14.10.2003 FERRARI, MASERATI AND ALFA ROMEO WILL BE REPRESENTED AT THE SECOND BATHURST 24 HOURS NEXT MONTH
The
world's best GT teams, drivers and cars top a mouth-watering list of 71
provisional entries for the second annual Bathurst 24-Hour race at Mount
Panorama next month.
Current FIA N-GT World Champion Freisinger Motorsport, from Germany, has entered two of the latest Porsche GT3 RS's, but will face strong competition for outright victory from marques including as Monaro, Ferrari, Mosler, Morgan, BMW, Maserati, TVR and Marcos. Teams are due to come from Britain, Germany, Sweden, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Austria, as well as Australia, for the 21-23 November event.
The international line-up will include drivers experienced in Formula 1, Le Mans 24-Hour, FIA and British GT, Porsche Supercup, Formula 3000, Champ Cars and other high-level racing categories. Event organiser PROCAR Australia has approval to start 55 cars , one of the biggest Bathurst fields in many years, but says it is investigating the possibility of accepting even more if final numbers require it.
Leading the Italian runners are PHR Scuderia who will host an entry for Austrian team BE Racing, the new owner of one of its Ferrari 360 GTs seen in the Australian Nations Cup Championship. Italian ex-Formula 1, Champ Car and Formula 3000 driver Andrea Montermini will lead the team. A second 360 will be run for regular runner John Bowe with as yet to be named co-drivers.
The Ferraris will be part of a four-car entry to be managed by the team,
which has been one of the front-runners over the past four seasons. “We have
sold the Ferrari Michelotto (GT) that John Bowe has campaigned to a European
buyer,” said Terry Little, manager of the Melbourne-based PHR Scuderia.
“We will also be preparing two Ferraris for the buyer to compete at the Bathurst
24 Hour and they have the option to purchase the second car after the conclusion
of the race.” PHR Scuderia has also entered a Porsche GT3 RS that failed
to make the Bathurst grid last year after a heavy crash during Friday practice.
It has not yet specified a car for its fourth entry, but an announcement is
expected soon.
John Bowe has led the Donut King Nations Cup Championship for much of the
season, but currently lies a close second in the Meguiar’s points standings to
Lamborghini’s Paul Stokell, with two rounds to run before preparations begin for
Mount Panorama. Apart from Bowe and Montermini, no drivers have been confirmed
for the four-car PHR entry at Bathurst.
In Class B, for Nations Cup machinery, Rod Wilson's Melbourne-based Team Innovations will enter their two Maserati Trofeo GT's, Mark Coffey Racing will run their Ferrari 360 Challenge for regular pilot Allan Simonsen and James Koundouris, while a second 360 Challenge will be entered by John Teulan.
Sadly though Lamborghini Team Australia have withdrawn their fearsome Diablo GTR which currently leads the PROCAR organised Nations Cup series in the hands of team regular Paul Stokell.
Completing the Italian contingent will be Andrew Leithhead who is running an Alfa Romeo 156GTA for himself and a line up to be announced shortly.
 |