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DAVID RUSSELL ENDS 2011 SEASON WITH TOP THREE CHAMPIONSHIP RESULT
4.12.2011
Team Jayco Falcon V8 Supercar driver David Russell has raced to a top three finish in the 2011 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Championship after finishing 4th and 8th in the two challenging street races held at Sydney Olympic Park over the weekend.
After benchmarking the third fastest lap time of practice, making him one of only three drivers to beat the existing lap record, Russell qualified 5th after experiencing brake problems throughout the session that was also interrupted by two red flag stoppages due to competitor accidents.
Saturday's opening 17 lap race saw another strong start from the Team Jayco Falcon which enabled Russell to get ahead of rival Jack Perkins by the first corner, but the field had barely completed half a lap before Rodney Jane and Marcus Zuchanovic crashed heavily, causing a four lap safety car caution period. The re-start on lap five saw Russell stuck behind rival Daniel Gileson for several laps until the Holden driver encountered a mechanical issue that saw him retire in the pits. Russell resisted the advances
of Perkins during the closing stages to finish the race in 4th place with pole-setter Andrew Thompson taking the win ahead of Nick Percat and Chaz Mostert.
Sunday's race, the final sprint for the season, started on a wet circuit after intermittent morning showers. Electing to start on wet tyres, Russell once again started strongly from 4th on the grid, planting his Team Jayco Falcon between front row starters Thompson and Percat but having no space on the narrow street circuit to get by. A long and challenging race followed as Russell and Mostert battled closely over 4th position in the greasy conditions. After passing eachother once each, Russell maintained his position from Mostert until the closing stages of the race when his tyre grip deteriorated as the circuit continued to dry. By the final stages it was impossible for Russell to defend his position, particularly against a number of drivers who started the race on slick / dry weather tyres. Russell finished the final 17 lap sprint of the year in 8th place. The race was won by Jack Perkins with Nick Percat second and new Champion Andrew Thompson third.
The combined results of 4th and 8th for the final round of the series generated 210 points and 5th overall for the round, missing out on the runner-up spot in the Championship by seven points, earning him a top three Championship finish at third for 2011, the second top three Fujitsu V8 Supercar Championship result of his career.
"I am very proud of what we have achieved this season," David said.
"Our team consistently took the fight to a top level main series team throughout the season despite the obvious difference in resources between us. Andrew Thompson did a great job all season and it is because his team lifted the bar so much that we were forced to respond and I have enjoyed being the only driver in the field to consistently meet that challenge. While we missed the runner-up spot in the title race and had a very frustrating final round here in Sydney, we were without a doubt the best of the field aside from Triple 8 across the entire season.
"My thanks to the team for their efforts this season and for the valued support of Jayco, Tex Onsite, Hydraulink, Nandos, Wurth, Pulford, Palm Trans, Global Welding Supplies and Injectors On Line during the season. I am looking forward to an exciting 2012 as I continue my efforts to land a main series drive," he added.
DAVID RUSSELL ROUND 7 RESULTS SUMMARY:
Practice 1 - 6th 1:30.8508s
Practice 2 - 3rd 1:29.2897s (Under lap record time)
Qual: 5th - 1:30.0051s
Race 1: 4th 1:30.3977s
Race 2: 8th
Overall Round 7 Result: 5th
Final Championship Position: 3rd
2011 FUJITSU V8 SUPERCAR SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS:
1. Andrew Thompson 1896
2. Jack Perkins 1601
3. David Russell 1594
4. Scott McLaughlin 1461
5. Tim Blanchard 1262
6. Chaz Mostert 1253
7. Nick Percat 1207
8. Paul Morris 944
9. Rodney Jane 827
10. Daniel Jilesen 816
Print Quality Image Links from Sydney follow:
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Fighting finish puts Blanchard in the hunt at Sydney Telstra 500
3.12.2011
After a tough practice day, Tim Blanchard was looking for a change of fortune in Race 1 of the final round of the 2011 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series at Sydney's Olympic Park. The tight confines and unforgiving layout was a recipe for action and it delivered on the very first lap. Starting from P10, Tim was holding station as the cars ran down to the tight Turn 1. All hell broke loose with a major accident behind him involving Rodney Jane and Marcus Zukanovic bringing out the Safety Car. After a number of laps under yellow, the field was away and Tim quickly moved past Andy Jones and then closed on Paul Morris and Taz Douglas. These two then got together at Turn 11 and a fast reacting Blanchard steered the #27 Jayco / Cool Drive Falcon around the two cars. This moved Tim into 7th place which became 6th when Jilesen retired.
Tim's race pace was very strong matching times of Russell and Perkins in the closing stages to finish a fine 6th place.
'Qualifying wasn't too flash this morning. We struggled getting the car to ride the kerbs so we made some big changes to soften the car up for the race. It was bit of a hero or zero strategy but turned out well' Tim said as he arrived back in the Jayco garage. 'We made up some spots in the race including watching Taz & Paul getting together. They blocked the track a fair bit, but I managed to pick the gap and get by. Our race pace from the mid to the end was quite good so it should allow us to really push on tomorrow' Tim added.
DAVID RUSSELL FOURTH AFTER CHALLENGING SANDOWN ROUND
20.11.2011 
Team Jayco Falcon V8 Supercar driver David Russell has finished the penultimate Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series round at fourth overall after a challenging weekend on the Melbourne circuit which was highlighted by two top five race finishes and punctuated by a race two accident.
The Team Jayco Falcon driver started Saturday’s opening 15 lap race from the second row of the grid on a Sandown circuit that was mainly dry but greasy and wet in places from earlier heavy rain. The weather was a major change compared to Friday, some ten degrees cooler and heavily overcast, making it more difficult to generate the heat required for the slick tyres to provide maximum grip. The start saw Russell muscle his way into third chasing Jack Perkins, Chaz Mostert and Championship rival Andrew Thompson through the lap. An early accident saw a safety car caution period, but not before Thompson and Russell went wide on entry to the back straight. While Russell continued on ahead of Thompson, Mostert was able to get by both drivers. From that point Russell engaged in a race long battle chasing Mostert and leader Perkins with some three tenths of a second separating the three fierce racers. With three laps remaining Russell reported what he thought was a punctured tyre and erratic handling which was in fact one of his wheel nuts working itself loose. He had to slow down due to the deteriorating condition of the car and lost a position to the hard charging Nick Percat in the final turns due to this, finishing the race in fourth place.
Russell started the second Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series race on Sunday morning strongly from 7th on the grid for the reversed top ten start to race two in fine and warm conditions. On the approach to the esses on the first lap, Russell took evasive action through the turn three infield to avoid contact taking place ahead of him. On returning to the track his Team Jayco Falcon slid across the circuit and impacted David Wall’s Commodore which spun and caught a number of competitors in the process including Jack Perkins, Chaz Mostert and Nick Percat. Russell rejoined the race with significant side and rear damage, finishing the 15 lap race in 16th place. The race was won by Triple 8 Commodore driver Andrew Thompson with Tim Blanchard second and Paul Morris third.
The third and final race of the Sandown round saw Russell set a strong pace in pursuit of race leaders Thompson, Mostert and Perkins from the start, making his way up to 4th by the mid stages of the 15 lap sprint. The race saw two safety car caution periods that hampered Russell’s opportunities to make his way into the top three. Excessive tyre wear during the race made the going tough with Russell losing a position to Falcon driver Scott McLaughlin in the closing stages, greeting the chequered flag at 5th, earning him enough points for 4th overall in the penultimate round of the 2011 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series.
David Russell remains second overall in the Championship standings with one round remaining at Sydney Olympic Park in a fortnight.
According to David Russell, “It was a tough weekend with our set-up problems in practice. We worked hard to improve the car and made some gains with each race. It was madness at the start of race two, I was being hit from pillar to post and when I took evasive action the car slid across the track and I couldn’t avoid the impact with David Wall. We still managed to salvage some points from that race and the Team Jayco boys did an awesome job to repair the car for the third and final race that netted another top five finish. While 4th was not the result that I wanted from this round, we have one more round to go at Homebush, I’m still second in the race for the title and anything can happen, so I’m positive of a strong end to the season.”
/ends.
For further information or interviews contact David Russell on 0407 512 062 or Paul Marinelli, 0417 558 655.
Print Quality Image Links from Sandown follow:
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DAVID RUSSELL FUJITSU V8 SERIES R6 RESULTS SUMMARY:
Prac 1 - 10th 1:13.5621s
Prac 2 - 10th 1:12.6133s
Qual - 3rd 1:21.3386s (Wet)
Race 1 - 4th 1:12.0417s (Best Lap)
Race 2 - 16th
Race 3 - 5th
Overall Round 6 Result: 4th
Championship Position: 2nd
Tim Blanchard grabs a Top 10 at Sandown round
20.11.2011 
Following a good result in Race 1 of the 3 race round of the Sandown Fujitsu V8 Supercars round, Tim Blanchard lined up in fourth place for the inverted top 10 format for race 2. The start was clean, however chaos reigned at Turn 3 when Team Jayco team mate David Russell missed the turn and arrived back on the track turning around David Wall. Caught up in the mess were series contenders Jack Perkins, Nick Percat, Scott McLaughlin and FPR recruit Chaz Mostert.
The outcome was good for Tim, who cleared away in Position 2 as the Safety Car was sent out on track. At the restart, Blanchard was quickly into the lead after the restart but was quickly overtaken by series leader Andrew Thompson in the T888 Holden.
Blanchard held station and ran with Thompson in the closing laps to record a fine second place and earn a position 3 grid spot for the final.
"The car was better and we were not too far away from Thompson in that race." said Tim 'I did not really see what happened behind me on Lap 1 but it did me a favour for sure!' Blanchard added.
Race 3 saw Tim start well and run strongly in fourth place. The #27 Jayco / Cool Drive Falcon led its stablemate and looked good for a strong result. After a Safety Car period, the field were on let go on lap 11 but Tim only made it to Turn 1 where an out of control Nick Percat slammed into the side of Blanchard putting both cars intuit the sand trap. Another Safety Car period was called for to extract Tim, but his race was run finally crossing the line in in 18th place.
"The car was pretty good and we were definitely in the top five on genuine pace." Tim said "At the resort I saw Dave dive down the inside and chose to slot in behind him. I then got the biggest hit I reckon I have ever had as Percat hit me. He must have been carrying a lot of speed. That's the way it has gone this year. Every time it looks like we can grab a result something pops up!' Blanchard concluded.
Overall, Blanchard was seventh for the round and retained his 5th pace in the Championship.
Top 10 finish is good reward for Tim Blanchard at Sandown
19.11.2011
After a hot and humid practice day, persistent rain was the order of the day for Qualifying and Race 1 in the 2011 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series at Sandown. Tim Blanchard put in a strong qualifying performance to place the the #27 Jayco Falcon on the fourth row of the grid in position 7.
The first of three races started with a damp track but the Dunlop slick was the tyre of choice. A wild start saw Tim run down along the fence as Marcus Zukanovic moved across finally clipping the front of the Jayco Falcon. Sensing a bigger accident Tim wisely backed out of it. Zukanovic then spun taking Douglas & Paul Morris with him. A lucky escape saw Tim into P5 as the Safety Car was called.
At the restart Tim struggled for grip and the lead pack skipped away. A mid race battle with McLaughlin and series leader Andrew Thompson developed but they both got by Blanchard.
The races pace increased as the track continued to dry and Tim crossed the line in 7th position to record another Top 10 in the series. "We all started on slicks but I was really struggling to get some grip. In the early laps it lacked the drive I needed off the corners but as the race wore on I could put in some better laps." Tim said. "The points today keeps us in 5th place overall but I really want to try for the podium tomorrow" Blanchard added.
Sunday sees two 15 lap races, the first with an inverted top 10 which will see Tim start from P4.
Blanchard collects another top 10 at Bathurst
8.10.2011
The final race in Round 5 of the 2011 Fujitsu Supercar Series was a wild affair today at Mt Panorama. Starting from sixth position on the grid, Tim Blanchard's race almost ended at the green light as he bogged the #27 Jayco / Cool Drive Falcon down, just managing not to stall. Importantly all the cars behind him managed to scramble around Blanchard as the field headed off.
Tim picked up speed but was back in position 15 as the cars headed up Mountain Straight. Chaos was not fa r away as a number of cars clashed at the The Chase including Tim who got across the sodden grass and back on track. The Safety Car was deployed and the cars ran another 3 laps before the restart. Blanchard was immediately on the move passing Geoff Emery into Turn 2 then set about gaining places as the race developed.
A storming drive with consistently fast laps saw Blanchard on the tail of David Wall with Mostret, Zukanovic & Jane battling in front of them for 7th place.
Wall made a mistake at Reid Park clipping the wall and Blanchard pounced not without his own brush with the concrete a few metres further down the road. He then got past Jane & Mostret who were intent on putting each other off the road and into 6th position on Lap 10.
"The start was terrible! I was busy trying to get the car back up to speed and obviously hoping not to get someone crashing into the rear of me!' a relieved Blanchard said after the race. " We had a great car today so I just had to go for every opportunity to make up for that start. Thankfully some of the guys I was battling with were determined to take each other out so I had to thread the needle and pounce. I was pleased for the team that we got back to 6th but a bit like yesterday it was a missed opportunity: Blanchard added.
After round 5 of the 2011 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series Tim Blanchard sits in 5th place overall with two rounds to run.
The Bathurst round was won by Andrew Thompson from David Russell and Jack Perkins.
Testing conditions greet Tim Blanchard in Bathurst practice
7.10.2011 The 2011 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series resumed today with practice at the famous Mt Panorama track at Bathurst. Wet and cold conditions were the order of the day for the 29 strong car field. Tim was quickly on the pace in the #27 Jayco Falcon sitting comfortably in the top 5 for the bulk of the session.
'The first session was wet for the full 40 minutes. It was the first time I had driven in the wet around Bathurst so it was a cautious start. The car w as competitive right away and I could punch out quicker laps as the session went on" Tim said at the conclusion of practice "We pitted about 10 minutes before the end of practice 1 and did not get out for final run as the session was red flagged, so overall to finish up in P7 was a good start"
Blanchard was then off to Kelly Racing for his duties in the #16 Stratco Commodore he will share with David Reynolds in the 1000km race on Sunday. A full 40 minute co driver session was run again in wet conditions and Tim ran conservatively to ensure he got good track time. ""We ran some old tyres on what was effectively a dry set up and then bolted on some better rubber toward the ends. The car was quite good and a lot quicker, but it was very slippery. Unfortunately the afternoon session was called off so we will watch the weather for qualifying tomorrow" Blanchard said.
Qualifying for the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series and the Bathurst 1000 will take place on Friday.
FUJITSU V8 SUPERCAR DRIVER TOM TWEEDIE SECURES GARMIN FOR BATHURST
5.10.2011
For Fujitsu V8 Supercar series rookie Tom Tweedie the task of tackling Australia's most iconic mountain will be made somewhat easier this weekend, with the 23-year-old Sydney driver yesterday announcing that GPS Navigation specialists Garmin will now support his #26 MW Motorsport BF Falcon.
The automotive navigation side of Garmin will be of most interest to Tweedie as he looks to plot his way around the Mount Panorama circuit this weekend in what will be his first V8 Supercar start at the venue.
Tweedie has welcomed Garmin on board as he heads into one of the biggest races in his debut V8 Supercar year – currently placed 11th in the series after four rounds.
“I am very proud to be representing a great brand like Garmin who are leaders in their field and it is an enormous vote of confidence in me, the MW Racing Team and the sport that they have now come on board in 2011 to support me."
“Bathurst is the toughest, most demanding circuit of this season so far and the biggest test in my Rookie V8 Supercar season. I have some experience at the circuit in a Formula Ford at Easter this year which was a big help so I’m really excited about what this weekend holds."
“We want some strong results to lift the Garmin Falcon towards the front of the pack and into the top ten in the championship standings.”
"Maybe we can install a Garmin GPS on top of the dash so I can find my way around Mount Panorama over the first few laps."
A positive test at Winton Raceway recently has Tweedie match-fit ahead of this weekends’ fifth Fujitsu series round, where he will compete against a strong field as part of the three-car MW Motorsport team.
Tom Tweedie is also supported by Race Fit, Tizzana Vineyards and Palm Trans and thanks Global Welding Supplies and Land Surveys for their past support at Qld and WA earlier rounds.
The two races (one each on Friday and Saturday) this weekend will be broadcast live to a massive audience on the Seven Network – live on Channel 7 and in High Definition on 7mate.
For more information about Tom head to www.tomtweedie.com
DAVID RUSSELL SECOND IN FUJITSU SERIES AFTER CHALLENGING QUEENSLAND RACEWAY ROUND
21.08.2011
Team Jayco Falcon V8 Supercar driver David Russell has elevated himself to second in the 2011 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series after three highly competitive and chaotic races held at Queensland Raceway over the weekend.
The talented Fujitsu Series driver raced his way from 12th on the starting grid for Saturday's first race to finish a superb 5th after avoiding several competitor accidents. He then started from 6th in the second top ten reverse grid race on Sunday in wet and treacherous conditions to finish 3rd, capping off another strong Fujitsu Series round with 2nd place in the third and final race of the round, earning him 4th overall for the round, missing the podium by just two points.
After a difficult run in Friday's two opening practice sessions, Russell and his team struggled to find the right balance in set-up to suit the Queensland Raceway circuit. Despite the early challenges, Russell managed to find more pace for qualifying, setting the 8th fastest lap on Saturday morning, only for him to be set back four starting positions on the grid (to 12th) for what the stewards of the meeting perceived as a blocking infringement during the session. The frustration of this situation was compounded by a 25 Championship point penalty that was issued to Russell following an opening race incident.
Russell's determined and highly skilled perfomances to return to the front end of the field in the three highly competitive Queensland races in spite of any other factors clearly diplayed how he deserves a place in the main V8 Supercar Series next season. The Tex Onsite sponsored Team Jayco driver handled everything from multi-car accidents and bumper to bumper racing in the opening race to torrentially wet and slippery conditions in Sunday morning's second heat. The third and final race of the weekend saw Russell power away to a field leading start, setting the fastest lap time of the race and performing spirited challenges against former main V8 Supercar Series series drivers Paul Morris and Triple 8 V8 Supercar team driver Andrew Thompson.
"We certainly showed what we are capable of this weekend, leading almost an entire race from a Level 1 team car, setting the fastest Fujitsu Series lap of the final race and fighting back from a slow start and a penalty to be right in the hunt once again. My crew did an outstanding job and I drove as hard as my Team Jayco Falcon would go all weekend. While I really wanted to get a race win at my home round, we came very close and we now head to my strongest rounds of the season with Bathurst, Sandown and Homebush remaining," David Russell said.
Russell returns to the track with Team Jayco at Bathurst's Mount Panorama circuit from October 6-9 as the defending event Champion. He will also compete in the main V8 Supercar series next month (September 16-18) at Victoria's Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in his role as enduro co-driver for Jack Daniel's Racing, pairing with Todd Kelly in the L&H 500. Russell gained a top six finish in last year's event co-driving with Jonathan Webb.
DAVID RUSSELL R4 RESULTS SUMMARY:
Practice 1 - 9th 1:12.3313s
Practice 2 - 15th 1:12.3824s
Qualifying - 8th 1:11.4026s
RACE 1 - 5th
RACE 2 - 3rd
RACE 3 - 2nd
ROUND RESULT - 4th
CHAMPIONSHIP POSITION: 2nd
NEXT RACE - L&H 500 SEPT. 16-18 PHILLIP ISLAND (VIC)
NEXT FUJITSU SERIES ROUND - BATHURST (NSW) OCT 6-9
Tim Blanchard puts in a great recovery drive in Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series
21.08.2011
The Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series reaches the half-way point at Queensland Raceway this weekend where Round 4 will be contested. After another long layoff from the Townsville round in early July, teams have been taking the chance to refresh the V8 Supercars. Tim and the MWR Racing Team have been no exception. Continuing their technical alliance with Ford Performance Racing the #27 Falcon has a number of upgrades ready for this most important race meeting.
'After the Townsville round we identified a number of areas of the car that Matt and the MWR team were going to focus on to make the car better over the race distance.' Tim reported. 'The 5 week mid-season break has allowed a lot of development time. Of course all the other teams are doing likewise so we really don't know where we are till we hit the track on Friday' Tim added.
In 2010 Tim posted a good result in Queensland and sees no reason why the Jayco / Cool Drive Falcon can't be right on the pace.
'Having both Jayco cars at similar spec provides a lot of good feedback to our engineering crew, and with the input from FPR during recent weeks, I really can't wait to get going!' Tim said.
Tim has also kept himself 'race ready' by having a very successful return to Formula Ford Racing last weekend when he piloted his father’s Van Diemen RF88 to a clean sweep of wins at the 2011 Winton Festival of Speed.
The Fujitsu V8 Supercars will contest 3 races this weekend at Queensland Raceway for Round 4 of the Championship.
Visits Tim's website to read all the Media Releases from the weekend.
Tim Blanchard looking to step up in Queensland
19.08.2011The Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series reaches the half-way point at Queensland Raceway this weekend where Round 4 will be contested. After another long layoff from the Townsville round in early July, teams have been taking the chance to refresh the V8 Supercars. Tim and the MWR Racing Team have been no exception. Continuing their technical alliance with Ford Performance Racing the #27 Falcon has a number of upgrades ready for this most important race meeting.
'After the Townsville round we identified a number of areas of the car that Matt and the MWR team were going to focus on to make the car better over the race distance.' Tim reported. 'The 5 week mid-season break has allowed a lot of development time. Of course all the other teams are doing likewise so we really don't know where we are till we hit the track on Friday' Tim added.
In 2010 Tim posted a good result in Queensland and sees no reason why the Jayco / Cool Drive Falcon can't be right on the pace.
'Having both Jayco cars at similar spec provides a lot of good feedback to our engineering crew, and with the input from FPR during recent weeks, I really can't wait to get going!' Tim said.
Tim has also kept himself 'race ready' by having a very successful return to Formula Ford Racing last weekend when he piloted his father’s Van Diemen RF88 to a clean sweep of wins at the 2011 Winton Festival of Speed.
The Fujitsu V8 Supercars will contest 3 races this weekend at Queensland Raceway for Round 4 of the Championship.
DAVID RUSSELL SECOND OVERALL IN TOWNSVILLE
10.07.2011
July 10, 2011 - Team Jayco Falcon V8 Supercar driver David Russell has raced to second overall for the second year in a row in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series races held at the Sucrogen Townsville 400 over the weekend. Russell's results of 2nd, 4th and 3rd in each of the weekend's three sprint races have elevated the Queensland driver's Championship position to 3rd with four rounds remaining.
"The team did a great job this weekend to ensure that we were in the same performance window of the Championship leaders from the moment we hit the track in Townsville. We did a good job of keeping our rivals honest this weekend and there was some exciting racing throughout. All of us at Team Jayco want nothing more than to win a round and we are certainly getting closer after our second places in Perth and Townsville," Russell said.
In addition to his Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series driving duties in Townsville, Russell also drove the Jack Daniels Racing Commodore that he will be co-driving in the forthcoming V8 Supercar endurance races with Todd Kelly at this event.
The opening 14 lap Fujitsu Series race of the weekend on Saturday saw Russell race his way from 6th on the starting grid to 3rd, chasing Marcus Zukanovic and pole-setter Andrew Thompson into the first corner. A rear of field accident that involved four cars brought out the first of two safety car caution periods of the race on the second lap. The race re-started on lap 5 and on the following lap Russell powered past Zukanovic to take second position, but on the 7th lap a heavy single car crash by Todd Fiore caused another caution period under the Safety Car. The re-start took place on lap 11 out of 14 making it a super-fast three lap sprint to race end. Russell stayed on Thompson's tail and edged out a one and a half second gap to Nick Percat by the end of the race earning a strong second place for Team Jayco.
Sunday's second 14 lap sprint race saw Russell start from 9th on the grid (reverse grid top ten), powering into 6th position at the first corner. By the third lap he passed former main series driver Paul Morris to move into 5th and was up to 4th by the 9th lap, chasing Jack Perkins, Daniel Jilesen and Team Jayco team mate, Tim Blanchard. Russell was competing in this race on the same tyres as he used in race one, so wear along with fading brakes took their toll on his car speed. Blanchard took the win from Perkins with Jilesen third ahead of Russell, with Thomspson rounding off the top five.
The third and final Fujitsu V8 Supercar race of the Townsville round started at 1:10pm in warm and sunny conditions. Starting from second on the grid with Thompson on pole, Russell raced into the early lead ahead of both Thompson and Jack Perkins. Midway through the second lap, Thompson edged his way past, which made Russell vulnerable to the close following Perkins who made his way past on the third lap. Russell held on to Perkins' rear wing for the remainder of the race, the gap no more than 7/10ths of a second until the final lap of the longer 18 lap final race. The leading trio of Thompson, Perkins and Russell established a 3.2 second gap over the rest of the field and finished the race in that order.
Russell returns to the track with Team Jayco next month (Aug 20/21) at Queensland Raceway for the series' 4th round.
DAVID RUSSELL R3 RESULTS SUMMARY:
Practice 1 - 2nd 1:15.3441s
Practice 2 - 8th 1:15.0765s
Qualifying - 6th 1:14.4009s
Race 1 - 2nd
Race 2 - 4th
Race 3 - 3rd
Overall Round Result - 2nd
Championship Position - 3rd
A RACE WIN FOR TIM BLANCHARD IN TOWNSVILLE
10.07.2011
Tim Blanchard took his first race win of 2011 with a strong performance in Race 2 of the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series in Townsville today. The second race inverts the top 10 finishers from race one and saw Tim start on the front row of the grid for the 14 lap journey. Tim jumped well at the green light and led the field into the first lap determined to build a gap to the pursuing pack.
‘The start was critical and I knew I had to really put in some hard laps at the start even risking the tyres going off towards the end.’ an elated Blanchard said after the race. ‘With all the other quick guys behind me it was a matter of head down and a focus on building a gap. I knew I would need it at the end’ Tim added. The early laps were in fact where the race went Tim’s way building a gap of over 1.5 seconds by mid race distance to pole sitter Daniel Jilesen and the hard charging Jack Perkins and Jayco team mate David Russell. Whist the gap fluctuated over the closing laps Tim had done the job and crossed the line in front of Perkins to take the win. Following a 9th in race one and the win in race two, Tim lined up in 6th place for the final 18 lap race.
As tyres became a critical factor for the final, Blanchard knew that the longer race would be tough. He started well and ran in a solid 8th place for the first third of the race. Rod Jane’s Tmart Falcon passed Tim on lap 8 but the #27 Jayco / Cool Drive Falcon was back in eighth the next lap. As the final laps counted down Tim’s tyres were well past their best and he could not defend his top 10 spot slipping to 11th at the chequered flag. The race was won by Andrew Thompson from Jack Perkins & David Russell.
‘The final race was tough but the tyres really held in well in the early laps. But as the race went into the final laps they just went away very quickly.’ Tim said after the race.
Blanchard remains in 6th place overall in the 2011 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series.
www.timblanchard.com.au
www.Twitter.com/timblanchard3
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TOP 10 FINISH FOR TIM BLANCHARD IN FUJITSU V8 RACE 1 IN TOWNSVILLE
09.07.2011 The Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series kicked off its three race event in Townsville today with a wild and woolly 14 lap race. Lining up in 10th position, Tim was a little happier than his practice performance from Friday.
‘The car was good on new tyres and we got back into the top 10.’ Tim commented after the qualifying session. ‘I am hoping for a clean run to try and gain spots in the first 14 lapper’ he added.
The start of Race was smooth enough but it only lasted until Turn 2 when cars were spearing off in all directions. Three cars were eliminated on the spot. For Blanchard it was a case of threading the needle as he saw cars going in spinning in front and around him. He pulled quickly to the right and made the turn unscathed to finish lap 1 in 8th place. The Safety Car was deployed to clean up the cars and debris and when racing resumed on lap 5 Tim set about trying to bring the #27 Jayco / Cool Drive Falcon up the field. The following lap he launched a big move under Daniel Jilesen getting past but running wide and allowing Rod Jane to buy into the fight. The net result was the same after the lap finished with Tim still in 8th place!
A second Safety Car was called for Fiore’s accident and with a short run to the flag Tim was struggling to hold out Jilesen who passed him on the last lap. Blanchard finished in 9th position and will line up on the front row for the reverse grid race 2 on Sunday morning. ‘A wild race today!’ Tim said. ‘There was big incident on lap 1 and I was very happy to get around it all. Some good luck we needed! The car was again quite good but we need to do more work overnight to capitalise on our grid spot for tomorrow.’ Blanchard concluded.
The race was won by Andrew Thompson from David Russell and Nick Percat. Tim Blanchard remains in 6th place in the 2011 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series.
SOLID WEEKEND OF POINTS PUSHES TOM TWEEDIE UP THE ORDER IN TOWNSVILLE LAST WEEKEND
July 13th, 2011
TOM TWEEDIE has moved into the top eleven of the increasingly competitive Fujitsu V8 Supercar series after a competitive weekend at the Sucrogen Townsville 400.
With new Queensland major sponsor Global Welding Supplies on the side of his MW Motorsport Falcon for this weekend, Tweedie had a consistent weekend with top-ten pace throughout the event to climb the points ladder to end it on the cusp of breaking into the top ten in eleventh place.
The Townsville Fujitsu field was the strongest in several seasons with V8 ‘main-game’ drivers including Cam McConville, Paul Morris and Andrew Jones joining the field.
After qualifying a close but dissapointing 20th, Tweedie made a storming start to race one and was 13th at the end of lap one, before working his way through to 11th at the flag in arguably his best race of the season.
In race two he started from the same position and was involved in the thick of the action in a five-car dice for position with Cregan, Drew Russell and Scott McLaughlin. On lap nine Tweedie was nudged hard from behind as they entered turn seven dropping him five places down the order and costing the Team Tom car a potential top ten finish – eventually finishing 16th.
Starting the third race from 14th on agregate points from the two previous races and after setup adjustments to the car proved to be a challenge for Tweedie, not delivering the anticipated gain in performance that when coupled with an older set of tyres resulted in a 17th place finish.
“After race one I was starting to believe a top ten finish was going to happen in Townsville,” Tweedie said..
“Unfortunately it wasn’t to be no matter how hard I tried and my thanks go to the team for always trying to find a better setup all weekend but I think perhaps we went the wrong way in the third race – but we had to try something as we had used up our best tyres."
“Ultimately we are 11th in the championship in my first V8 year and to be in that position and vying for the 'rookie of the year award' is very pleasing and we’re always making good progress which is most important."
“I suggest we’re going to get better and better as the year goes on in the remaining four rounds – including Bathurst – where this car has always performed well with it's very strong motor."
Tweedie had several new supporters on the side of the #23 MW motorsport Falcon at the weekend indicating growing support for the Sydney drivers’ first year in V8 Supercars.
“Our major sponsor for the weekend was a North Queensland company Global Welding Supplies and we were also joined by Penrite Oils and my new personal fitness trainer Peter at Racefit www.racefit.com.au from Sydney, all of whom I sincerely thank” together with the team at MW Motorsport" Tom said.
The next round of the Fujitsu V8 Supercar series will be contested at Ipswich’s Queensland Raceway on August 19-21should suit Tom's car and hopefully he will be well supported for this very conspicious Queensland event which is a prelude to Bathurst in October.
TOWNSVILLE PRACTICE SHOWS RACEDAY PROMISE FOR TIM BLANCHARD
07.07.2011
Tim Blanchard has finished the two practice sessions today in Townsville with some very good data to tackle Qualifying and Race 1 tomorrow. The practice was not without problems as Tim struggled in the first session with a puncture which set him back a number of laps. “The car felt quite good but I started to get some serious understeer mad headed to the pits” Blanchard said after the first session. “The problem was not immediately evident that we had a deflating tyre but on the second stop the guys got on top of it.” Tim soldiered on to record a time for 13th position just over a second from pole showing just how competitive this 28 Townsville field is.
The Fujitsu V8 Series cars were out on the track again later in the day but Blanchard was still looking for the sweet spot in the set up. Despite sitting in the top 10 for much of the session, his best time cam on lap 15 out 23. As more drivers bolted on new tyres, Tim was pushed back down the order to finally end the day in 16th.
‘I would have liked to be further up the list today but when we did have a clear run the car felt OK. ‘Tim said. ‘We have some work to do tonight and to try and make the qualifying set up spot on. On this track position is going to count for a lot so we will give it our best shot.’ Blanchard added.
At the conclusion of practice Tim was scheduled to give a Hot Lap to a special family member of local sponsor Bayswater Road Radiators. The company joined Tim at Townsville in 2010 to see his victory and is back on board the #27 Jayco / Cool Drive Falcon this weekend.
Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series Pointscore after 2 of 7
Pos Driver Rd1 Rd2 Total
1 Andrew Thompson 207 300 507
2 Scott McLaughlin 234 258 492
3 Jack Perkins 171 258 429
4 David Russell 156 258 414
5 Daniel Jilesen 189 213 402
6 Tim Blanchard 240 147 387
DAVID RUSSELL SECOND OVERALL IN PERTH
1.05.2011
May 2, 2011 - It was a strong return to form for 29 year old Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series racer David Russell at Perth's Barbagallo Raceway over the weekend. In the first ever Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series races held across the Nullabor, Russell qualified 5th and raced to 4th and 2nd place finishes in the two closely contested 29 lap races.
Starting from 5th on the grid on Saturday afternoon for the first of two chaotic 28 lap Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series races of the weekend, Russell was in strong form, staying out of trouble despite two Safety Car caution periods caused by some chaotic driving both ahead and behind the Team Jayco V8 Supercar driver. During one such episode, competitor Nick Percat managed to hit a kerb with such force that his Gearboxes oil plug was ground away, spraying oil all over the cicuit directly in front of Russell. After getting past without incident, Russell moved into 4th position, chasing the leaders to the chequered flag. The race was won by Andrew Thompson, driving a current specification Triple 8 Race Engineering Commodore, with second and third places going to Ford drivers Jack Perkins and Scott McLaughlin.
Sunday's second and final Fujitsu Series V8 Supercar race in Western Australia saw Russell make the most of a lightning start to muscle his way
into second place, finishing 9/10ths of a second behind Andrew Thompson. In what was an oustanding result given the current 888 machine of his championship rival - the Team Jayco driver was the only other driver (along with Thompson) in the 24 car Fujitsu Series field to set a 57 second lap during the 29 lap race. Russell finished almost four seconds clear of Ford driver Scott McLaughlin who rounded off the podium, this is despite two Safety Car Caution periods that bunched up the field.
Russell's results in Western Australia earned him second overall for the round and have elevated the Brisbane based driver to 4th in the chase for
the 2011 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series title.
According to David Russell - "What a round - there was a bit of everything in those races. The goal for me with only the two races in Perth was to
ensure that I stayed out of trouble and improved the car with every session on the track. The Team Jayco Falcon certainly emerged as one of the fastest in the field, which is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the team given the lastest spec machinery that we are racing against. It is very satisfying to move up a heap of places in the Championship, the key now is to repeat and improve on this performance for the remainder of the season."
David Russell R2 Results Summary:
Practice 1 - 8th - 58.5663s
Practice 2 - 8th - 58.4249s
Qualifying - 5th - 57.5034s
Race 1 - 4th
Race 2 - 2nd
Meeting Result: 2nd
Championship Position: 4th
LITTLE JOY FOR TIM BLANCHARD IN PERTH
1.05.11
After a tough 28 lap journey on Saturday, Tim Blanchard was looking for a far better result in the final race at Barbagallo Raceway today in Perth. From his 14th grid position Tim quickly made his way into the top 10 settling into a 9th position. The race again was punctuated by safety cars, but Tim did not have the package to capitalise on the restarts. Blanchard pressed on but just could not find the car speed to move back up into the sharp end.
By lap 19 Tim had clawed his way back to 8th place but the #27 Jayco/ Sanden/CPS Falcon was struggling on the unique and quite abrasive Perth surface. “No matter what I did today, I could not get the car to dial into this track” Tim said. “I had real tyre drop off and to be honest we are scratching our heads a bit” Tim added. “My team mate had a great result but I guess that is the difference between being in the clear and fighting in the pack where I was stuck.” a disappointed Blanchard added.
Andrew Thompson won today’s race from David Russell and Scott McLaughlin
Pos Driver Rd1 Rd2 Total
1 Andrew Thompson 207 300 507
2 Scott McLaughlin 234 258 492
3 Jack Perkins 171 258 429
4 David Russell 156 258 414
5 Daniel Jilesen 189 213 402
6 Tim Blanchard 240 147 387
7 Chaz Mostert 186 192 378
8 Nick Percat 267 57 324
9 Rodney Jane 162 156 318
10 Robert Cregan 138 174 312
TWEEDIE SHOWS HIS POTENTIAL AT CLIPSAL 500
21.03.11
FUIJITSU V8 SUPERCAR rookie Tom Tweedie is confident of a strong rookie season in the premier development category to V8 Supercars after his debut on the streets of Adelaide at the weekend.
The MW Motorsport BF Falcon driver finished the two races in 16th and 14th positions, respectively, but is confident of progress in the remaining six rounds after making strong progress on the demoing 3.2km street circuit at the weekend.
Tweedie has identified getting the most out of new tyres in qualifying as a key area of improvement after showing impressive race pace in his Team Tom Supporters Club Falcon.
After a trouble-free race one, Tweedie made a strong start to race two and engaged in an aggressive battle with Greg Murphy Racing driver Geoff Emery in early laps.
After passing Emery into turn four, in a big welcome to the biff and bash of Touring Car Racing, the Commodore driver promptly collected Tweedie at turn six and punted him off the circuit.
The incident dropped Tweedie to 24th place, prompting him to charge though the field and he had driven to eleventh place by lap 15.
Tweedie then engaged in a dice with Tony Bates, the pair running side-by-side into turn one that forced Tweedie across the kerb – a no-go zone – which resulted in a drive through penalty – eventually finishing 14th.
Despite feeling disappointed about the incident, Tweedie was pleased that despite the earlier spin a top-ten finish was still very much in his sights.
“It’s very frustrating that a Top Ten was still in our sights despite being turned around early in the race,” Tweedie said.
“The car was really fast and I was really getting to grips with the track by the last race. After Geoff turned me around I knew the car wasn’t damaged so I just got on with it. Thanks to Matt White Racing because the car was 100%.”
Tweedie said that he was positive about the remainder of the season after his Clipsal 500 experience, noting that speed would come with experience.
“I’m pumped for (Round two) at Perth,” he said.
“I’ve never raced there so I’ll have to learn the circuit but it’s going to be the same for most of the guys in the field. I can see top ten results there which would be a good result taking into account the level of competition within this year’s championship.
“I was doing lap times in qualifying that would have put me well inside the top ten in qualifying last year but this year I was outside the top 15 and I knew it would be tough from back there. The competition is really tough this season.
“It will be important for me to get a bit more speed out of myself and the car earlier in the weekend so I can get out of the mid-pack, where all the carnage is.”
DAVID RUSSELL FASTEST AT CLIPSAL 500
20.03.11
Team Jayco Falcon V8 Supercar driver David Russell has made it clear that he is playing to win the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series title after out-pacing the entire field at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide. While his pace was strong, on track incidents caused him to finish 8th and 13th in the two season opening races at the Adelaide Parklands Street Circuit.
After setting the second and fourth fastest practice times on Thursday, Russell further improved in Qualifying to set the third fastest lap, missing out on the season opening pole position by 1/10th of a second. The Team Jayco BF Falcon was clearly the fastest Development Series car in the field with Pole taken by Andrew Thompson in a current specification Triple8 Race Engineering Commodore with Walkinshaw Racing Commodore driver Nick Percat second.
After a blistering start from the second row in Friday's opening 24 lap race, Russell powered past Percat to slot into second behind Thompson, Percat came back at the Team Jayco driver two corners later and after a side by side tussle, Percat managed to get by. Russell had his measure on pace though and powered past the Commodore driver at the final turn shortly after. Russell maintained a gap of over two seconds to Percat in the following laps, also setting the fastest lap of the race in is pursuit of race leader Andrew Thompson.
The gap between the two racers remained within 1.3 seconds until a misunderstanding at the high speed chicane saw Russell collide when trying to lap rookie Fujitsu Series driver Paul Freestone. The two collided and spun, dropping Russell to 11th place. He fought back despite some damage to the car to finish 8th and bank a valuable 90 points towards the 2010 title chase. The race was won by Thompson with Percat second and Jack Perkins third.
Saturday's second 24 lapper saw Russell start from 8th on the grid and power into 6th by the end of the first lap, then up to 4th by the fourth lap, then making his way past team mate Tim Blanchard and into the top three by lap 7. His charge towards race leaders Andrew Thompson and Nick Percat was brought to an abrupt end due to being forced into the pits by race officials with a loose front splitter. This was a bitter pill to swallow for the 29 year old Team Jayco driver, who once again has displayed that he was the fastest driver on the track during the opening stages of the race.
Russell rejoined the race in 20th position raced made up seven places to take the chequered flag in 13th place. It was a popular race win that went to former main V8 Supercar main series driver Jason Richards (who was forced to leave the main series late last year due to cancer treatment) with Scott McLaughlin second and Russell's Team Jayco team mate Tim Blanchard third.
#28 David Russell - "A weekend of missed opportunities is the best way to sum up this opening round. We clearly showed how fast my Team Jayco Falcon is throughout the weekend, particularly when lined up against two current-spec main series team V8 Supercars. I really felt that we had the car and the pace to win Friday's race as I was reeling Andrew Thompson in, but I regret the chicane incident with Paul Freestone, it was very costly.
"I couldn't have asked for a better start to Saturday's second race and once again we had great pace and I was positioned well to challenge for the win until we were forced into the pits with the loose front splitter. I'm disappointed with my results, but we have shown the pace that we have, the skill of our team and our determination to succeed."
David Russell Round 1 Summary:
Prac 1 - 2nd 1:23.6379s
Prac 2 - 4th 1:23.1290s
Qualifying - 3rd 1:22.4232s
Race 1 - 8th (Fastest Lap of the race - 1:23.0924s - and fastest Fujitsu Series lap of the event)
Race 2 - 13th
Championship Position - 11th
STELLAR START FOR TIM BLANCHARD IN FUJITSU OPENER
19.03.11
The first round of the 2011 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series was completed in Adelaide today with Team Jayco’s Tim Blanchard scoring a podium position in second place for the round. The race was run in fine conditions and saw far more action than the race the previous evening.
Once again, Blanchard started well and was at sitting in fourth in a four car train made up of Thompson, Percat, and Perkins. The #27 Falcon was glued to the rear of Perkins but this time there was no letting up. Tim made the move on Perkins on Lap 3 jumping into third place. Up front Percat and Thompson were fighting hard and the inevitable occurred at when they clashed at Turn 4 spinning Thompson and sending Percat into the pits for a drive through penalty. Blanchard found himself in second place and held that spot for 11 of the 24 laps. He could not catch new race leader Jason Richards however had to be aware of the charging pack behind him. Fujitsu driver Scott McLaughlin and a recovering Nick Percat both displaced Blanchard as the laps ran down and the Team Jayco driver had to settle for fourth place finish. This gave Blanchard 4th for both Round 1 races.
The points for the two races told a different story however. Blanchard proved that a sensible and consistent run was the secret to a bag of points rather than risk it all in a car that did not have quite the speed to match the front three. A second overall for Round 1 was a fantastic first up reward for Tim and the MW Motorsport crew.
“It was an interesting race – with a lot of chaos!” Tim said as he faced the media at the Press Conference. “I was looking at the bigger picture today. We’re here to win a Championship and you can’t do that by hanging it off the fence. We got a good point’s haul for the weekend and it has definitely got our Championship off to a good start.” Tim added.”I am really happy with the team and a podium first up is a good reward”
The overall results for Round 1 of the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Championship are:
1 Nick Percat 267
2 Tim Blanchard 240
3 Scott McLaughlin 234
4 Jason Richards 219
5 Andrew Thompson 213
TIM BLANCHARD IN THE TOP TEN ON CLIPSAL 500 PRACTICE DAY
18.03.11The 2001 season finally begun today in Adelaide for the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series. After a 3 month break all 27 competitors were itching to resume the battle on the streets of Adelaide as part of the Clipsal 500 meeting. Tim Blanchard was one of a number of drivers having his first run with a new team, in this case the Matt White Motorsport Team Jayco. There were two 40 minute sessions for the Fujitsu V8 Supercars and Blanchard was a top ten runner in both. The first session saw most of the more fancied runners near the front with Triple 888 racing debutant Andrew Thompson topping the times. Tim was a very solid fourth position after the 40 minute hit out less than a second from the lead car. The team worked hard on a set up and with Tim having his first run in the ex FPR Falcon, a lot was to be gained by trying various set ups.
The second session was held late in the day in cooler conditions. Most of the front runners were using brand new Dunlop rubber in the session and the times were nearly a second faster than the morning. Blanchard made some rear suspension changes as the session was temporarily halted then went for a green tyre run. A slight mistake at the Turn 9 hairpin saw his best lap and the best of the tyres get away. His time however some half a second quicker than the morning session was only good enough for 8th place.
'I was reasonably happy with the car and it was showing good speed on new tyres' Tim commented at the end of practice. 'I just went too deep at the end of the back straight and scrubbed across the corner - it cost a lot of time and the best of the tyres were gone. I am feeling good in the car and have to find its limits, qualifying will be a huge battle!' Tim added.
Andrew Thompson was quickest today from Jack Perkins and Nick Percat.
DAVID RUSSELL RETURNS TO THE FUJITSU V8 SUPERCAR SERIES WITH TEAM JAYCO FOR 2011
25.02.11
One of most exciting drivers of the 2010 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series, David Russell, will return to the series with Matthew White Motorsport this season.
After a stellar performance in 2010 with the team which netted the Lismore driver four race victories, Russell is eager to return to a car and team with which he is very familiar.
"It is great to be back with MW Motorsport for the new season. I enjoyed working with Matt White and his team last season and together we achieved some great qualifying and race results. The Team Jayco Falcon has been updated throughout the off-season and I have no doubt that we will be stronger again this season as the team continues to receive technical support and an engine development program with FPR," David Russell said.
"After being in the hunt throughout last season both Team Principal Matt White and I have some unfinished business to take care of in this series this year, so I thank Matt for giving me another tilt at the title with Team Jayco. I am also on the grid in 2011 thanks to the support of Tex Onsite, who are helping me to chase my goal of making it into the main V8 Supercar series in 2012," He added.
Russell, who finished 5th in the 2010 Fujitsu Series, will partner with Tim Blanchard, forming one of the strongest team combinations on the Fujitsu Series grid in 2011. Both drivers proved their speed, versatility and aggressiveness on the track during the 2010 season.
This will be Russell's third season in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series. The Brisbane based driver made his series debut in 2009 after a highly successful Carrera Cup and Production Car racing career. That season he finished third in the Championship, also taking out the Privateers' Championship. Last season he remained in a close Championship battle with Steve Owen, running second at the final round, but finishing 5th due to on track drama at Homebush. Russell's highlights included Pole position and both race victories at Bathurst, along with race wins at Sandown and Winton along with a podium finish in Townsville.
David Russell was selected to drive with 2010 Championship winning Ford V8 Supercar Championship Series team Dick Johnson Racing for the 2010 enduro events at Phillip Island (L&H 500) and Bathurst (Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000). Russell partnered main series driver Jonathon Webb in the Mother Energy Drinks FG Falcon at these events, finishing a impressive 6th at Phillip Island and 19th at the Bathurst 1000.
Earlier this month, Russell joined Roger Lago and Matt Kingsley in a Porsche GT3 to win Class B honours in the Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour, finishing 5th overall and s staggering 18 laps ahead of their nearest Class B rival!
Russell is in discussion with a number of main V8 Supercar Series teams in relation to the 2011 season of endurance races at Phillip Island and Bathurst and will shortly be finalising his plans in this regard.
TIM BLANCHARD STEPS UP WITH TWO CAR JAYCO TEAM
01.03.11
The 2011 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series is set for one of the strongest line ups in history when the cars hit the track at the Clipsal 500 in mid-March. Melbourne's Tim Blanchard has made a move to one of the most fancied teams in this year's series forming part of a two car assault from MW Motorsport. The team launched the new Jayco livery last week and Tim will partner David Russell in the two ex FPR Falcon V8 Supercars.
Blanchard is under no illusion of the task at hand and as series runner up in 2010 the focus is clearly on taking out the 2011 Championship. "We spent a lot of the off season looking at the best option for 2011." Tim said at the launch. "Matt White has a proven record in the Fujitsu Series and has strengthened his ties with the factory FPR Team. With Jayco coming on board to field a two car team we are looking for a really strong season" Blanchard added.
Blanchard was also pleased that his 2010 sponsors had all confirmed ongoing support for 2011. Sanden, CPS, Cool Drive, Jay Air and Revolution Racegear are all on board with at least one other sponsor to be named prior to the Clipsal 500.
"Having my own sponsor group is really important and I am wrapped that we have been able to secure this level of support for this year." Blanchard said.
The team will now head off to Winton for two full test days prior to the first race in Adelaide. This will give the MW Motorsport Team time to settle in with Tim and ensure the cars are in great shape for Round 1.
www.timblanchard.com.au
Twitter.com/timblanchard3
JAYCO RAMPS UP SPONSORSHIP IN FUJITSU SERIES
23 February 2011
Australia’s largest caravan manufacturer, Jayco, today announced plans to increase its sponsorship of the MW Motorsport team for the 2011 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series.
The team is owned and managed by veteran V8 driver Matthew White, with drivers Tim Blanchard and David Russell at the wheel and ready to take on the 2011 series with winning momentum.
Jayco will take over the team’s two cars with a naming rights sponsorship, including vehicle signage decals and Jayco racesuits.
According to Jayco Marketing Director, Andrew Ryan, the upgraded sponsorship deal will help to strengthen Jayco’s affinity with the Australian motor racing industry.
“Jayco has a great relationship with MW Motorsports since having sponsored our first car in 1996 and again in 2010.
“Jayco is committed to building a solid partnership with the motorsport community. We believe sponsorships such as these not only benefit our company, but help to bolster and strengthen motorsport in Australia,” Mr Ryan said.
Matthew White was also pleased to have Jayco on board as naming rights sponsor for the season.
“Jayco is a great Australian company, and we’re happy to be working with them again after an exciting season in 2010,” Mr White said.
Mr White said that Jayco was the team’s “lucky charm” during its former partnership in 1996.
“We went on to win the series in 1997, after Jayco’s sponsorship had expired. This time around, Jayco has decided to keep and upgrade and their sponsorship, and we’re all hoping for a repeat on 1997’s performance!”
“We’re running two top drivers, Tim Blanchard and David Russell, in a bid to win multiple races and the championship,” Mr White said.
Blanchard was the 2010 Fujitsu Series runner up and Mike Kable Young Gun Award Winner, and won the 2007 Ford Formula Championship.
Russell came out on top in three Fujitsu Series events last year, and is on board to ramp up efforts with the MW Motorsports team in 2011.
The Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series commences on 17 March at the Clipsal 500 and will conclude after seven rounds at the Sydney 500, on 3 December.
Tim Blanchard signs with MW Motorsport for 2011
11 February 2011
2010 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series runner up Tim Blanchard announced today in Melbourne that he has signed to drive with the well-established MW Motorsport in one of their ex FPR Falcons for the 2011 season.
Blanchard enjoyed an outstanding Rookie Year in 2010 culminating in 2nd place overall in the Championship, a race & round win in Townsville and the prestigious Mike Kable V8 Rookie of the Year Award.
The move from Sonic came after a long off season review of options. With many front running teams looking for drivers Tim and his management team were able to review the field in detail.
'It was personally a very tough move to leave Sonic' Blanchard said. 'There is no doubt that we have experienced a great relationship for many years with Michael, Maria and the whole Sonic crew, however the opportunity to continue to challenge myself and look towards the future influenced our decision.' Tim added. 'I am really looking forward to contesting the 2011 Fujitsu V8 Championship with MWR, and hope to go one better than last year'
MWM Team Principal Matt White said that he was very pleased to have a young driver of Blanchard's calibre on board for 2011. 'We were really focussed on putting a strong package in terms of drivers and cars on the grid this year. On reflection we had a few instances where we were chopping and changing drivers and I am committed to getting the MWM cars into a race winning position in 2011.' White said. 'Brining in someone of Tim's calibre will assist this process'
Blanchard's team mate will be announced later in February.