver Chris Gilmour are two drivers keen to get their hands
on the prizes on offer.
Farrell, a comparative F3 rookie, has completed
several days testing with the three time championship winning team and will
steer their only National Class entry this season, in an effort to step up to
the championship class next year.
For Queenslander Chris Gilmour, the
‘new’ National Class offers what could well be his best chance to battle for a
championship since he went wheel-to-wheel with 2004 champion Karl Reindler in
pursuit of that years’ outright crown.
Ironically, one of Gilmour’s main
challengers for the National Class title this season could well be the younger
brother of the Queenslander’s old sparring partner, 18-year-old Christopher
Reindler recently confirming that he’ll also race this season.
Reindler,
who has a background in State and National level Formula Ford competition, will
contest the opening round of the championship with TanderSport and the said the
prizes made the National Class an attractive proposition.
”It’s certainly
the plan to try and win the National Class this season,” the young West
Australian driver said.
”The prizes on offer make it very attractive. I’m
really pleased to be working with TanderSport at the first round – and I’m
pretty happy to be making my debut at Eastern Creek, which is a bit more
forgiving than the Clipsal track!”
Also set to make an impact this year
will be Mathew Radisich, the nephew of New Zealand racing great Paul.
Radisich and his small family run team have joined forces with Scud
Racing this season for a campaign on the National Class after a ‘toe in the
water’ appearance in the series last year, including a promising run at the
Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.
A two-car National Class team from
Adelaide-based R-Tek F3 has entered for the first round, however delays in
shipping ensured the late arrival of their ex-Raikkonen Robertson cars from the
UK and looks to have pushed their debut back to their home round at the Clipsal
500 Adelaide.
Also set to make an appearance, though restricted to
competing ‘only’ for the class title and not the prizes, will be Astuti
Motorsport’s Daniel Schulz and Transwest Racing’s James Crozier.
Schulz
was the big improver of the 2007 season and should challenge at the very front
of the class in his Renault-powered car, whilst Crozier (Who will run a Mugen
Honda engine) has the support of five-time Gold Star winning team owner Graham
Watson - and championship-class team-mate Mat Sofi - to draw on this year.
Multiple Trophy Class race winner Graeme Holmes could also spring a
surprise following his recent purchase of the 2006 title winning car driven by
Ben Clucas, and last year, Marco Mapelli.
The Opes Prime National Class
‘race within a race’ will make up a significant part of the field set for the
opening round of the 2008 Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship for the
CAMS Gold Star.
Action gets underway at Eastern Creek Raceway this
Friday, February 1st.
Opes Prime National Class – Entry List,
Round 1 2008
* Denotes eligibility for Opes Prime
Prizes
#6 Lee Farrell – Opes Prime Team BRM Dallara F304 Spiess Opel
*
#17 Chris Gilmour – Gilmour Racing Dallara F304 Spiess Opel *
#20 James
Crozier – Transwest Racing Dallara F304 Mugen Honda
#21 Graeme Holmes – CKH
Powdercoating Dallara F304 Spiess Opel
#23 Daniel Schulz – Astuti Motorsport
Dallara F304 Renault Sodemo
#26 Daniel Cotton – Piccola Scuderia Corse
Dallara F304 Spiess Opel *
#52 Chris Reindler – TanderSport Dallara F304
Spiess Opel *
#89 Mathew Radisich – Scud Racing Dallara F304 Spiess Opel
*
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