APR: Series to open season in Clipsal

Variety, the spice of Performance life

Variety, they say, is the spice of life. While it's arguably a dying trend in motorsport, it's something the Australian Performance Car Championship prides itself on.

In an era where one make and control series' are in vogue, the Australian Performance Car Championship bucks the trend. The series will play host to 7 marques and 12 models, amongst its 24 car grid of high performance cars when the 2005 season gets underway at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide next weekend, March 17-20.

Mitsubishi, FPV, Mazda, Nissan, BMW, HSV and Subaru will be represented in the automotive feast; featuring everything from 4 cylinder turbo pocket rockets to 5.7ltr V8's doing battle around the streets of Adelaide.

The most popular manufacturer on the grid will be Mitsubishi, who will be represented by 8 drivers. Gary Young, Lynne Champion, Anton Mechtler, Barry Morcom, Garry Holt, Mark King, Graham Alexander and South Australian Michael Brock will all race the popular Lancer EVO model.

Fans of Australian muscle cars will be well represented, with a range of HSV's and FPV's set to do battle against the smaller capacity cars.

In the blue corner, Trevor Haines, James Philip and Rodney Dawson will steer FPV BA GT's, while John McIlroy will give the new FPV F6 Typhoon its racing debut. In the red corner, Barrie Nesbitt, Warren Millet, Barry Sternbeck, Peter Floyd and South Australian duo Steve Cramp and Craig Dontas will all be racing in their HSV GTS'.

2004 Australian Production Car Champion and recent Australian Formula 3 race winner, Chris Alajajian will fly the Subaru flag when he takes to the wheel of a WRX STi. The 18 year old won't be the only driver flying solo for a marque; fellow Sydneysider Ric Shaw will be the sole Mazda representative in his newly constructed RX7.

Nissan's turbo power will be represented with a 200ZX for Anthony Alford and Mike Fitzgerald running a 350Z. Last but certainly not least, the German might of BMW will be represented by Peter Boylan and Beric Lynton, who will both drive M3 E46's from the Munich marque.

All the action kicks off next Thursday on the streets of Adelaide as part of the Clipsal 500.

-www.performanceracing.net.au