CATEGORIES
- Ask ColCam
- Commercials
- Full Ford
- Going Ford
- Industry News
- My Wheels
- Racing
- Events
- Test Drive
- Ford Dealer List
SPECIAL
Ford Territory
SPECIAL
Ford Territory
2007 FOCUS
$25,888
2007 TERRITORY
$36,888
2007 RANGER
$39,088
2007 TERRITORY
$35,888
2007 FOCUS
$28,888
2008 MONDEO
$30,888
$25,888
2007 TERRITORY
$36,888
2007 RANGER
$39,088
2007 TERRITORY
$35,888
2007 FOCUS
$28,888
2008 MONDEO
$30,888
Front Page
Graham Takes Kartstars Grand Final
Staff, Wednesday September 18, 2002.
Page 1 of 1
Graham came under serious pressure from local star Scott Auld, who was chasing his first win of 2002 and also the prized second place in the championship.
Not only was the KartStars title up for honours, but the top four place getters in the series would also be rewarded with a Formula Ford test and a shot at two Ford-backed drives in the 2003 Australian Formula Ford Championship.
Run to coincide with the VIP Pet Foods Queensland 500 V8 Supercar event, the 2002 KartStars final attracted a big crowd including the Ford Racing V8 drivers and team managers.
Starting from the second position in the final, Graham leapt into the lead from 19-year-old Auld at the opening bend.
The two quickly pulled away and battled for the entire race, 17-year-old Graham was able to fend off every move and took his second round victory of the year, after dominating round three at Coffs Harbour.
?With Scott?s vast local knowledge of the track, this was going to be a very big challenge,? said Graham.
?He put plenty of pressure on me, but I kept my head down and took the win.
?I?m looking forward to the Formula Ford test next week at Winton, I?m going into it with an open mind and hopefully I can impress and gain a seat for next year.?
Round two winner in Geelong, Taz Douglas, had his race hopes end on the second lap when an incident spun him off the track and dropped back to the tail of the field.
The result placed the Cranbourne driver fifth in the championship behind Greensborough?s (Victoria) Jace Lindstrom. However, due to Douglas winning a round of the championship, KartStars organisers have extended an invitation to the 18-year-old to the Formula Ford test.
The five KartStars drivers will travel to Winton in central Victoria on Monday 23 September, where they will be joined by Hunter Valley teenager Ian Dyk for the Formula Ford test with Borland Engineering.
As well as the Formula Ford test, Cathcart, Graham, Auld, Douglas and Dyk will be put through an intensive evaluation process with the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS).
It?s from the combined karting results, the Formula Ford test and the VIS evaluation, that two drivers will be selected to contest a full season in the 2003 Australian Formula Ford Series courtesy of Ford Racing.
An extra incentive has come from leading Ford V8 Supercar team, Super Cheap Auto Racing, which will offer a test of Steve Ellery?s Falcon to the official winner of the 2002 KartStars title.
In just its third year of existence, the KartStars is the only motor racing series aimed solely at identifying talented Australian drivers and providing them with a clear and direct path, regardless of their ability to raise the significant sums of money required to compete at the top levels.
Instead of simply picking the winner of an existing series, Ford management realised that to really identify talent, a one-make class had to be created where the strength of competition relied on skill rather than money.
The winner of the 2001 KartStars series, Mark Winterbottom, finished this year?s Ford Racing Australia Formula Ford Championship in second place overall. Along with the way he collected the Avon Rookie of the Year title and took a round victory at South Australia?s Mallala Raceway.
The talents of the Blacktown (NSW) racer were quickly recognised by winner of the weekend?s VIP Pet Foods Queensland 500, Stone Brothers Racing, who have signed the 21-year-old to a long-term deal aimed at putting him into V8 Supercar Racing.
Championship Standings
| 1. | Clint Catchcart | Bundoora (Vic) | 386pts |
| 2. | Adam Graham | Lismore (NSW) | 372pts |
| 3. | Scott Auld | Ipswich (Qld) | 366pts |
| 4. | Jace Lindstrom | Greensborough (Vic) | 331pts |
| 5. | Taz Douglas | Cranbourne (Vic) | 328pts |
| 6. | Chris Vander Drift | Hamilton (NZ) | 310pts |
| 7. | Nick Parker | Rowville (NSW) | 297pts |
| 8. | Jason Varley | Ingleburn (NSW) | 289pts |
| 9. | Josh Arandt | Research (Vic) | 280pts |
| 10. | Troy Woolston | Ivanhoe (Vic) | 263pts |
For further information contact:
Ben Beazley
Media Coordinator
Ford Racing
Phone: (03) 9533 4455
Mobile: 0417-262 753
Email: ben@segalmedia.com.au
Adam Klunyk
Special Project Coordinator
Drew Price Engineering
Phone: (03) 9545 3944
Email: adamk@dpeng.com.au
Web: www.kartstars.com.au
