History of Bahrain

The country’s history can be traced back to the Sumerian times 5,000 years ago.  During the 7^th century, the country accepted Islam and was at that time a Kingdom.  After being occupied by the Portuguese, the country was captured in 1782 by the ancestors of the present ruling family, and it became a British colony.  In 1971 Bahrain declared its independence and became the Sovereign State of Bahrain. A constitution was drafted, then dissolved.  Return to that constitution in 2002 restored the country again as a Kingdom.

The Al Khalifa Family

The Bahrain Royal Family has successfully ruled the country since 1783.  The family descended from the Anaza tribe of Al-Haddar, South Najd in Central Arabia.  In 1708, the founder of the present Al-Khalifa family, Shaikh Khalifa bin Mohammed, separated from the clan when they settled the city of Kuwait.  Eventually, Bahrain was captured and ruled by Al Khalifa family since 1783.  Today about half of the cabinet ministers in Bahrain were selected from the royal family, and the Prime Minister is also a member of the family.

King of Bahrain

Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has been ruling Bahrain since 1999.  He is the son of the previous emir, Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa.  He has a strong desire to preserve the heritage of the country while also encouraging tourism.  His interests include falconry, golf, fishing, tennis, and football.  He is well known for the political reforms he brought to the Kingdom which included the release of every political prisoner, beginning of women’s suffrage, and establishing parliament through elections.

The Crown Prince

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa is the heir apparent to Bahrain’s king.  He is also the commander of the defence force of the country.  Additionally, he is the Honorary President of the Bahrain Motor Federation.  It was his idea to build the famous Bahrain International Circuit where the annual Bahrain Grand Prix is held as well as many other motorsports, including an event of the Australian V8 Supercar Series.  Salman has a strong passion for youth sports and has worked tirelessly to upgrade the facilities for the youth in Bahrain.

The current Bahrain Royal family is largely responsible for the increase in tourism seen around the island today.  As the country has taken on more liberal stances than that of its neighbours, many more western tourists have begun to visit to enjoy the beautiful scenery, while fellow Middle Eastern tourists come in droves for an opportunity to catch a race, enjoy the mild night life and just let their hair down a bit.

Early Days

The Triple Eight Race Engineering team started out racing in the British Touring Car Championships.  The drivers did extremely well in this series and the team won twelve championship titles in total.  In 2003, they made the decision to switch to V8 Supercar racing and took over the Briggs Motor Sport team.  A new pair of V8 Supercars were built for the 2004 season using a hefty amount of financial support from Ford Australia.  However, their first season did not go well.  The drivers came in 19^th and 28^th places and the cars were plagued by mechanical problems.

The Come Back

In 2005, changes had been made to the cars and the drivers were replaced.  Craig Lowndes joined the Triple Eight Race Engineering team in that year and with phenomenal driving managed to score 2^nd place in the Championship.  Lowndes won 4 rounds that year and qualified on pole position four times.  In 2006 Jamie Whincup joined the team and they won 4 more rounds.  The year was controversial, however, as Lowndes was tied in points for first place with Rick Kelly before the final match.  Kelly bumped his car sending him spinning and because of damages, Lowndes was only able to finish in 29^th place, while Kelly landed 18^th and won the Championship.

Winning the Championship

In 2007, Triple Eight Race Engineering had another strong year, but Whincup barely missed becoming the new Champion when he lost to Garth Tander by 2 points.  Still, he secured a solid 2^nd place for the team and then they came back in 2008 with a vengeance.  This was Whincup’s first  year to win the championship.  In 2009, he won again, while driving the new FG Falcons.  The team had also won fifteen of the twenty three races during that year’s championship, with Whincup winning eleven of them.

The Switch to Holden

Just after their second Championship win with Ford, Triple Eight Race Engineering decided it was time to make a switch.  They signed a three year contract with Holden and would begin driving new Holden VE Commodores in the 2010 series.  They spent the entire off season building and tweaking the car.  After securing wins in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain International Circuit, and Hamilton, Whincup was unable to defend his title as Champion, coming in 2^nd place to James Courtney in 2010.

The team has decided not to build a new car this year.  Instead, they plan to make a few tweaks to the one they worked so hard on last year.  They are poised for another win.  Whincup is looking forward to securing the title of Champion with both car manufacturers of the Australian V8.  It will be an interesting and exciting year as the Triple Eight Race Engineering team tries to reclaim its old title.

Garry Rogers Racing

The Garry Rogers Motorsport team begins as early as the late 1960s when Garry Rogers was into racing Sports sedans.  He started out in a BDA Escort and eventually moved into a Geoghegan Holden Monaro.  About the same time as he switched to the Holden, he began dabbling in touring car racing, but quickly switched back to Sports Sedans until about 1986.  The racing team became serious in the early 1990s and eventually Garry stopped driving and opened a Nissan dealership in Melbourne.

Joining the V8 Series

In 1996 the Garry Rogers Motorsport team joined the V8 supercar series with driver Steven Richards at the wheel of a Holden VS Commodore.  Another driver, Jason Bargwanna joined the team in 1998 and Garth Tander eventually took Richards’ place as he joined the British Touring Car Championship.  At about that point, the team was seriously involved in V8 supercar racing and would be pushing hard for a win.  The team switched drivers several times in the early 2000s.

In Recent Years

Recent Champion Jamie Whincup was added to the Garry Rogers Motorsport team in 2003, but sacked after the 2004 season.  He had come in 63^rd, and 27^th in those years.  It wasn’t until he joined Team Vodafone that he would secure a few wins, having taken 1^st and 2^nd place in the last four years.  In 2004 Andrew Jones joined the team, but was sacked after the Bathurst 1000.  In 2009 the team drove the new VE Commodore and have held to the Commodore ever since.

Wins

The Garry Rogers Motorsport team marks one of its greatest successes as a win they earned in 2000 at the Bathurst FAI 1000.  Then, in 2004 Cameron McConville won the Winton round.  It wasn’t until 2007 when they would pick up another win.  This was when Lee Holdsworth won a round at Oran park.  In 2008 Holdsworth placed 2^nd in the clipsal 500 and the team finished in 5^th place at the L&H 500.  The team finished 9^th at the 2009 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.

Current Drivers

The current drivers of the Garry Rogers Motorsport team are Lee Holdsworth and Michael Caruso.  Lee Holdsworth was born on February 2, 1983 in Melbourne, Vic.  He is driver number 33 and names his favourite circuit as the Bathurst.  Michael Caruso is driver number 34.  He was born on May 25, 1983 in Sydney, NSW.  Both he and Holdsworth currently reside in Melbourn.  Caruso also names his favourite circuit as the Bathurst.

As a part of the Fujitsu racing series, the Garry Rogers Team is proud to have been a part of bringing up some of the top drivers in Australian racing.  They name some of these drivers who have been influenced by their style of racing as Steven Richards, Garth Tander, Jason Bargwanna, Jamie Whincup, and Cameron McConville as well as their current drivers, Lee Holdsworth and Michael Caruso.

Australian V8 Supercar Race Rules

At the start of the race a red light will be shown.  No less than 3 seconds and no more than 5 seconds after it is shown, the light will be extinguished, indicating the start of the race.  Sometimes you might see a green light, but it is not mandatory to show one.  This light will be shown at the beginning of each race.  Two complete days of world class racing must be provided at every non-endurance Championship event.  Start positions are determined by the Qualifying results.

Australian V8 Supercar Car Rules

The rules for the cars are what really make the race interesting.  The cars must be production models of family cars.  The current two styles of cars being raced are the Holden VE Commodore and the Ford FG Falcon.  The rules are strict that the cars must be similar in weight, aerodynamics, and speed.  This makes the races very close, with the top 20 cars all finishing the qualifying round within just one second of each other.

Australian V8 Supercar Pit Rules

When the driver pulls in for a pit stop, only 6 people are allowed over the control line.  These people must include a car controller, air jack operator, two wheel change persons, a fuel person, and a fire extinguisher person.  At any point during the race, a drive through penalty will apply if any part of the car crosses the yellow line.  Additionally, the speed limit in Pit Lane is 40km/h at all times.  If the speed limit is broken, the driver may be referred to the Stewards and the Race Director may apply a Pit Lane Penalty.

Australian V8 Supercar Practice & Qualifying Rules

There are three parts of practice, listed as A, B, & C.  They are divided into 35, 50, and 50 minute sessions, respectively.  Drivers must qualify before each Saturday and Sunday race.  The Sunday morning races will be preceded by a 20 minute qualifying session, while the Saturday races will be preceded by two knockout qualifying sessions and a top ten shootout.

Australian V8 Team Numbers

Teams are only allowed to have a maximum of seven performance related personnel per car at every sprint event.  Third party contractors and suppliers are only required to be listed if they contribute to the performance of the car but may be excluded if they supply services to the entire V8 Supercar Series field. Included in the seven must be the team manager, mechanic, engineer, wheel man, data analyst, and engine builder.

Now that you have a bit of an understanding about what kinds of cars are allowed and what some of the rules of the race are, you are ready to go watch a race for yourself.  If you’re attending the Bahrain International Circuit for the Desert 400, any seat is a good seat, so just come ready for some action from the V8 Supercar Series.

The First V8 Supercars Championship Race of the Season

The YAS V8 400 in Abu Dhabi is going to kick off the season this year on February 11-12.  Abu Dhabi is a more recent addition to the Australian V8 calendar, having followed the lead of Bahrain who was the first country in the middle east to host the race at their Bahrain International Circuit.  Fans are preparing already for this season opening event.  Jamie Whincup won both rounds last year; it will be interesting to see who wins in 2011.

Spring V8 Supercars Races

The Clipsal 500 Adelaide will be held on Mar 17-20.  This event is the most ‘awarded’ event in the history of Australian Motor Racing.  It has entered the V8 supercars Hall of Fame and remains the only event to ever have done so.  Following this major event will be the ITM 400 Hamilton on April 15-17, the Trading Post Perth Challenge on April 29-May 1, and then the Winton Motor Raceway on May 20-22.

Summer V8 Supercars Races

Kicking off the summer events is the Skycity Triple Crown, Darwin race on June 17-19.  Following that race is the Sucrogen Townsville 400 on July 8-10.  Jamie Whincup claimed the win here last year, but the Ipswich 300 which will be held on August 19-21 was taken by James Courtney last year.  On September 16-18, the L&H 500 Phillip Island race will be held as the Summer winds to a close.

Autumn V8 Supercars Races

On October 6-9, don’t miss the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.  This race is often called a favourite among drivers.  Following it is the Armor All Gold Coast 600 on October 21-23.  Then, the Falken Tasmania Challenge takes place on November 11-13.  The last Autumn race, the Norton 360 Sandown Challenge is held on November 18-20.  This is another big race that is well attended by the public since there is something for everyone with all of the entertainment that takes place during race weekend.

Winter V8 Supercars Races

The final race of the 2011 season is the Sydne Testra 500.  It will be held on December 2-4.  This is definitely a race you won’t want to miss, as it is the one where the Champion will be named.  Last year James Courtney was crowned the Champion of the Australian V8 as thousands of his fans piled into Pit Lane for the presentation.  This race is probably the most exciting of them all.

The races are made up of a combination of sprints and endurance runs.  Each location offers something different, with their combination of race styles, exciting tracks, and beautiful scenery.  There are fourteen championship events held and each one of them will keep you at the edge of your seat.

Level One – V8 Supercar Championship Series

Level One is the primary series.  This is usually what people are referring to when they talk about the V8 Supercar Championship.  This series consists of 14 championship events throughout Australia, and in Abu Dhabi and the Bahrain International Circuit.  The drivers in this series compete against each other for the Australian V8 Championship title.  They race against each other in Fords and Holdens in this FIA regulated race.  Race formats include sprint races and endurance races, and each track offers something different.

Level Two – Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series

The second level after the V8 Series Championships is the Fujitsu V8 series.  This series was originally designed as a race for privateers who used to race the Championship series, but were not able to keep up with the quicker pace set by all of the professional teams that have entered the sport.  In recent years, many of those Level One teams have begun racing secondary teams in the Level Two series as a way to train up new drivers.  The hope for these drivers is to eventually have them join the Championships.

Level Three – the Shannons V8 Touring Car National Series

This third level of the V8 Series Championships is designed for older V8 supercars.  This race was held for the first time in 2008.  V8 Supercar Australia does not have any involvement at all with the running of this series, as it has been run under the Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships.  The cars used in this race must be old cars that were once used by teams in the official Australian V8.  This is mostly done to stop teams from building new cars that fit the guidelines, as it provides a way for these older cars to keep racing.

Rumours of a Supercar Series in Asia

A possible fourth level of the V8 Series Championships may be in development.  The authorities of the Supercar Championships have begun discussing the creation of a circuit tournament in Asia.  The focus would be in China because a supercar race was once featured there and gained much popularity.  This event is what triggered the discussion of creating the fourth series in the first place.  In addition to the GP2 Asia, the event is likely to gain lots of popularity.

Attending the races is such a fun and exhilarating experience.  Australian fans like to go as often as possible to the events since most are located right in their home country.  The development of multiple series’ is making it even easier for other fans to take part in these exciting events as well.  Check out the next event of the V8 Series Championships to see what’s got everyone talking.

Who is Raed Raffii

Raed Raffi is a young Bahranian driver who has recently won the 2005 Thunder Arabia Formula Ford Championship Title.  This win provided him the opportunity to test for Formula BMW.  In 2009, he starred in the Cheverolet Supercar season in the Middle East.  He came in fifth place overall with three wins and earned 5 podiums and 6 pole positions.  As Bahrain’s youngest Champion,  he logged plenty of miles on the Bahrain International Circuit.  Many eyes are still locked on him as he progresses in his racing career.

Testing the Waters

Raffii has decided to test the waters of V8 Supercar driving.  He tested in the summer of 2010 for two days at Queensland raceway.  In preparation for the test, he admitted he expected the experience to be nothing like he’d ever done before.  Even driving on the opposite side of the car would be a new challenge to overcome, as the Chevrolet he currently drives has the drivers seat on the left with the gear shift to the right.  He was looking forward to learning the new car and expected it to be a great experience.

Behind the Wheel of a V8 Supercar

While feeling the pressure of representing Bahrain in Australia, Raffii prepared to get into the drivers seat of the V8 supercar.  His main goal was to do well and leave a great impression.  He did just that as  V8 Supercars Australia CEO, Martin Whitaker, said he was pleased that the young 21 year old driver had the opportunity to realise his dream and did so in a very professional manner.  Raffii talked about how difficult the car was to drive and commented on how very fast it was compared to what he’s been used to.

Making the Switch

Raed Raffii hopes to be able to have the opportunity to continue in Supercar racing.  Whitaker looks forward to seeing him drive in the Fujitsu V8 Series, which is the Level Two Series of the Australian V8.  New supercar drivers commonly enter this competition as a way to train up for the bigger events of the main V8 Supercar Championships.  Whitaker also expects Raffii’s switch to V8 supercar racing to increase the interest among fans in the Bahrain and Abu Dhabi V8 races.

Having grown up in Bahrain and being on the racing scene in its early days in that country has given Raed Raffii a passion for the motorsport.  He has no doubt witnessed the many Desert Air 400 races of the supercar championships that were held in his home country.  Those experiences combined with his incredible skills at racing in general at such a young age are sure to make him a rising star in the Australian V8.

Who is Mark Skaife?

Mark Skaife has the most V8 Supercar Race wins overall.  In all his years of racing in this Supercar style, Skaife has won a breathtaking 87 races.  His closest competition is still 16 wins behind him with a total of 71.  He has retired from full time supercar racing, but continues to race in all of the endurance events of the championship.  In 2010, he teamed up with Craig Lowndes to win the Phillip Island endurance race.  He is currently the co-presenter on Seven Sport’s coverage of V8 Supercar races and also co-hosts on V8 Xtra.

The Closest Competition

Skaif’s closest competition for the most V8 Supercar race wins is Craig Lowndes who currently drives for Triple Eight Race Engineering alongside recent Championship winner Jamie Whincup.  Lowndes has won a striking 71 races during his time racing in the V8 Championships.  The third place winner is way behind him with a mere 48 race wins.  These numbers set Lowndes and Skaif in an entirely different category of winning.  However, as Skaif has devoted so much of his life to the series, it is no wonder he is the best.

Winning the V8 Supercar Race Championships

In addition to having the most V8 Supercar race wins, Mark Skaif has also tied with Ian Geoghegan and Dick Johnson for the most V8 Championship wins.  They have each been titled Champion of the series five times.  Skaif’s most recent Championship wins were in 2000 – 2003, having earned the title three years in a row.  Prior to that, he won the Touring Car Series Championship in 1992 and again in 1994.  He has also secured several firsts in the Australian Drivers’ Championship series as well.

Other Noteworthy Statistics

Mark Skaif also has his name in the books as the winner of the 600^th race of the series.  This was in Oran park in 2006 while driving a Holden Commodore VZ.  In 2004 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to motor racing and charity.  In 2006, Skaife set a Guinness World Record with the fastest speed of 277.16 km/h in a production car.  At the time he was driving an HSV Maloo at the Woomera Prohibited Area.

The V8 Supercar Championships are continuing to increase in popularity.  As Skaif settles more into retirement, it will be interesting to note if Lowndes will catch up to his record of V8 supercar race wins, and if so, how long it will take.  It seems that it would be a while for anyone else to catch up in that area, as they are all so much further behind.  In any event, Skaif has added quite a bit to racing history and will always be remembered for his accomplishments.

History of Holden

The name of Holden has been around since the 1850s.  It began as a leather and saddlery business and quickly progressed to trimming vehicles in 1910.  By 1924, they were building vehicles and became the only body builder for GM in Australia.  They merged with GM in 1931 and began building their own family car that was all-Australian made in 1948.  The design was based on a previously rejected Chevrolet proposal, and was such a hit that there was a waiting list for over a year.

History of Ford

Ford opened factories in Australia in 1925.  They were a part of Ford Canada, which was a separate company from Ford USA.  As models were released in Australia, they were constantly having to make numerous modifications for the differing road standards and desires of Australians.  Eventually, in the 60s, the company began making cars that were designed specifically for Australians.  It was at that time that Ford was able to come out with an all-Australian car and the battle between Ford and Holden would soon begin.

The Battle Over Australian’s First Car

The Australian Government began encouraging the automotive industry to build an all-Australian car during World War II.  Ford and Holden (GM) both turned in their proposals.  The Ford model quickly gained the favour of the government, but appeared to be too cost prohibitive.  They eventually settled on the Holden model because of the lower cost and less need of government intervention. Ford still ended up producing their own all-Australian car and since then have been competing against Holden to produce the best one.

Bringing the Battle to the Track

One of the more intense ways the two manufacturers, Ford and Holden, challenge each other is on the tracks of the Australian V8 Supercar Championships.  It’s common to see the two vehicles pitted against each other on the Bahrain International Circuit, or other championship race track.  The current models being used in the race are the Holden VE Commodore and the Ford FG Falcon.  Since those are the only two cars in the race, the battle is entertaining and intense.

In recent years, Ford has held the title.  Champion James Courtney won the title in a Ford Falcon in 2010 and Jamie Whincup won in 2009 and 2008 while driving a Ford.  However, it will be interesting to see if 2011 brings the title back to Holden, as both of those Champions have switched over to driving Holdens since winning the Championship.  Many people believe the battle between Ford and Holden is what makes the Supercar racing so interesting.  As the sport forces this battle to further heights, it is always fun to see who will dominate the scene.

2000-2002

For three years straight the V8 Supercar Championship title went to driver Mark Skaife of Holden Racing Team.  In 2000 he drove the Holden VT Commodore and switched to the VX Commodore in 2001 and 2002.  Prior to these wins, he had several other wins in the Touring Car Championships.  But, in 2008 he announced his retirement from full time racing.  However, unable to stay completely away, he still competes in the endurance events of the championship to satisfy his need for speed on a part time basis.

2003 – 2004

Marcos Ambrose of Stone Brothers Racing became the new V8 Championship winner in 2003.  He held his title again in 2004 and is credited for bringing back a Ford win after five years of Holden dominating the sport.  During the time of those two Championships, he drove a Ford BA Falcon and has been rated by V8X magazine’s journalists as the best ever V8 Supercar driver.  He has since left supercar racing after coming in 3^rd place in the Championship in 2005 to join NASCAR in 2006.

2005 – 2007

In the following three years after Ambrose’s reign, there were three different V8 Champions, as none was able to defend the title a second time.  In 2005 Russell Ingall of Stone Brothers Racing, also known as the ‘Enforcer’ won the title, marking his first and only Championship win.  In 2006, the title went to Rick Kelly of the Toll HSV Dealer Team.  This marked the end to Ford’s reign on the V8 Championship, as Kelly drove a Holden.  In 2007, Garth Tander, also driving a Holden won the title again for the Toll HSV Dealer Team.

2008 – 2009

In 2008 Jamie Whincup, of TeamVodafone (also known as Triple Eight Race Engineering) did what he threatened to do the year prior and won the Championship.  He had come in 2^nd place in 2007, but took the title for Ford again in 2008 with a Ford BF Falcon, and defended the title in 2009 while driving a Ford FG Falcon.  However, 2010 would see his entire team switch to the new Holden model, so any future wins he might secure would no longer be scored for Ford.

Fortunately for Ford, the new decade started out with a new Champion, James Courtney of the Dick Johnson Racing Team.  Whincup came in second place in his new Holden Commodore, and is determined to win the 2011 Championship in that same car in order to secure the V8 Championship title under both vehicles.  James Courtney also switched to a Holden team in 2011, so unless a completely new Champion emerges this year, the news looks bad for Ford.