V8 Ute Racing Series

V8 Ute Racing Series
Category Pickup truck racing
Country Australia
Inaugural season 2001
Constructors Ford Australia
Holden
Tyre suppliers Yokohama
Drivers' champion Ryal Harris
Official website V8 Utes Australia
Current season

The V8 Ute Racing Series is an Australian motor racing series for utilities, derived from the Australian Production Car Championship. It was conceived in 2000 by PROCAR chief Ross Palmer, V8 Ute Patron Ian McAlister and current category manager of SPHERIX Craig Denyer and launched March 2001, as V8 Brute Utes, at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide. The series was instantly popular, in part because of aggressive driving style of competitors, a style encouraged by the use of reverse grid racing, but also because of its very fan friendly marketing which included gimmicks like referring to each of its drivers by a nickname.

Presently, entry into V8 Utes racing is via a franchise, which has been limited to 32 in number, 16 specifically to be Ford Falcon XR8 Utes, 16 Holden SS Utes. All the rounds are shared with V8 Supercars, Australia's top motorsport championship.

Holden driver Rod Wilson was the inaugural series winner. Sydney's Warren Luff, took back to back victories in 2002 and 2003. Holden again returned to form in 2004 with Damien White taking the series title, before defecting to Ford and taking the title again in 2005 by a narrow margin to Melbourne's Marcus Zukanovic.

Ryal Harris is the series most successful driver, becoming the first three-time champion in 2015. Luff and White have each won two titles.

The series covers eight rounds at various tracks throughout Australia. The reverse grid racing format is extremely popular with the race fans. Drivers have included former Australian NASCAR champion Kim Jane, actor George Elliot, country music singer Adam Brand, television host Grant Denyer, driving instructor Gary Baxter, former Waratahs and Australian Sevens rugby union player Ben Dunn, former Manly Sea Eagles and Sydney Roosters National Rugby League player Jack Elsegood who is also the 2009 series champion, and former V8 Supercar drivers Cameron McConville and Nathan Pretty.

Champions

Ford BF Falcon XR8 Ute as driven by Pedro Marusic at the opening round of the 2010 Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series at the Clipsal 500
Holden VE SS Ute as driven by Steve Hodges at the opening round of the 2010 Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series at the Clipsal 500
V8 Ute Racing Series
Year Winner Vehicle
2001 Rod Wilson Holden SS Ute
2002 Warren Luff Ford Falcon XR8
2003 Warren Luff Ford Falcon XR8
2004 Damien White Holden SS Ute
2005 Damien White Ford Falcon XR8
2006 Marcus Zukanovic Ford Falcon XR8
2007 Grant Johnson Holden SS Ute
2008 Layton Crambrook Ford Falcon XR8
2009 Jack Elsegood Ford Falcon XR8
2010 Grant Johnson Holden SS Ute
2011 Chris Pither Holden SS Ute
2012 Ryal Harris Ford Falcon XR8
2013 Ryal Harris Ford Falcon XR8
2014 Kris Walton Ford Falcon XR8
2015 Ryal Harris Ford Falcon XR8
Summer Series
Year Winner Vehicle
2004 Grant Denyer Ford Falcon XR8

References

External links


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, April 08, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.