UTE: Ian McAlister Friday Aledaide notes

Macca gets to play.

Ian "Macca" McAlister will be able to contest the opening round of the Poolrite V8 BRutes series after his Ford Falcon AU XR8 was not allowed to participate in the first practice session.

In the off-season McAlister had opted to change the front end of his car to the newer BA spec-panels. Procar, the ruling body of V8 BRute racing had not officially approved the move.

The Ford dealer from Young in New South Wales explained. "As a Ford dealer we want to promote the product and the BA is the current Ford model while the AU is the superceded model. Our rivals Holden have a couple of their new VY Commodores out there and our move is panel only . . . and basically, not a performance enhancement.

"We are keen to have the manufacturers supplying these panels, and it is logical that it involves the latest ones," he added. The newer BA model with its 5.4 litre engine will be eligible from the beginning of 2004.

The disappointment follows the loss of Ford Credit as his major backer prior to the first round, and the subsequent break-up of his three-car team with the departure of country music singer Adam Brand and Victorian Graham Hunt.

Good news for McAlister came with a petition signed by all V8 BRute team principles to allow him to take to the circuit for practice session two, and thus allowed to compete for the remainder of the round one weekend. The McAlister Ford qualified 21st and drew position 25 for race one (of three) for V8 BRutes.

"I must say that the Procar officials have been very agreeable and have been more that co-operative in working with us for the mutual benefit of the series," he concluded.

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