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Dixon on Indy pace

Kiwi Scott Dixon needed but just a handful of laps to get up to speed on the first day of Indy 500 practice at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this morning (NZ time).

Dixon, who won the race in 2008, turned in only 10 laps in his Chip Gannasi team car but notched still a fast lap of 226.237 mph (365kph).

Dixon was among three drivers who went 226, including teammate and 2007 winner Dario Franchitti of Scotland and three-time winner Helio Castroneves of Brazil, who had the day's fastest lap at 226.603 for Team Penske. Dixon anticipates speeds to continue to rise dramatically this week in anticipation of Pole Day with a new format on May 22.

"Qualifying will be a lot quicker than what we're used to," said Dixon, the 2008 pole winner. It was 224 last year and this time I think it will be somewhere between 228 to 230."

Franchitti and Dixon, at one time Saturday, were 1-2 on the speed chart until Castroneves' fast lap.

McIntyre back with SBR for Supercar enduros

Two time NZV8 champ McIntyre tries out the SBR Ford

John McIntyre will once again make a return to V8 Supercars and SBR driving the #9 SP Tools Racing Falcon alongside fellow Kiwi, Shane van Gisbergen at both enduro rounds and the new Armor All Gold Coast 600 event.

The two-time NZV8 Champion and Runner-Up is eligible to co-drive on the streets of Surfers Paradise under the new International driver format. McIntyre’s experience in V8 Supercars should give him an edge over fellow international drivers when the cars hit the new street circuit later in the season.

McIntyre who raced at this year’s Adelaide Clipsal 500 in a Development Series car prepared by Stone Brothers Racing is thrilled to be back in the seat pairing up with Shane van Gisbergen for the three main events.
“This drive with SBR is something I have been working on for four or five years really, I have stayed in regular contact with Ross [Stone] a lot.

“Obviously last year getting the drive in the #4 car was a real vote of confidence from SBR and getting to lead that car gave me a lot of experience. Finally all the stars have aligned and I am in the seat I want to be in!”

In 2007 McIntyre teamed up with then rookie, Shane van Gisbergen in the SBR prepared Team Kiwi car and since raced with Daniel Gaunt in the #4 IRWIN/SP Tools combined entry at last year’s Phillip Island and Bathurst enduros.

Latvala takes last stage victory in Rally New Zealand

Latvala was a surprised and delighted winner
BP Ford Focus driver Finland’s Jari-Matti Latvala won Rally New Zealand after a day of high drama in the four special stages near Raglan.

Latvala and co-driver Miikka Anttila snatched the win on the second run of the iconic Whaanga Coast test, the very last stage of the 2010 FIA World Rally Championship’s fifth round. Latvala pushed hard to overtake overnight rally leader Sébastien Ogier of the Citroën Junior Team.

Latvala went into the final test 6.2 seconds behind the Frenchman who did his chances no good with a small spin early in the stage and another, three corners from the end. Ogier eventually recorded a time just under nine seconds slower than the Ford’s, which gave victory to Latvala by 2.4 seconds. World champion and 2010 series leader Sébastien Loeb finished third in his works Citroen, 15.2 seconds behind Latvala.

When he reached the end of the final stage, Latvala wasn’t sure he had won. “Three corners from the end (of Whaanga 2), I saw a piece of bumper on the road and knew something was happening. But I didn’t know what was going on (the bumper belonged to Ogier’s Citroen).

“Suddenly my co-driver Miikka said: ‘we have won’. And we had won! There are no words to describe this. I can’t believe I’m second in the championship,” Latvala said. “I wasn’t the fastest here but I was the most consistent and that paid off when it mattered.”

TRS Champ tests in Italy

Evans at speed in the Fiat powered Tatuus

As the volcanic cloud descended over Europe last week, a small but significant tremor was being felt in Italy by our 2010 Toyota Racing Series Champion Mitch Evans.

The Auckland teenager, on his first visit to Europe, was invited by TRS chassis constructor Tatuus to drive the series development car at the first official test day of the new AC-CSAI Italian Formula Abarth series.

The unexpected opportunity was arranged by TRS Category Manager Barrie Thomlinson in association with the Italian manufacturers in recognition of Mitch winning the 2010 TRS Championship in his Rookie season. Accompanied by Thomlinson and father Owen Evans, Mitch tested at the Misano circuit near the Italian resort town of Rimini on the Adriatic coast and made a strong impression on his European debut.

In spite of unexpectedly cold Northern hemisphere spring weather and on a wet and slippery low grip circuit, Mitch proved himself a worthy envoy for the Toyota Racing Series.

The latest carbon fibre FA010 Tatuus chassis – similar to New Zealand’s FT40 TRS car – is mated to a turbocharged 1.4-litre Abarth engine that produces 180bhp. The Formula Abarth series will be run on seven Italian circuits and the arrival of the new Tatuus chassis has attracted 35 plus entries from 14 different countries. All the races are being screened live on Italian TV.