ASTC: Report Phillip Island

Morris Wins - Auger Crashes at 200km/h 1st June 1997 Release from TOCA Australia Web Site <http://www.toca.com.au/news/news.html#aust>

-------------------------------------------------------------------------= --- Paul Morris extended his lead in this years BOC Gases Australian Super Touring Championship and fellow-Queenslander David Auger escaped injury i= n a spectacular 200km/h crash in a dramatic second round of the series at Phillip Island in Victoria on Sunday(June 1)

Auger's Alfa Romeo 155 was badly damaged after slamming into a trackside tyre barrier on the opening lap of the second of the two 15-lap races. Th= e 41-year-old Brisbane driver=EDs car flipped, spun, and then crashed secon= ds after it had made contact with the IBC Vauxhall Cavalier driven by NSW=ED= s Bob Tweedie. Race Director Peter Wollerman later announced that Tweedie, who finished ninth, had been excluded from results and given a severe reprima= nd after being found guilty of driving dangerously.

Morris the 1995 champion, went into the Phillip Island round leading the series by eight points and extended his advantage to 14 over BMW Motorspo= rt team-mate Geoff Brabham. In the first race Brabham led the opening 11 lap= s until being passed by Morris, who went on to win in 24-min 44.46-secs. He was followed by Cameron McConville in an ORIX Audi Sport Australia A4, an= d fellow Victorian Steven Richards, who was a superb third in his debut in = a British-sourced Nissan Primera.

Brabham and 1996 champion Brad Jones, driving an ORIX Audi Sport Australi= a A4, were both forced to make pit-stops to replace deflating tyres. Brabha= m eventually finished fifth and Jones 12th. Five times Bathurst champion Ji= m Richards retired on lap eight because of electrical problems with his Vol= vo Racing Australia 850, while Italian Gianfranco Brancatelli also withdrew because of a brake failure.

Brabham won the second race in 24-mins 47.33secs after leading from start= to finish. Morris finished second after starting from the rear of the grid, following his exclusion from then second qualifying session on Saturday (= May 31) because his car would not start under its own power after a pit-stop = for weighing. Jones was third followed by McConville, Jim Richards and Steven Richards.

Morris now leads the championship with 60 points with Brabham second on 4= 6, McConville and Jim Richards equal third on 26 and Queensland=EDs Cameron McLean fifth on 21 in a Greenfield Mowers Opel Vectra. BMW Leads the Manufacturers Championship with 60 points, ahead of Volvo and Audi both o= n 34. McLean holds first place in the TOCA Challenge Independence Cup with = 43 points, from NSW=EDs Justin Matthews on 40 in a Fabre-Castell BMW 318I an= d Steven Richards on 33. The third round of the championship is at Calder P= ark in Melbourne on June 22.

Driver Quotes:

Paul Morris (BMW Motorsport 320I): =ECWhen I found out I was starting the second race from the back of the grid I thought my championship lead migh= t be lost. Instead, I=EDve gained some points. In the first race I was behi= nd Geoff (Brabham) for a long time and then I got a good run up the inside a= t Turn two and made the pass. The second race was tough coming through the field and second was as good as I could have hoped for.=EE

David Auger(Gun Racing Alfa Romeo 155): =ECIt was a big shunt I was hit f= rom behind and the car turned around and went into the tyre wall. It was a strange feeling when the car was spinning because you don=EDt really know what=EDs happening. Hopefully we can repair the car, but it=EDs going to = be a lot of work.=EE

Geoff Brabham(BMW Motorsport 320): =ECI=EDve made a good start to the championship and now I=EDve got to go on with it. In the second race I wa= s able to maintain a constant gap to Brad (Jones). although I knew Paul (Morris) would be coming through. I flat-spotted a tyre in the first race and had to come into the pits - that=EDs cost me some points for sure.=EE

Brad Jones (ORIX Audi Sport Australia A4): =ECA tyre started going down i= n the first race and I slid off the track. When I was coming into the pits one = of the guards was damaged. Paul (Morris) is looking good at the moment - he=ED= s a race win clear of everyone. Hopefully we can close the gap on the BMWs.=EE

Jim Richards (Volvo Racing Australia 850): =ECI had to stop in the first = race because we had a problem with a coil pack. On the second lap the engine started to misfire and it got worse. The second race was better.=EE

Steven Richards (Team Valvoline Nissan Primera): =ECMy aim this weekend w= as to try and finish and learn some more about the new car. We surprised oursel= ves - finishing third in the first race was just fantastic. We=EDve had some = help this weekend from Nissan Motorsport Europe and that was crucial to our performance. I think we=EDve shown this car has potential for more improv= ement and even better results.=EE

Driver championship Points (after round 2)

* Morris 60 * Brabham 46 * J Richards 26 * McConville 26 * McLean 21 * Jones 18 * Matthews 16 * S Richards 15 * Newman 12 * Wakefield 10, * Auger 6 * Tweedie 3 * Cornish 2 * Pickett 1

Manufacturers Championship Points (after round 2):

* BMW 60 * Volvo 34 * Audi 34

Teams Championship Points (after round 2 ):

* BMW Motorsport 106 * ORIX Audi Sport Australia 53 * HVE Motorsport 20

TOCA Challenge Independents Cup Points (after round 2):

* McLean 43 * Matthews 40 * S Richards 33 * Newman 32 * Wakefield 24 * Auger 13 * Cornish 11, * Tweedie 6 * Pickett 4

Race 1

 POS DRIVER                CAR               LAPS TIME
 1   Paul Morris           BMW 320i          15   24:44.4687
 2   Cameron McConville    Audi A4 quattro   15   25:03.6685
 3   Steven Richards       Nissan Primera    15   25:03.4030
 4   Cameron McLean        Opel Vectra       15   25:14.1223
 5   Geoff Brabham         BMW 318i          15   26:02.4477
 6   Justin Matthews       BMW 318i          15   26:02.4477
 7   Tony Newman           Peugeot 405       15   26:21.1700
 8   Bob Tweedie           Vauxhall Cavalier 15   26:22.4423
 9   David Auger           Alfa Romeo        14   26:23.3828
 10  Paul Pichett          Hyundai Lantra    14   25:01.4765
 11  Jim Cornish           Hyundai Lantra    14   25:26.9223
 12  Brad Jones            Audi A4 quattro   14   25:46.3205
 DNF Jim Richards          Volvo 850         8    13:32.1905
 DNF Gianfranco BrancatelliFord Mondeo       3    5:46.7694

Race 2

 POS DRIVER                CAR                LAPS TIME
 1   Geoff Brabham         BMW 318i           15   24:47.3322
 2   Paul Morris           BMW 320i           15   24:49.5318
 3   Brad Jones            Audi A4 quattro    15   24:50.0610
 4   Cameron McConville    Audi A4 quattro    15   25:06.0398
 5   Jim Richards          Volvo 850          15   25:06.2616
 6   Steven Richards       Nissan Primera     15   25:07.7647
 7   Tony Newman           Peugeot 405        15   26:26.2314
 8   Justin Matthews       BMW 318i           15   26:26.5231
 DNF Gianfranco BrancatelliFord Mondeo        9    15:35.9590
 DNF Paul Pichett          Hyundai Lantra     8    15:17.7064
 DNF Cameron McLean        Opel Vectra        8    15:41.7786
 DNF Jim Cornish           Hyundai Lantra     7    13:44.6824
 DNF Bob Tweedie           Vauxhall Cavalier  0    No Time

--=20 Brett Ramsey Watch In Pit Lane Optus Local Vision Melbourne