Henry Rifle Forums

At least for us down under, 1000km around arguably the greatest track in the world, 6.213km (3.86miles) 23 corners, 174m (571 feet) of elevation change and grades steeper than 1:6. Weather can be anything from 100+ to snow and everything in between.
Return of the mustang this year and it has dominated the season so far and the first 3 days of practice with Scott Mclaughlin driving for DJR/Penske ending each day with a new lap record and starting from pole. Couple of indy drivers having their first look at the race with Alexander Rossi & James Hinchcliff driving a wildcard entry from the team jointly owned by Michael Andretti, Zak Brown and Ryan Walkinshaw.

The intro for this years race
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaWbH53tK7Q

Hey All,

I personally really like watching the utes race! Don't get to see em much in Canada tho.

-Ed-

interesting .... please post a followup on how it goes

Interesting start,in car temps can get above 120 so most run a cool suit for the driver and use dry ice for cooling. Malfunction with one car and the driver was breathing CO2 from the cool box on the formation lap. Had to stop the car on track and abandon it delaying the start.
Contact on the first lap put one car into the wall but clean since second round of pit stops and mustangs are running 1-2-3.

Run and won by a Kiwi & a french man driving for a team owned by aussie & american racing legends.
Scott McLaughlin & Alex Premat driving for DJR/Penske,
After a safety car on the first lap it didnt make another appearance until after 102 laps. Safety cars breed safety cars and it was out a lot over the next 59 laps. One with 26 laps to go saw everyone dive for the pits and then into fuel conservation to try and make the finish, one by one the teams blinked and pitted for fuel, all except the top 3 who rolled the dice. 2 more safety cars in the last few laps saw them at the head of the pack with enough fuel racing for the win on the last lap when the final safety car period ended.

I would be very surprised if you guys dont get to see McLaughlin racing in the USA inside 18months. Expect he will take a similar path to Ambrose and work his way through Nascar into the main game.
Bathurst was the only box unticked for him in supercars, championship last year and almost certainly again this year. (3 rounds left and he holds over a 2 round lead) has already set the record for most poles in a season and most race wins in a season this year. He did sign a to extend his contract with DJR/Penskee for another season but I dont think there would be much objection if he wanted to leave before next year.
26 and engaged to an American girl, everything line up for a switch in the not to distant future.

interesting, looking forward to seeing how he performs if/when he comes to NASCAR

JEBar wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 13, 2019 9:06 am

interesting, looking forward to seeing how he performs if/when he comes to NASCAR

Hopefully all the left turns don’t confuse him!

A few stories appearing in the last 24hrs one from Fox
"A move to the United States is back on the cards for Scott McLaughlin after the Supercars star impressed American motorsport giant Roger Penske with his stunning maiden Bathurst 1000 victory.
And the Ford gun admitted he didn’t care what category Penske had in mind for him in the US, saying he’d “race a wheelbarrow if I need to”.

McLaughlin, 26, has been linked to a NASCAR move but that appeared to be put to bed when the defending series champion re-signed with Supercars heavyweights DJR Team Penske in July until the end of 2020.

However McLaughlin’s Ford team’s majority owner Penske - who also owns NASCAR and IndyCar outfits - kept the door ajar for his charge after the American savoured his first Bathurst victory at Mount Panorama on Sunday.

“We want him to come over (to the United States),” Penske said.

“He’s got a good future. You will see him in America I am sure in the near future.”

Asked what made McLaughlin such an appealing NASCAR prospect, Penske said: “Let’s call him a race driver.

“He’s a guy who knows how to win, knows how to race fast and has great commercial savvy to us in today’s world as we deal with our partners.”

McLaughlin then interjected: “I will race a wheelbarrow if I need to”. But Penske hinted that he would only look at relocating McLaughlin once he completed his current Supercars contract.

“We have a job to do here. We are committed to our sponsors on a long term basis so we have to look at that,” he said."

Another from SMH
"Scott McLaughlin may well have booked his ticket to the bright lights of American NASCAR racing at Bathurst.

The young Kiwi has never hidden his ambition of racing overseas, in particular, America’s lucrative and popular NASCAR series. His Supercars team owner, Roger Penske, owns one of NASCAR’s most successful teams and has a reputation for loyalty for his most talented charges.

McLaughlin has risen to the top of Supercars racing, winning his maiden championship in 2018 and is on course for a runaway second title in 2019 – having won 17 races before his Bathurst triumph.

The catch had been Bathurst. He wanted to add the Peter Brock Trophy to his collection before he felt he’d accomplished what he needed to in Australia. Now that’s done, talk of his future in the US is set to amplify."

Penske has an amazing international organization .... if / when he brings Scott McLaughlin over to this side of the big pond, he will have first class and support