SIX-TIME Australian Sports Sedan Champion Tony Ricciardello says racing fans can expect lap records to tumble when the thunder of Australia’s fastest tin-top racing cars return to Mount Panorama, Bathurst, with the Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour next year.
The champion driver and his famous red Chevrolet-powered Alfa Romeo GTV could be part of a 30-plus Sports Sedan entry list that will form part of an exciting support program announced today for the February 24-26 Event.
The variety of Improved Production and the Holden vs. Ford battle of the Australian Saloon Cars will both return in 2012, whilst for the first time Formula Fords will race at the Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour Event after their successful debut at the Bathurst Motor Festival earlier this year.
However it is the return of the Sports Sedans – lightweight, custom-built high performance racers with big wings and often more than 750 horsepower – that is set to be the highlight as they bring their potentially record-breaking speed back to the Mountain for the first time in nearly 20 years.
Ricciardello, who currently leads the 2011 Kerrick Sports Sedan National Series, believes the Sports Sedans could give the outright lap record a shake next February.
“When you consider the cars have more horsepower, are lighter, have bigger tyres and possibly a bit more aero I would expect pretty impressive times,” Ricciardello said.
“The last time the cars ran there, Keith Carling saw more than 315km/hr down Conrod and set a lap record that was two-seconds faster than the V8’s were doing at the time, so I think the possibility of us going quicker again is pretty high.
“When you look at a track like Eastern Creek we are three to four seconds faster around there, so on a longer lap at Bathurst it could be even more.
“The challenge will be getting them across the top,” the former Kelly Racing V8 Supercar driver added.
“They will have more grunt going up and down, but getting the cars to handle well across the top and through the Dipper will be key. It should be really exciting.”
The West Australian said plenty of the national-level competitors were targeting the meeting – with the Sports Sedan component of the Armor All Bathurst 12 hour to be organised by the NSW association rather than being a round of the national championship.
“I’ve spoken to (five-time champion) Kerry Bailey and he is keen, Darren (Hossack, Ricciardello’s rival and a two-time champion) is interested and I think there are already quite a few of the national guys entered already. We’re weighing up the options at the moment but we’re certainly hoping to run. Regardless, it should be a great field.”
The support program confirmed today by Event organisers will see a full day of racing on Saturday, the same day that the Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour cars qualify for their respective starting positions for Sunday’s race.
The combination of Sports Sedans, Saloon Cars, Improved Production and Formula Ford offers race fans ‘something for everyone’ across the Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour weekend, in addition to the numerous stalls, displays and off-track activities already planned.
The 2012 Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour will be contested on February 24-26, 2012.