BTCC 2009 Thruxton Race 4

BTCC 2009 Thruxton Race 3

Australian V8 2009 New Zealand Race 4

Australian V8 2009 New Zealand Race 3

TC2000 Oberá, Misiones - 2009-05-10

Results: http://www.tc2000.com.ar/

TC 2000 - General Roca - Argentina - 2009-04-19

Pechito López's hat-trick: He won the pole position, the qualifying race and the race itself.



Results:
1) José María López (Honda Civic)
2) Ezequiel Bosio (Honda Civic)
3) Norbeto Fontana (Toyota Corolla)

TC2000 Alta Gracia 2009-04-05

TC2000 Alta Gracia 2009 - Winner: Pato Silva, 2nd: Martín Basso. A new start for the TC 2000 in Argentina with new engines and gear boxes, equal for all cars.

Race Results

TC 2000 - Punta del Este - 2008-12-07

Final race of 2008. Martin Basso, a specialist in street circuits makes the checkered flag in Punta del Este, Uruguay, with his Ford Focus and Jose Maria (Pechito) Lopez is crowned champion with Honda.

Results
1. M. Basso
2. G. Ortelli
3. N. Fontana
4. M. Rossi
5. C. Ledesma

Final Standings:
Pos Nr Driver Team Pts
1 37 LOPEZ, JOSE M. H. NEW CIVIC 169.00
2 9 SILVA, JUAN M. H. NEW CIVIC 145.00
3 2 ORTELLI, GUILLERMO R. Mégane 135.00
4 5 LEDESMA, CHRISTIAN C. Astra 123.00
5 1 ROSSI, MATIAS R. Mégane 111.00
6 3 BASSO, MARTIN F. FOCUS 81.00
7 4 P. DE LEON, GABRIEL F. FOCUS 68.00
8 8 PERNIA, Leonel H. NEW CIVIC 58.00
9 13 DI PALMA, JOSE F. FOCUS 57.00
10 11 FONTANA, NORBERTO T. COROLLA 53.00
11 10 OKULOVICH, CARLOS H. NEW CIVIC 51.00
12 33 BUGLIOTTI, Marcelo C. Astra 48.00
13 12 WERNER, MARIANO T.COROLLA 46.00
14 6 RISATTI, RICARDO C. Astra 42.00
15 14 CARDUCCI, LEANDRO F. FOCUS 25.00
16 17 YANNANTUONI, FABIAN C. Astra 13.00
17 38 CACERES, JUAN H. NEW CIVIC 7.00
18 18 CANAPINO, AGUSTIN C. Astra 6.00
19 19 VENTANA, SANTIAGO H. NEW CIVIC 5.00
20 34 CORSA C. Astra 5.00
21 20 FINESCHI, DAMIAN H. CIVIC 2.00
22 41 LLAVER, BERNARDO H. CIVIC 2.00
23 15 COSCIA, FRANCO H. NEW CIVIC 2.00
24 27 BELLI, DANIEL H. CIVIC 2.00
25 39 BENAMO, LUCAS H. NEW CIVIC 2.00

TC2000 - San Luis - Potrero de los Funes - 2008

Before the FIA-GT race, the Argentine TC2000 inaugurated the wonderful Potrero de los Funes circuit in San Luis. Pechito Lopez won the race. At the end of the video you will hear the broadcaster praising Lopez as the 2008 champion, but the stewards penalized Risatti with 30 sec., so Silva was third postponing the championship's definition for the next race in Punta del Este, Uruguay, on 12 December.



Race Results:
1. J.M. López
2. C. Ledesma
3. J.M. Silva
4. L. Pernia
5. M. Rossi

Argentina's TC2000 - Mendoza 2008-10-31

Great Race in Mendoza with Werner in a Toyota starting out well in front. But finally Gabriel Ponce de Leon with Ford Focus was the winner. It's now 2 races in a row for Ford, that were very worried with their whole year lack of winners, the tide has changed it seems.



Mendoza Results
1. P de León
2. M. Werner
3. J.M. Silva
4. J.M. López
5. C. Okulovich

Argentinian TC 2000 - Viedma - 2008-10-12

Great race, overtakings, bumpings, etc. Martin Basso with a Ford Focus was first to cross the checker flag.


Race results:

FINAL - TC 2000
Viedma

1 3 BASSO MARTIN F. FOCUS 27 42;21,532 
2 5 LEDESMA CHRISTIAN CH. ASTRA 27 42;31,932 10,400
3 13 DI PALMA LUIS JOSE F. FOCUS 27 42;33,843 12,311
4 11 FONTANA NORBERTO T. COROLLA 27 42;35,175 13,643
5 9 SILVA JUAN MANUEL H. NEW CIVIC 27 42;35,571 14,039
6 37 LOPEZ JOSE MARIA H. NEW CIVIC 27 42;35,831 14,299
7 2 ORTELLI GUILLERMO R. MEGANE 27 42;36,219 14,687
8 14 CARDUCCI LEANDRO F. FOCUS 27 42;38,894 17,362
9 4 PONCE DE LEON GABRIEL F. FOCUS 27 42;39,314 17,782
10 8 PERNIA LEONEL H. NEW CIVIC 27 42;41,211 19,679
11 42 GONZALEZ ALEJANDRO F. FOCUS 27 42;43,981 22,449
12 33 BUGLIOTTI MARCELO CH. ASTRA 27 42;47,890 26,358
13 38 CACERES JUAN IGNACIO H. NEW CIVIC 27 42;48,810 27,278
14 12 WERNER MARIANO T. COROLLA 27 42;50,152 28,620
15 20 FINESCHI DAMIAN H. CIVIC 27 43;02,006 40,474
16 41 LLAVER BERNARDO H. CIVIC 27 43;05,940 44,408
17 19 VENTANA SANTIAGO H.CIVIC 27 43;11,469 49,937
18 17 YANNANTUONI FABIAN CH. ASTRA 27 43;27,457 1;05,925
19 24 DER OHANESSIAN GUSTAVO VW POLO 27 43;29,860 1;08,328
20 39 BENAMO LUCAS H. NEW CIVIC 26 41;35,613 41;35,613
21 10 OKULOVICH CARLOS H. NEW CIVIC 25 39;24,958 39;24,958
22 23 SALERNO RUBEN VW BORA 17 27;52,337 27;52,337
23 27 BELLI DANIEL H. CIVIC 15 24;24,215 24;24,215
24 6 RISATTI RICARDO CH. ASTRA 13 20;52,131 20;52,131
25 16 PEZZINI FRABRIZIO H. CIVIC 9 14;48,375 14;48,375
26 18 CANAPINO AGUSTIN CH. ASTRA 6 9;49,078 9;49,078
27 15 COSCIA FRANCO H. NEW CIVIC 2 3;24,685 3;24,685
28 40 RIVA NESTOR VW POLO 0 0,000 0,000

Record Auto: 3 (Basso) a 1m33s057/1000 turn: 26 at: 159.348 km/h
Winner's average speed: 157.530 km/h 

Argentinian TC 2000 - Rio Hondo - 2008-09-21

Great race at Rio Hondo, Santiago del Estero, Argentina. Team Renault made its day with a 1-3 at the podium. Nice passes between drivers: Pechito López, Ledesma, Pernía, Fontana, Rossi, Buglioti, Basso, Ortelli, Silva. The race was won by Matías Rossi (Renault Mégane), 2nd. was Juan Manuel Silva (Honda New Civic), 3rd. Guillermo Ortelli (Renault Mégane), 4th. Marcelo Bugliotti (Chevrolet Astra), 5th. Martin Basso (Ford Focus). Pechito López (Honda New Civic) leads the championship.


TC 2000 2008 Standings

Rally-Raid Dos Sertoes 2008

Rally dos Sertões 2008: Volkswagen celebrates one-two win with Race Touareg in Brazil. Published June 27, 2008 in Race Touareg, Rally and Volkswagen Motorsport.


Great news from Volkswagen Motorsport! We had a good time watching the guys compete and win. There were 5 Mitsubishi L200’s in the Top 10 but the Race Touareg 2 is an incredible machine but lets not leave out the driver teams of Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz and Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford.


Giniel de Villiers & Dirk von Zitzewitz catch air in the Volkswagen Race Touareg 2
Commanding one-two win for Volkswagen: At the Rally dos Sertões the factory duos Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (RSA/D) as well as Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/RSA) captured first and second place overall.

The Volkswagen Race Touareg 2 powered by a 280-hp TDI diesel engine thus managed a successful maiden race in Brazil. On the tenth and last leg from Mossoró to Natal, de Villiers/von Zitzewitz reached the finish on the Atlantic coast as the stage winners yet again, while Miller/Pitchford finished the stage in fourth place. All of the ten possible stage wins at this extremely varied and demanding rally across a total distance of 4,500 kilometres across Brazil thus went to the “Dakar” prototype from Wolfsburg. This overall victory and second-place finish increase the tally of the Race Touareg sporting the distinctive, blue Red Bull livery to nine overall wins and a total of 28 podium places at 23 races since 2004.

For Volkswagen, the Rally dos Sertões marked another step in its preparation for the 2009 Dakar Rally, which will lead through Argentina and Chile from 03 to 18 January. After the desert classic, the 10-leg rally across Brazil has been the second-longest for the Volkswagen squad, which ventured onto new territory in terms of the geographic location as well as from a sporting perspective. The cross-country rally through Brazil held new types of routes in store for both driver pairings and put drivers and co-drivers to the test with technically demanding terrain and difficult navigation. In addition to fast sections across service roads, slow, trial-like rocky passages and slippery mud, the rally’s profile featured extremely deep water passages. The highly demanding routes thus posed a new challenge for Volkswagen and the entire team.

After winning the prologue and clinching seven subsequent stage victories, Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz took the overall lead from the outset, with the Volkswagen drivers competing against seasoned local rivals. With three stage wins and consistently high speed, Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford constantly maintained contact to their team-mates. However, due to a 48-minute time penalty after a delayed start to the penultimate special stage, they were deprived of the chance to fight a direct duel with them. Nevertheless, the advantage of the factory teams at the finish was significant: In the end, after 4,500 kilometres, overall winners de Villiers/von Zitzewitz were three, and runners-up Miller/Pitchford two hours ahead of the third-placed local Mitsubishi team Reinaldo Varela/Marcos Macedo.

Kris Nissen (Volkswagen Motorsport Director)
“This one-two win is a fantastic result for us. In sport, particularly in cross-country rally racing, it’s impossible to calculate successes in advance or to firmly plan them. There are too many crucial factors involved, even if – as was the case with us at the Rally dos Sertões – you go into the race as clear favourites. The entire squad, from the drivers and co-drivers to the mechanics, did a truly fantastic job. I’m proud of everyone. The Sertões Rally served as preparation for the 2009 Dakar Rally and we learned a lot here, particularly with regard to the technical demands made on the material by these types of routes. A special thank you from us to Volkswagen do Brasil for their good support.”

#302 – Giniel de Villiers (RSA), 1st place (leg) / 1st place overall
“This is a good day for Volkswagen, and I’m very happy about this exploit. We started to this rally as favourites and again proved that the Race Touareg is a winning car. For the whole team, this was truly a challenge because the terrain was different than in Morocco or Mauritania, for example. Very difficult to drive, very difficult to navigate. Ten days with extremely tough legs and without a day of rest for the squad as well as for us drivers, this was an extreme strain. I think we can take a lot of positive things with us from here and have taken another step forwards in our preparations for the Dakar rally in January 2009.”

#302 – Dirk von Zitzewitz (D), co-driver
“We went to Brazil without knowing what to expect. 4,500 kilometres over ten legs, these were just statistics for us. From the first day, the rally showed us why it’s considered to be extremely tough. The legs really put high demands on us drivers and co-drivers. But we also got something in return: The spectators gave us an extremely warm welcome and the routes led through fantastic landscapes. For Volkswagen, this has been an entirely positive experience.”

#303 – Mark Miller (USA), 4th place (leg) / 2nd place overall
“Despite all the strain, the Rallye dos Sertões will leave pleasant memories with all the team members, myself included! I won three stages for Volkswagen, my first ones since joining the team. How great the team works in difficult situations was demonstrated to me on the penultimate day when my mechanics changed a defective turbocharger on the liaison stage to the start of the special stage in record time, enabling me to continue the race. They deserve part of the credit for the fact that we finished second overall.”

#303 – Ralph Pitchford (RSA), co-driver
“I’m very happy that we finished the Sertões as the overall runner-up. We didn’t know a lot about this rally and weren’t able to prepare ourselves for the navigation by extensively studying maps as we usually do. Still, we found perfect conditions here. The roadbooks were very good and extremely detailed. On the one hand, this made the job of navigating easier, but on the other it also required full concentration. I’m very satisfied with our result.”

Tentative final results Rally dos Sertões (BR), 17 Jun – 28 Jun 2008

Pos. Team, Vehicle, Total time
1. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (RSA/D), Volkswagen Race Touareg 2, 29h 28.32s
2. Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/RSA), Volkswagen Race Touareg 2, + 1h 06m20s
3. Reinaldo Varela/Marcos Macedo (BR/BR), Mitsubishi L200, + 3h 02m18s
4. Joao Franciosi/Rafael Capoani (BR/BR), Mitsubishi L200, + 4h 50m50s
5. Sven Fischer/João Luis Stal (BR/BR), Mitsubishi L200, + 4h 56m46s
6. Jean Azevedo/Youssef Haddad (BR/BR), Mitsubishi Pajero, + 5h 21m07s
7. Marlon Koerich/Bruno Mega (BR/BR), Chevrolet S10, + 5h 28m26s
8. Riamburgo Ximenes/Stanger Eler (BR/BR), Wormem Sherpa, + 5h 35m05s
9. Adriano Leão/Rodrigo Costa (BR/BR), Mitsubishi L200, + 6h 06m50s
10. Marcos Baumgart/Kleber Cincea (BR/BR), Mitsubishi L200, + 9h 16m15s

See a video of the rally-raid in 4 parts here

TC2000 31-08-08 - Oberá

The TC2000 raced in Oberá, Misiones, Argentina. Some nice
overtakes and unfortunate crashes. Pechito López had his
day winning the race with the pace-car in the lead.




Information about the race here

Argentinian TC-2000 - June 20/08

The young Pernia wins his first TC-2000 race in Córdoba, Argentina after leader Martin Basso breaks his Ford Focus' motor. With some spectacular driving by these young drivers in one of the best Touring Car series in the world.

Le Mans 1966 - Ford GT40 MK II

A video of Le Mans 1966 won by the Ford team with the three famous Ford GT40 MK II cars (in German).

In 1966, the Ford Mk. II had become reliable. Shelby test driver Ken Miles managed to win at the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring with the big block Ford. Ford sent no less than eight Mark II to La Sarthe, entered by three teams: Shelby, Holman & Moody and Alan Mann Racing.

Ferrari sent only two works P3s to compete against the Ford armada. Another P3 was entered by NART, and four 365 P2 were entered by Ferrari's usual private partners.

The two works P3s were involved in an accident. At 01:45 the P2s had already exhausted their engine in trying to keep contact with the Mk. II and the last Ferrari prototype, the Pedro Rodríguez/Richie Ginther NART P3 retired with overheating. The race was won for Ford.

At the last pit stop, three GT40 Mark IIs were in front. Ken Miles and Denny Hulme were leading, followed by Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon in the same lap. Ronnie Bucknum and Dick Hutcherson were third, but twelve laps behind.

At the finish, Ford decided to stage publicity photo between Miles/Hulme and McLaren/Amon with the No. 5 following, too. According to witnesses, McLaren left a small margin to Miles and it was expected that Miles/Hulme would be declared winner after the examination of the photo finish. But the ACO declared the McLaren/Amon car had won the race, having covered more distance in 24 hours, as it had started the race several places behind the Miles/Hulme car. The ACO estimated the difference to 8 meters. This was a terrible disappointment for Ken Miles who expected the triple crown Daytona-Sebring-Le Mans as a reward for his investment in the GT40 development. The well-known photograph published by the Ford Motor Company showing McLaren leading Miles, with the GT40 MkII of Ronnie Bucknum and Dick Hutcherson third, may have fooled some people, but this document doesn't show the finish line and the public doesn't know at what time the picture was shot. The finish remains, however, the closest in Le Mans history.

Also see this on-board camera on a 1969 Ford GT40 in Le Mans

Official Results and more info at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_24_Hours_of_Le_Mans