MACROW TAKING WINNING WAYS TO GOULBURN

Current leader of the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Championship, Adam Macrow has had a winning preparation for the next round of the V8 Development series taking victory at the Timaru round of the Southern 300 Championships in New Zealand last weekend.

Since stepping off the winner’s dais for the support races at the Clipsal 500 two weeks ago, Gold Coast based Macrow joined Craig Cottle for the Levels Raceway round of the Southern 300 Championships where the pair qualified on pole and won the 300km endurance race convincingly in a former Howard Racing Team Falcon.

It is the second time Macrow has been on the podium for the event after he and Howard Racing Team Principal, Mark Howard won the same race in 2005. Unfortunately, Howard was unable to line up to defend the title he won with Macrow last year due to his expanding portfolio of new property developments.

In his absence Howard maintained his support of the Southern 300 Championships by sourcing former Howard Racing driver, Steven Voight to join Cottle for the opening race of the series at Ruapuna Christchurch where the pair fought back from a number of drive-through penalties to claim third.

Macrow said that competing in the event provided him with the opportunity to refine his racing skills to ensure he extends his series lead in the 2006 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Championship at Wakefield Park next month.

“I really enjoy racing in New Zealand,” Macrow said, “However, this year it was more about ensuring I had the race miles under my belt for the second round of the development series which is in late May.”

“The gap between rounds of the development series is extremely large and only those who can manage their time successfully and use such breaks to their advantage will have a shot at taking the crown at the end of the year. This was a major factor in the Team’s decision for me to compete in New Zealand on the weekend.”

Along with providing a driver to compete in the Southern 300 Championships, Howard Racing provides Cottle with technical support in the lead up to and following race meetings.

“The relationship between Howard Racing and Craig Cottle is extremely strong, with myself and the technical staff providing the New Zealander with practical advice over the phone when required,” Howard added.

“It is great that we have an understanding which sees benefit to both parties, with Howard Racing receiving the opportunity to enhance Adam’s [Macrow] race experience through track time and Craig [Cottle] being able to tap into the knowledge of one of the leading teams in the V8 Supercar development series.”

Macrow currently has a ten point lead in the 2006 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Championship and the 27 year-old from the Gold Coast will be looking to extend this advantage at the second round of the series at Wakefield Park on the 26 – 28 May.

Holden will revive its Holden Young Lions driver scheme for the 2006 V8 Supercar Series, lending support to five young drivers racing Commodores in both the main V8 series and the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Development Series.

V8 Supercar Championship Series drivers Alan Gurr and Fabian Coulthard as well as Fujitsu Series drivers Jack Perkins, Shane Price and Tony D’Alberto will be a part of the Holden Young Lions program in 2006.

The five drivers will have access to assistance from Holden Motorsport and be able to utilise the resources of GM Holden among a range of other benefits. 

Gurr, 24, and Coulthard, 23, will share the #39 Team Sirromet Wines Commodore in alternate rounds of the main V8 Supercar Series, while Price, 19, and Perkins, 19, will drive for Perkins Motorsport in a pair of Commodores in the Fujitsu Series.

D’Alberto, 20, will drive an ex-HSV Dealer Team Commodore for GMAC Racing in this year’s Fujitsu Series after finishing fifth in last year’s championship. He drove for Tasman Motorsport in last year’s endurance events with Coulthard.

“The Young Lions program has produced so much success that we want to be able to give some of its benefits to the emerging Holden drivers of the future,” said Holden Motorsport Manager Simon McNamara.

“We’ll open doors for them in the areas of media coaching and training, assist with introductions to relevant and important industry figures and generally help them develop their careers.”

Formed in 1997, the Holden Young Lions program helped launch the careers of a number of drivers, notably Todd Kelly and younger brother Rick. 

The former drove a Young Lions Commodore to victory in a race in the Canberra 400 in 2000 and has since become a factory Holden Racing Team driver.

The latter won the Australian Drivers Championship in a HYL-backed Formula Holden in 2001 before stepping into V8 Supercars in a Young Lions Commodore in 2002, finishing fourth at Bathurst with Nathan Pretty."