Race Wrap: Thursday, March 18

CLIPPING THE CURVES FOR SANDOWN

The cars of many colours continue to roll out of Brad Jones Racing’s workshop in Albury.

This weekend it’s a bright yellow look with Cub Cadet branding for Todd Hazelwood’s Commodore for Sandown.

The mower maker has been a BJR backer in the past and supported Hazelwood’s start last year in the Bathurst 1000.

CROCKER WINS IN THE DIRT

The battle of the rally champions in the Australian side-by-side series went to Cody Crocker at round one.

Crocker and Greg Foletta, who were serial winners for Subaru in the ARC, topped Simon Evans and Molly Taylor with their Polaris when the mini-buggies raced at Rainbow in Victoria.

Apart from driving, Evans is now a major team owner in the side-by-side world as his daughter Eden and son Jackson are also driving with backing from the series sponsor, Kinchrome tools. Jackson is the defending champion but had a mechanical drama in Rainbow, but picked up a win in the SXS Sport class in her first meeting.

DOOHAN PICKS UP AT TRIDENT

Jack Doohan is hoping a change of team will restore him to winning form when he tackles this year’s FIA Formula 3 championship.

After a desultory first season in F3, in a year when fellow Aussie Oscar Piastri was the stand-out, Doohan has switched from the HWA team to the highly-rated Trident outfit.

Doohan said he has already learned a great deal from Trident and is aiming for regular podium positions to continue his open-wheeler drive towards the grand prix grid.

BARTER BUILDING UP TO F4

Another Aussie teenager, Hugh Barter, is taking the first tentative steps towards Formula 1 in France.

Barter has just completed a two-day test at Paul Ricard, followed by another two days at Lebenon, as he graduates from karting into car racing.

He will be racing Formula 4 through 2021 and proved his pace in his initial head-to-head with this year’s rivals by taking the quickest time.

Barter was quickest for both days of his second test, leading by three-tenths of a second, and is now looking forward to more test time before his first race of the season.

FINKE IS CALLING WEEL

Returning to off-road racing has former Supercars racer Paul Weel primed for a big year.

His target is victory in the Finke Desert Race, driving the Geiser Brothers trophy truck that he used for his fast and promising return to racing through 2020.

Weel is already testing and knows a win at Finke will be tough, particularly with Toby Price as one of his likely rivals.