I am actually excited about the coming season

[WASP]

I'm excited. For starters I love the fact that Triple 8 are changing their livery. I always associated that brilliant silver and red livery with a Ford Falcon even after they changed to Holden. Being somewhat superstitious, I think this change may bring on the start of the end of their dominance. This of course is based on absolutely nothing other than my intuition which is rarely wrong.

I think FPR and SBR will be very strong this year. These teams and drivers won’t be settling for second best after last years’ experience and lessons. It will take nothing less than all concurring approach to win this year and I believe both these teams have the resources, knowledge and talent to achieve the ultimate success if they want it bad enough.

DJR is the elephant in the room. I want them to do well as always, but I don’t understand their strategy if the gaol is to win the championship. They appear to be taking a more realistic, team and business building approach to the game which might be what they ‘need’ to do, rather than ‘want’ to do at this point. As long as they are progressing forward I will continue to support them.

[HSE2]

Colville, it these responses that makes me so pleased you are sharing your valuable time with us. Wish I had been able to express like this.

[TS50]

SBR have announced (or had it leaked) their endro driving pairings
The Giz to be paired with Luke Youlden
Holdsworth to be paired with Craig Baird
And Slade paired with Andrew Thompson

Other story / rumour is that D'Alberto has got Dodo as his major sponser
Went from major sponser , to a minor sponser of HRT (some said Skaife was the Dodo)
now back to a major sponser

[TICK4D-TAS]

Isnt Andrew Thonpson the Monster Commodore driver in the development series? I thought he was under contract to 888 for the development series and car.

I hope D'Alberto does well with a new sponsor. I hope he can have more success this year too.

[TS50]

No Thompson's contract was for 2011. Roland wants to bring some young talent thru the monster program (Hot tip is Scott Pye)
Thompson was being offered the second seat alongside J Webb at Tenko Motorsports, running the ex PMM Commodores
However, Thompson decided to sit 2012 season out, waiting for a top line full time drive next year (is he dreaming)
I mean those cars are 888 cars, and Thompson has a good relationship with Roland, so it may have worked. But..................
So that still leave a seat at Tenko, and GRM. From what I understand Alex Davidison will not be in either car

On a nastier note, the dispute betweem the kellys and David Reynolds is getting worse, headed for the courts
Kellys wont release Renyolds, and they have employed Riendler to race car 16 this year, so if the Kellys win the court case, Renyolds will have to sit the season out and FPR will need a new driver.. If Renyolds wins, then he gets to drive for RNN. I guess RNN or David Renyolds could also buy out his contract from the Kellys
However it ends, no one here is a winner (sorry the lawers will be), very poor form all around I think

[TICK4D-TAS]

That is very poor form by the Kelly's. I guess they are scared that he might beat them in a different car that they cant control!

[HSE2]

Excellent information Andrew. And just remember there is a bed for you at Clipsal if all this talking gets the better of you. I can promise I won't send you pictures of Seto's XB. I won't do that to you. That definately won't happen. Ford is going to win this round I can feel it coming.
SBR have done a great job with those enduro drivers.

[TS50]

Thanks Ian, I will keep it in mind

[FTe217]

I'd like to take us on a topic in view of the season coming up......

Having posted in the Chysler thread it got me thinking about todays Ford drivers, who's our modern day Hero ?

Now having been mesmerised in my youth by A Moffat Gossy Geoghegan's these guys were winners (not always but won a big race or put on a rippa show) as we know and naturally you keep following them then onto the next breed Seto Ambrose etcetc.
Losing 888/Lowndsy was the natural heir and rightly so - my boys adored him (forget JC gone but the win was cherished more by the public for the old Team) imo BUT since 888/Ford winning Bathurst we just don't have a team that can consistantly be up there taking podiums and imo apart from Giz who else grabs a car by the scruff of its neck and drives from near last through to top 6 more often than not ? and is HE the Hero the youth/kids look up to ?

Please don't go on its different today - BS, the cream always gets to the top ala Whingecup/Lowndes - yes they and 888 to a degree are the Geoghegan/Muzzy or Moffat/Mustang Moffat/HO Moffat/Coupe etcetc
Frosty/FPR so inconsistant its laughable - is he the perenial Gossy I watched forever and a day having bad luck through his ATCC days ?
Giz/SBR - young with promise and the main inspiration imo this season, needs to deliver plus young Slade he is impressing possible Hero ?

If I'm being a synic so be it BUT I just don't see a Leader a Hero whats your take on it.

[TS50]

I agree with you Maurie
Really there is no driver I get excited about these days
I used to be a big Alan Moffat man, then a Dick Johnson fan
Always followed Marcus Ambrose, because he drove a Ford, was a local Launceston boy, and that my nephew knew him well so I got to go to a few meetings in the pit garage at SBR
But now, I guess I just really follow DJR, followed the man, will follow the team
I was never a Lowndes fan, even when he was steering a Ford, to me, he was alaways a Holden man
Like you, i get more excited these days by the AMC , still watch the V8s, but it just doesnt excite me that much any more