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00:00Our support race on today's program is round one of the Ford Motorsports Slick 50 Australian
00:05Formula 4 Championship and Adam Macro starts from pole alongside Craig Zerner.
00:10Row two is Aaron McNally and Greg Ritter.
00:12Out of row three, Christian Jones and Dougal McDougal, Dean Lindstrom and Steve Owen out
00:17of row four.
00:18We go back to row five, it's Tim Ley and Michael Simpson, then back to positions 11 and 12,
00:23Ty Hanger and Chris Dell.
00:26Out of 13, Robert Miller with Christian Murchison alongside him, Ashley Seward and Luke Yildon
00:30start out of 15 and 16.
00:32Back to 17, it's Will Power alongside Kerry Wade, Sam Oliver out of 19 and Icky Harrington
00:37the top 20 of 46 cars.
00:40Can you believe it, Mark?
00:41It's unbelievable.
00:42And the top 20 are separated by a mere second.
00:45We are away.
00:46The first race of the Australian Formula 4 Championship for 98 and it's Craig Zerner
00:50who got away to a brilliant start.
00:53Big pack of Formula 4s squeezing through turn one.
00:55Shell Mastercard 10, there's usually a bit of hijinks here, but it looks like they've
01:00gone through reasonably cleanly.
01:02Let's watch the field as they pour out of here through this very twisty part of the
01:05circuit up toward Repco Corner through the Primus Curve and along this back straight
01:09for the first time.
01:10Well, this is a terrific start for the Queenslander, Craig Zerner, because he has made a change,
01:14one of the major changes in this category this year.
01:17He's changed from Van Diemen to Spectrum, the Australian-built Spectrum chassis, and
01:21he's got away to a terrific start.
01:22Our pole sitter, Adam Macro, is a little bit further back.
01:25The head of the back straight for the first time.
01:28We welcome to commentary Marcus Ambrose, who will head overseas soon to compete in Formula
01:334 in Europe.
01:34And Marcus, it looks like the Formula 4 season just as hot in the opening round.
01:38Yeah, this first race is very competitive.
01:40The times are very close, very similar to last year's time, so it should be a very good
01:44championship for the guys this year.
01:45Well, you started from Poland here last year.
01:47You know how to get around this track quickly.
01:48Yeah, that's right.
01:49We'll work out two race wins, but we won't talk about that.
01:51Craig Zerner's being hassled big time at the moment.
01:55So onto the pit straight, the newly named Brock Straight, comes this big howling pack
02:01of Formula Fords.
02:02Zerner in control, but he's got plenty of heat.
02:05As they head across the start-finish line, the first of eight laps, and coming out of
02:09the draft, having a big run down the inside, it's car right, Adam Macro, our pole position
02:14man.
02:15He's got him under brakes.
02:16Beautiful move.
02:17Good work there by Adam Macro.
02:18Zerner back into second now, then we pick up McNally further back, Ritter, Owen Simpson
02:24and Christian Jones sitting back there in eighth position, Hanger and Lindstrom.
02:27That's your top ten of 46 cars.
02:32So Adam Macro, sensation last year, a 19-year-old rookie.
02:36He's already won two Australian karting titles, more than ten state titles in karts.
02:40He really put on a great turn of speed last year, and he's carrying that form through
02:44to 1998.
02:46As they come up over Halton Hill once again, Zerner in the draft.
02:49Fantastic battle as they swing over the top of the hill once again.
02:53Not going to be able to make any move there.
02:55Macro defending as they brake hard for XR6 corner.
02:59Looks like Aaron McNally coming up nice and close.
03:02In fact, we've got a whole bunch coming up nice and close.
03:04It looks like Dougal McDougal in the McGale chassis.
03:07He's coming up in the blue car you can see further back there.
03:09This is fantastic racing.
03:11This is shaping up like the race we had at the Primus 1000.
03:15Greg Ritter in fourth place.
03:17He has a new car this year, a Van Diemen 98 chassis.
03:19He's actually in fifth at the moment.
03:21He has a similar deal that I had last year with Valvol and Bob Chain, team art support,
03:24with a new car.
03:26I tip him for a very strong race finish.
03:28Mark, it's interesting, we've got the two Australian builders.
03:31We've got a challenge on here.
03:32Here comes McDougal up the inside, hassling big time Aaron McNally.
03:36So it's very good in the top five.
03:38Talking about the two front runners, they're running the all-Australian built Spectrum chassis.
03:42Mike Borland produces these machines.
03:45Very strong, looks good for this year.
03:49Absolutely, the Spectrums are very strong.
03:52And here's an accident here.
03:54A replay of an earlier incident, XR8 corner.
03:56Oof, yeah, a bit of contact there.
03:58XR8 does it off to the left.
04:00And it's just nice to catch those guys without it looking like too much damage.
04:07So fortunately, not too many wheels come up there.
04:09Back to the action.
04:11And there's plenty of action here too.
04:13Macro's dueling commands.
04:14Zerner continuing to attack.
04:16McNally now getting into the battle.
04:17Saw McDougal make that big move on the inside.
04:19Ritter back in fifth position.
04:21Tremendous battle.
04:22Christian Jones sitting back in seventh position.
04:24Taking over through the laps.
04:25Just eight laps around Sandown.
04:27It looked like Aaron McNally getting a little bit wide.
04:29You can't afford to make a mistake in this category.
04:32He is under siege now.
04:33A little bit of a mistake there by Aaron.
04:35And he may be paying for it very shortly.
04:39But here's your race leader.
04:40Adam Macro doing a terrific job in the Spectrum.
04:42Out in front from Craig Zerner.
04:44Then we go back.
04:45That terrific battle for third spot.
04:46There's four cars there challenging.
04:49It's interesting.
04:50Marcus Ambrose looking at the performance of the Australian Spectrum.
04:53Formula Ford around the world virtually now has switched over to the ZTEC engine,
04:57the 1.8 litre engine.
04:59And the interesting thing about the Australian car,
05:00it's still being designed specifically for the older 1.6.
05:03Is that some sort of advantage in terms of...
05:05Absolutely.
05:06I think the new Spectrum is built for the class.
05:08It's built for the Australian circuits.
05:09And Michael Borland, the designer, has done a very good job.
05:12The cars look very good, very smooth.
05:13Some of the cars that are coming out from Europe now
05:16are derived from the ZTEC engine category,
05:19which is a bigger engine and faster class.
05:21So it takes a little bit longer for them to get on the pace down here.
05:24But the two Spectrums driven by Macro and Zerner
05:26are definitely looking very good today.
05:27And they're working well together.
05:29And it looks like they've got a pretty strong hold on this race.
05:32Well, the thing is, is that Mike Borland,
05:34we see Dougal McDougal up in the third now.
05:36He's doing a good job.
05:37He would be trying to get his first championship
05:39because this category has just been completely dominated
05:42for something like the last 11 years by Van Diemen.
05:45So we might see a change this year.
05:47Yeah, I think so.
05:48It's on the cards.
05:49If he tries long enough and hard enough,
05:51it's going to pay off eventually.
05:52He's got very good drivers this year.
05:54Macro and Zerner were very strong in the championship last year.
05:56And they're looking pretty good for the first round.
05:59Big attack here from McDougal.
06:01He's the man on the move in the French-built Magale chassis,
06:04the blue car there.
06:05He's really been making a storming run.
06:07And he's right up behind Zerner
06:08as they come across the start-finish line once again.
06:11Look at this.
06:12He's got a look for a run down the inside.
06:13No, he switches to the outside.
06:14Zerner runs him over near the white line.
06:16Big attack under brakes.
06:17And he's got him too.
06:18Great work there in the yellow-quenched Magale chassis.
06:21Dougal McDougal is, in fact, the...
06:23Marcus, is he still the Australian importer for these chassis?
06:25I believe so.
06:26They haven't bought any this year.
06:27And they've been doing a lot of development work on the older cars.
06:30It looks like in the off-season, they've done some very good homework.
06:34And it's showing here on the first race.
06:35Another to watch here is Aaron McNally.
06:37He's my team-up from last year.
06:38It took him a little while to get to grips with the circuits in the car from last year.
06:42And he's kept the same machine.
06:43And he's really going forward this year.
06:45And as usually happens in Formula 4,
06:47this cut and thrust for second, third and fourth place
06:49without Adam Macro to open up a gap.
06:50It's after 1.3 seconds.
06:52Just building on that by a few tenths of a second a lap.
06:54Look at that big attack by McDougal on the inside.
06:57Very scary part of the racetrack there.
07:00Acknowledging, I think, some waving flags.
07:02Yep.
07:03Another car in trouble down in on-road.
07:06Looks like they got through.
07:07Now look at that gap.
07:08Macro really building on that now.
07:10Well, did Zerner get through there before we went through the cautioned area?
07:13He might find a black flag out in front of him shortly.
07:17We'll have to wait and see.
07:18So McDougal back to third.
07:19But this is just such a fantastic category.
07:21There's something like six or seven former Australian Formula 4 champions
07:26that are now racing in V8 supercars.
07:28And in fact, the winner of this year's championship,
07:31I believe, may be offered an incentive later this week.
07:34Big attack down the inside once again.
07:36McDougal, he'll go side by side.
07:38Got him here last time on the outside.
07:39Goes inside this time.
07:41So some superior braking performance from the French car there.
07:45Great battle here.
07:46Three laps remaining.
07:47So the order still macro.
07:49He's pumped that out to two seconds down the lead.
07:51Zerner and McDougal locked up in a big battle for second.
07:54Then McNally, Ritter, Owen, Saywood, Jones back in eighth.
07:58He's not having a good run.
07:59Lindstrom and Miller.
08:00That fills out the top ten.
08:01Marcus Dean Lindstrom.
08:02That's a new name in the top ten we see.
08:04Yeah, he's been running around for a few years.
08:06He's actually in an older car, a 92 model.
08:08He does a very good job with the limited resources that he has.
08:11His dad comes out and gives him a hand and so forth.
08:14Have a look at this three-way battle.
08:16McNally got on the inside of Zerner that time.
08:18He might have had a better run.
08:19Out of Repco corner onto that long back straight.
08:21He's certainly taken advantage of it too.
08:23So Zerner moves back another position.
08:26So tremendous battle.
08:27Tremendous battle.
08:28Formula Ford consistently good racing throughout 1997.
08:31It's looking just as hot in 1998.
08:33Let's not forget about our race leader, Adam Macro,
08:35doing a terrific job out in front in the spectrum.
08:38There he is.
08:39You can see he's increased that lead quite considerably.
08:41And in this category of racing, it's very, very close.
08:45As you can see, the next five placings there.
08:47Nose to tail, but Macro is clearing out.
08:49Our pole sitter would be a great way to start season 98
08:52if he can win from pole in the first race of the Ford Motorsports
08:55Slick 50 Australian Formula Ford Championship.
08:58There he is.
08:59He's doing a terrific job.
09:00He certainly is.
09:01He's up to 2.7 seconds,
09:02now getting up to a three-second gap over the field.
09:04He's really split this field up.
09:07He's attacking this circuit, doing it very, very smoothly.
09:09He's done a very good job here this week.
09:11He's actually topped the timesheets for every session he's been out in.
09:14So he's definitely been in the form to beat this weekend,
09:16and it looks very strong for this race and also the second.
09:19It's just so typical of Formula Ford racing.
09:21A lot of guys coming out of cars.
09:23It's natural progression to go to Formula Ford.
09:25Macro, a multiple karting champion.
09:27Of course, a second-generation racer.
09:29His dad, Peter, was a very strong competitor
09:31in Australian Formula 3 many years ago.
09:33Look at this.
09:34They found out full wide.
09:35Big attack down the inside by Zurner.
09:37McDougall gives him racing room, but boy, that was close.
09:39Aaron McNally has gone off.
09:41He rejoins the circuit.
09:43Whoa, boy.
09:44Hang on to it.
09:46He went right on.
09:47That's what Larry Perkins did last year in the same spot
09:50when he was battling with Mark Scaife.
09:52Now, McDougall puts the pressure on Zurner,
09:54and it looks like it's an Owen or Ritter
09:56that's in there as well.
09:57This is fantastic.
09:58This is absolutely serious stuff, isn't it?
10:01Nose box under each one's gearbox there.
10:03Hooked up like a train.
10:04One, two, three, four, five.
10:05Macro still building that lead.
10:07He'll probably be over three seconds this time,
10:08around one lap remaining of Soundhead International.
10:11We'll check this gap on the Tommy Mono,
10:12but look at this gaggle of cars.
10:13They split up once again.
10:14Three full wide as they look for the ideal line
10:17into Shell MasterCard Turn.
10:19For the final time, Zurner on the inside.
10:21McDougall locks the brake.
10:22Zurner gets his nose cut off.
10:24That's Owen.
10:25Owen has slipped right through car 27.
10:28He is right up there now, pressuring.
10:29He's sitting in third spot, hassling McDougall.
10:32And he has come from right back.
10:34He's done a terrific job.
10:35He qualified eight.
10:36Pressure's off there, McNally and Zurner.
10:38McNally did a great move coming through Primus Curve that time.
10:41Zurner came back on the attack.
10:42So it's tremendous stuff.
10:43You try and throw a blanket over this lot
10:45and try and pick a winner out, it was even tougher.
10:48Come on, Marcus, pick it.
10:49Who's for second or third?
10:51I think Dougall can hold on from here.
10:52If he can defend down this front straight,
10:54he can probably save it for the rest.
10:55Well, he and Steve Owen have cleared out a little bit there.
10:58That's second and third on screen right now.
10:59The blue car sitting in second spot.
11:01Dougall, McDougall in the French McGale chassis.
11:04Then we go back to Steve Owen.
11:06Aaron McNally in fourth.
11:07There's a move there.
11:08Greg Ritter on Craig Zurner.
11:09So Ritter's come up into the top five.
11:11Look at Macro.
11:12He's really opened it up.
11:13Four seconds to lead now.
11:14He's got this shot.
11:15De Betsaby brings it home.
11:16But look at this battle for second.
11:17Dougall, McDougall.
11:18He really has set it alight.
11:20A real charging run.
11:21He's up to second position.
11:22He'll be happy with that if he can bring it home.
11:24Good work.
11:25He qualified sixth.
11:26But here's our race leader and will be our race winner.
11:28Well done to 19-year-old Adam Macro.
11:31He finished eighth in last year's championship,
11:33and he starts this year's season with a win.
11:36Very positive, and congratulations.
11:37Look at Dougall, McDougall.
11:39He's wrapped.
11:43An excellent job there by Dougall, McDougall.
11:46Marcus, a good way to start the season?
11:48Dougall's been running for a few years now,
11:51so it's really good to see him have a strong start at the championship.
11:53I'm not sure whether he's going to do it the full year,
11:55but it's going to be pretty tough to beat the inspections this year,
11:57I would imagine.
11:58Well, we thank you for joining us, Marcus.
12:00And we know you head off to the UK in eight days' time
12:02to chase fame and fortune in Europe.
12:04And now best of luck from the whole Channel 10 team.
12:08Yeah, thanks very much, guys.
12:10Here are our final placings on the Shell Helix Racecourse.
12:12Of course, Adam Macro with that big win.
12:14Dougall, McDougall, who fought very hard for second.
12:17Steve Owen and Aaron McNally, we look back five through eight.
12:21And it's Greg Ritter who got up there right in the dying stages
12:24ahead of Craig Zerner, Ashley Seward and Christian Jones.
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