The HDT Muscle Division and HDT Cup

HDT have enjoyed a brief but fruitful relationship with the Independent Race Series with the inception of the HDT Cup in mid 2009, and that relationship is set to grow in 2010.

HDT have now taken on naming rights sponsorship of the very popular Muscle Division, in addition to sponsoring the HDT Cup. The categories will be known as The HDT Muscle Division, and HDT Cup respectively. Vehicles in both categories will display HDT windscreen banners, and HDT will also supply a $50 gift voucher to one prizewinner per category at each round of the Independent Race Series. These vouchers will not be transferrable, but may be used cumulatively if a competitor wins more than one during the season.

HDT has a rich history in Australian motor racing, starting in 1969, competing at Bathurst and beyond. The brand is closely linked to Peter Brock, the champion racer enjoying many successes with HDT. More recently HDT have launched the amazing Blue Meanie, a fearsome Commodore, with 350kW and a specification list to match it's stunning heritage. Only 250 of each model will be available - all featuring a numbered chassis plate, and paperwork. Click here to watch a short interview with Darren Gillis regarding the Blue Meanie. Head over to the HDT website to see what they have to offer, and support that company that supports our series. www.hdt.com.au

The HDT Muscle Division caters for all types of production-based racing cars. From the venerable HQ Holdens, to V8-powered Ford and Holden Utes, to ex-Commodore Cup cars, Improved Production, Sports Sedans (non-spaceframe) and Japanese Turbos, as well as Classic Touring Cars and more. The HDT Cup offers racing for a variety of V8 and 6 cylinder Commodores, and in 2010, Toranas.

The first round of the Independent Race Series for 2010 will be held at Oran Park GP, 15-16 Jan. Click here for more information.

Toranas New Gateway to HDT Cup

Holden Toranas are now eligible for the very popular HDT Cup.

The HDT Cup started in mid-2009 as part of the Independent Race Series, and quickly gained popularity and strength as an affordable way to go racing in a Commodore. With this latest announcement, Toranas including: GTR XU1, A9X, L34, and SLR5000 will all be eligible to join the fun.

The Independent Race Series offers a unique mate-againt-mate brand of fun, affordable motor racing. In 2010 the series will expand to visit more circuits, and offer even more bang for your buck. The first round will be held at Sydney's Oran Park GP circuit, 15-16 January.

For more information on the series, and the HDT Cup, visit www.irace.net.au

The Super Hoist Plus Production Racing Cars

Super Hoist Plus have long been supporters of the Independent Race Series (since the very beginning in fact). In 2009 Super Hoist Plus awarded a 2-post hoist to the overall Series Champion (John Willmington) and a Resto-Roller rotisserie to Series Runner Up (Neil Byers).

Heading into 2010, Super Hoist Plus are ramping up their support, and taking on naming rights of the Production Racing Cars category. The category will be known as the Super Hoist Plus Production Racing Cars, and all cars will bear Super Hoist Plus windscreen banners.

As part of the deal, Super Hoist Plus will also provide a $200 voucher towards Super Hoist Plus products as a prize for one competitor in each category at each round. These vouchers may be used cumulatively (if a competitor wins more than one, they will be able to use the total value towards a Super Hoist Plus product), but they not be transferred or exchanged for cash.

Super Hoist Plus are a family-owned and -operated company who supply quality products at everyday affordable prices, making it possible for anyone to own their own Super Hoist product. The range of hoists and other workshop equipment is very impressive, and offers something to improve just about any workshop.

Check out their extensive website, and support the company that supports our series, or contact Super Hoist Plus on 1800 71 72 73. www.superhoistplus.com

The Super Hoist Plus Production Racing Cars follow the true tradition of Australian motorsport - cars that can be bought from the dealer, made safe for racing with minor modifications and then raced hard - just like they used to do at Bathurst. The category features very close racing between cars from a huge variety of manufacturers.

The first outing of the Super Hoist Plus Production Racing Cars will be at Oran Park GP, 15-16 Jan 2010. Click here for all the details.

Production Racing Cars Gain V8 Class

The Production Racing Cars category has displayed excellent growth and fantastic racing in 2009. The class system within the category allowed competitors to race in a quality field, and also receive recognition and results for their performance relative to equivalent cars. It compared apples with apples. In fact, it meant that John Willmington in a Class C car was able to take out the overall Series Champion title (and a shiny Super Hoist Plus 2-post hoist with it!).

Heading into 2010, we see the announcement of a new class within the Production Racing Cars category. The new class will be known as V8 Class, and will offer competition for a variety of naturally aspirated, V8-powered production cars. (Forced-induction production V8s will be eligible to compete in Class X.)

The first round of the 2010 Independent Race Series, featuring Production Racing Cars, will be held at Sydney's Oran Park, 15-16 January.

To access the 2010 Production Racing Cars Sporting and Technical regulations, please click here.

Merry Christmas from iRace

The Independent Race Series team would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. Have a great time, and if you're on the roads, please be careful and look out for each other.

See you all in 2010!

Presentation Night

The 2009 Independent Race Series Presentation Night was held on Saturday 12 December. The event was well attended, and spirits were high as the Kangaroo Kid put on an impressive display on his various quad bikes - his successful jump over three cars a fitting finale, and mirroring the leaps and bounds the Independent Race Series has achieved over the past 18 months. From the many acceptance speeches throughout the night, the overwhelming sentiment was that 2009 proved how much fun racing can be, and that 2010 should be even better.

For a rundown of the championships presented on the night, check out our results page by clicking here.

Notable other awards presented on the night were:

• Best Presented - Rod Gurney
• Encouragement Award - James Flanagan
• Encouragement Award - Keiran Macklyn
• Rookie of the Year - Carly Black
• Sportsman of the Year - Hans Riehs

The big prizes, presented by Super Hoist Plus, went to overall Series Champion and Runner Up. The points for this were allocated based on position in Class in each race during the year, as well as the number of cars in class defeated in each race. The points rewarded consistency, superiority within class, and encouraging extra competitors to join your class.

The top prize went to John Willmington. John receives a YSJ-3000 two-post hoist from Super Hoist Plus.

Runner up went to Neil Byers. Neil receives a Resto Roller car rotisserie from Super Hoist Plus.

Super Hoist Plus also awarded a set of vehicle stands to each of the Encouragement Award recipients.

For those who were unable to attend the presentation night, below is a condensed video of the presentation proceedings:



Also, check out the pre-dinner entertainment - the awesome Kangaroo Kid, jumping his quad bike over three cars!



Round 1 of the 2010 Independent Race Series will be held at Sydney's Oran Park in just on a month's time. Mark 15-16 January down in your calendar, get your entries in, and start getting your cars ready to give Oran Park a fitting send off!

2009 Champions

All in the Numbers

2009 is not quite finished yet, but the iRace season is over, and preparations for the 2010 season are already underway. A quick look at some numbers from the 2009 season as we look ahead to next year:

• 4
  awesome circuits visited in 2009


• 26
  tyres presented by Kumho


• 85
  races held in the 2009 season


• 152
  cars raced during 2009


• 1,444
  photos uploaded to the iRace galleries


• 1,679
  laps hosted by iRace in 2009


• 4,020
  points scored in the Super Hoist Plus trophy


• 18,075
  laps completed by our competitors in 2009


• 339,197
  pages viewed on iRace.net.au during 2009


• 3,011,662
  total hits on iRace.net.au in 2009

Already 2010 is looking even stronger! Don't miss it!

iRace Cleared to Launch

The Independent Race Series (www.irace.net.au) has announced an exciting partnership with Western Australia-based Launch Helmet Cams (www.launchhelmetcams.com.au). Launch Helmet Cams is now the official onboard camera and helmet camera partner for the Independent Race Series.

The partnership will see an onboard camera supplied at each round of the 2010 Independent Race Series for use in a specially selected competitor's racecar. The footage will be showcased on the Independent Race Series website, the Launch Helmet Cams website and The Hot Seat TV (www.thehotseat.tv).

Launch Helmet Cams is a Perth-based company dedicated to providing cameras for use in a variety of action and adventure sports. Launch Helmet Cams are the official Australian distributors for the VIO POV range of cameras (as used by AVE for the great iRace onboard footage in 2009), and a full range of all the best helmet and onboard cameras, including: GoPro, Drift Innovations, VHoldR, Elmo and Oregon Scientific. If you want to capture video from any kind of action sport, Launch Helmet Cams are THE people to talk to.

The Independent Race Series was formed in 2008, and is famous for it's mate-against-mate brand of racing. In 2010 the series features a seven round calendar, at some of Australia's best circuits, and showcasing racing by a huge variety of cars and categories, from flat-out open-wheelers to showroom-style production cars.

As part of the partnership between Launch Helmet Cams and the Independent Race Series, a selection of the best cameras for motorsport will be used, and product reviews made available on the Independent Race Series website. Of course, the onboard footage will also be available to help racers choose the best camera for their application.

Competitors from the Independent Race Series who choose to purchase a camera from the official onboard camera and helmet camera partner, Launch Helmet Cams, will also receive a free 16GB memory card to go with their camera, and store plenty of awesome footage.

Round One of the Independent Race Series will be held at Oran Park GP, 15-16 Jan 2010, and the footage from the first Launch Helmet Cams onboard camera will be available shortly after.

The Launch Helmet Cams online store is open now - an onboard camera would be the perfect Christmas gift for the racer in your family (or for yourself!). If you're an iRacer, don't forget to mention this to receive your bonus 16GB memory card.

McHitch a Big Hit

Joe McGinnes, Touring Car Challenge competitor, and member of the iRace family has invented a fantastic new product. It's a new type of trailer coupling, and it looks set to be a huge success.

Joe had the opportunity to showcase the product during the iRace TV coverage on Speedweek last weekend, and it proved to be a massive hit. The McHitch.com.au website received a load of hits, and Joe received a huge amount of interest via email.

Head over to www.mchitch.com.au to find out all about Joe's fantastic invention. Check out the Speedweek coverage here.



And get involved in the Independent Race Series in 2010 to have the opportunity to give your sponsors this kind of exposure!

Round 1 for 2010 will be held at Oran Park 15-16 Jan. Don't miss out!

Speedweek Coverage Available Online

The TV coverage from SBS Speedweek that screened last weekend is available to watch again on Speedweek's awesome website. Click here to view the episode.

There's also a great interview with Darren Gillis from HDT, he talks about the awesome new Blue Meanie, and his support of the Independent Race Series. Click here to view Darren's interview.

Speedweek coverage will be back for the 2010 iRace season. Round 1 kicks off at Oran Park GP 15-16 Jan.

New Website Users Guide

The 2010 model iRace website has plenty of useful features. Hopefully you're getting to know them already. But to help out, we're posting regular tips on getting the most out of the site.

To get the most out of the site, head over to the "Website Features" page (click here) and read some of the 'Did You Know?' articles. We'll be adding to these regularly.

For example, did you know you can connect with iRace on Facebook by joining our group? And that you can follow iRace updates on Twitter? You can do both of these things from every page on the site - the links are at the very top of the page.

If you have any queries about the site, feedback, or something you would like explained, please get in touch here.

Kumho Winners for Round 6

Kumho Tyres, and John Mills' F Sport have been fantastic supporters of the Independent Race Series throughout 2009. At each round Kumho has awarded a full set of road tyres to a randomly selected volunteer official, and a pair of race tyres to a winner within the Production Racing Cars.

For our final round of 2009, the winners were as follows:

Official - Lance Smith, Chief Scrutineer
Lance wins a set of road tyres

Production Racing Cars - Geoff Kite, Most Improved Driver Over the Season
Geoff wins a pair of race tyres

The Independent Race Series would like to extend sincere thanks on behalf of all competitors and officials to John Mills and Kumho. See you in 2010!

There's a Party, You're Invited!

We're having a Christmas Party to celebrate the end of the 2009 Independent Race Series, and will be combining this with a presentation night.

The event is scheduled for Saturday 12 December, and it will be held at the Marulan Driver Training Centre.

As part of the event, Garry and Nat Willmington will be hosting a track day during the day (9.00am till 4.00pm) and all iRace competitors will receive a 20% discount on the normal track fee, the cost is $80 for drivers $50 for passengers, so bring your family and your road car if you like and have a day of fun.

Afternoon entertainment starts at 4.00pm and includes a Quad Bike Stunt Show from our own "Kangaroo Kid" Matt Coulter.

Dinner starts at 6.00pm and costs $29 per head, and includes 2 course dinner, tea and coffee (cappucinos, soft drinks available from the Cafe, BYOG)

To respond to this invitation, please fill out the short form on our website available by clicking here.

Brand New Website Launched

The Independent Race Series has launched its brand new 2010-model website today.

The new site aligns with the philosophy of the Independent Race Series of providing accessible, exciting and fun racing. Much hammering, grinding and polishing has gone into making sure the site is accessible, and provides a fun and exciting portal into the series.

It's now easier than ever to access the most popular sections of the site. Every page features links to: enter the next round, subscribe to the mailing list, or interact with iRace through social media like Twitter and Facebook. If these aren't your cup of tea, the site still has plenty to offer, with easy access to photos, videos, results and loads of other information.

Check out the new site now! www.irace.net.au

We're still bedding in the brakes, and running the engine in, so if there are a couple of glitches over the next few days, please bear with us - it will be worth it!

And check back in a couple of days for a short video highlighting many of the easily overlooked features of the new site. This will help even those on their internet P-plates access the best features of the site.

Round 1 of the 2010 Independent Race Series kicks off at Oran Park GP circuit, 15-16 Jan 2010.

Round 6 TV

Television coverage of last weekends round of the Independent Race Series from Oran Park will screen on SBS Speedweek this Sunday (22 Nov). As always, check your local guides, and settle in for some great iRace action.

Thrilling Round 6 a Fitting Finale for 2009

The final round of racing for the 2009 Independent Race Series was held at Oran Park on the weekend, with a number of suprise results, and plenty of action-packed racing.

Formula Tasman and LeMans Sports saw a packed field of open-wheelers in a great boost for the category. The racing was top notch, with Chris Farrell setting the early pace in his Swift Formula Atlantic. Farrell took pole, and the opening race. Sam Dale made a good start in the second race, and led the early laps until a safety car intervened. Farrell took the lead at the restart, while Dale suffered brake failure and contacted the wall at the final corner. Hard-charging Robert Choon went on to finish second, with his father David Choon in third. In the final race it was looking like Chris Farrell would win at a canter, until a lap from the end and his car caught fire. Farrell managed to get out unscathed, and the fire was extinguished, allowing Robert Choon through to take the race, and the round win. Farrell ended up second overall, with David Choon in third. Andrew Wlodek took the honour for top Formula 2, after strong runs all weekend. Vince Evans took the Formula R honours in his debut in the category. Robert Choon was top Formula 3 and Michele Guyer took a well earned win in the Formula 4000 group. Rick Otten had a solid performance to finish top LeMans Sports car.

Formula Tasman Outright:
1. Robert Choon
2. Chris Farrell
3. David Choon

LeMans Sports:
1. Rick Otten

In Muscle Division Terry Denovan and Greg Boyle went into the round as the men to beat. Denovan's Commodore and Boyle's Silvia looked to be evenly matched in qualifying, with Denovan narrowly taking pole. The round result proved the unpredictability of the handicap format though as neither man managed to take the top spot. Boyle dominated Race 1, after he upped his pace from qualifying. Denovan was the top Improved Production/Sports Sedan and second outright. Third place went to Adam Tipping, who was also the leading HDT Cup car. In the first of the handicap races (race two), Adam Tipping took the win. Boyle overcame a 2 lap handicap to come through in second, with Troy Harrison in third. In Race Three, another handicap affair, Boyle this time managed to carve through the field and take the win, second was Adam Tipping, and third went to Michael Duff in his howling HSV Maloo Ute. In the final race, Boyle was unable to compete. Steven Cook took the win, with Adam Tipping in second and Todd Betland third after strong drives all weekend. Category winners were: Classic Muscle Car - Ryan Strode; IP/SS - Steven Berry; V8 Ute - Michael Duff. In the HDT Cup Feature Race, Adam Tipping dominated to take the win from Darren Gillis and Jon Worrell.

Muscle Division Outright:
1. Adam Tipping
2. Greg Boyle
3. Todd Betland

HDT Cup:
OUTRIGHT:
1. Adam Tipping
2. Darren Gillis
3. Jon Worrell

Class A Classic - Adam Tipping
Class A Modern - Jon Worrell
Class B Classic - Troy Harrison

In the Touring Car Challenge, Darren Saillard (BA Falcon Supercar) set the pace in qualifying. Saillard also took the honours in the opening scratch race, ahead of Barry Jameson (Jaguar V8 Giant) and Ben Eggleston (Commodore Supercar). In the first of the handicap races (race two) Darren Saillard took the win again, this time ahead of Steve Ingwersen (Commodore Supercar) and Joe McGinnes (XY GT Falcon). In the third race, Jameson took the win, ahead of Ingwersen and Saillard. Saillard was unable to make the start of the final race, leaving Jameson to take the win ahead of Ingwersen and Eggleston. Category winners for the weekend were: Touring Car - Steve Ingwersen; Muscle Car - Norm Stokes; V8 Giant - Mark Telfer; Group A - Matt Veal.

Touring Car Challenge Outright:
1. Steve Ingwersen
2. Darren Saillard
3. Barry Jameson

In the RocketSports, a small but quality field provided some exciting racing with the winner of Race One only taking the lead on the final lap. Graham Smith took race one. Race Two was taken by Adam Dodd. Graham Smith took the win again in race three, and was again victorious in race four. Graham Smith took the round win.

The Production Racing Cars put on some fantastic racing. Since the last round, Anthony Soole had upgraded his Lotus Exige to add a supercharger, with a significant power increase, to take the fight to Frank Donniaux in his WRX. In the opening race, Donniaux used the 4WD to get a better launch and take the lead, but Soole managed to take the lead when Donniaux spun nearing the finish. Daniel Flanagan was close behind, and first Class A. Class B went to the returning Bryan Fitzpatrick and C to John Willmington. In the second race, the results were very similar to the first, despite a reverse grid start - in fact, Donniuax managed to get from the rear of the grid to first place by the second corner! The third race saw the same class winners. The finale was a dramatic affair, with Geoff Kite taking the outright win (and Class A), Richard Mork in second and Anthony Soole in third.

Production Racing Cars Class Winners:
Class X - Anthony Soole
Class A - Daniel Flanagan
Class B - Bryan Fitzpatrick
Class C - John Willmington

The event culminated in the iRace One Hour Enduro. In hot conditions, the key was always going to be consistency and tyre and car conservation. It seems nobody told this to Steve Ingwersen though, as he set a cracking pace right from the start, leading all but the first lap of the race to take a dominant win. Finishing in second, Anthony Soole had read the script, and used a combination of relentless pace, with economy to beat the Eggleston/Lewis V8 Supercar home, the latter requiring an extra pitstop, which relinquished second place to Soole.

iRace Enduro:
1. Steve Ingwersen
2. Anthony Soole
3. Ben Eggleston/Daniel Lewis

Touring Car - Steve Ingwersen
Production Racing Car - Anthony Soole
Muscle Division - S. Berry/G. Boyle

The Independent Race Series returns to Oran Park for the first even in the 2010 season. The series will compete on the GP circuit 15-16 January. The series will also host a combination Family/Christmas/2009 Presentation day at Marulan Driver Training Centre on 12 December. Details on the day will be released soon, as will the 2010 calendar, and a brand new iRace website. So even though the racing for 2009 has finished, stay tuned to www.irace.net.au for all the new developments!

2009 Finale This Weekend

The Independent Race Series will host its final race meeting for 2009 this weekend, at the popular Oran Park South Circuit. The series has enjoyed strong growth throughout 2009, and solid entry lists for the 2009 finale set a solid foundation for 2010.

The largest field for this weekends event will be Muscle Division, incorporating the exciting HDT Cup category, with 27 cars entered for this event. Greg Boyle is expected to give a strong showing in the outright stakes, in his Nissan Silvia. Merrick Malouf always puts on a good show in his V8 Falcon Ute, and with the handicap format, victory could really go to anyone. The HDT Cup is a close fought category, the class honours went to Harrison, Macklyn, Tipping and Lloyd last time out, but there will be plenty looking to tip them from their perch this weekend.

Strong fields are also expected for Production Racing Cars and Formula Tasman & LM Sports, with close to 20 cars entered for each. Anthony Soole will be looking to regain the upper hand in Production Class X, while there are still a number of class championships to be settled. In Formula Tasman, Chris Farrell took the win last round, but Sam Dale was absent. Dale is back this weekend, and the action will be hot, with a number of Formula 2 cars joining the fun.

Look for quality racing in the RocketSports and Touring Car Challenge fields. Darren Saillard will be looking to make amends for a string of DNFs at the last round, but Andy Cantrell will ensure he doesn't have the Touring Car Challenge all his own way. Steve Ingwersen, Norm Stokes and Ben Eggleston will also be spicing things up.

The climax of the event will be the 1 hour iRace enduro, scheduled for Sunday afternoon, with 23 cars entered for the race, which will incorporate a compulsory pitstop. As with all endurance races, strategy plays a big part, and consistency is the key.

Unofficial practice gets underway Friday (13 Nov) morning, with Practice and Qualifying on Saturday (14 Nov) morning. Racing commences Saturday afternoon, with a full day of racing action on Sunday (15 Nov).

Check out the full schedule by clicking here.

Admission for spectators is free!

Round 6 Regs and Schedule Now Available

The Supplementary Regulations and Meeting Schedule for Round 6 are now available.

Click here to access the Regulations

Click here for the Meeting Schedule

See you all at Oran Park!

Successful Drive Day at "The Farm"

The Independent Race Series staged a very successful Drive Day at "The Farm" on Sunday, the circuit instantly a favourite with the drivers.

Inclement weather in the lead up to the event held off, and the entrants were blessed with dry running pretty much throughout. What little water was on the circuit in the morning quickly dried off after the initial familiarisation laps around the circuit behind a pace car.

Drivers were let loose on the circuit mid-morning, and then spent the rest of the day learning the nuances and subtleties of the 5.1km, 25-turn circuit, purpose built to be the ultimate challenge.

An excellent roll up of officials made the day possible, and as always, everyone is extremely grateful for the time they give up to allow our events to run safely and smoothly.

Entrants all made the effort to make their cars quieter, to adhere to the 90db limit, and only two cars were required to stop running as they were unable to reduce their noise enough. All the participants really embraced the spirit of the event (and the spirit of iRace in general), and treated the venue with respect, and looked after it like it was their own - everyone made sure they didn't leave rubbish laying around, and left the grounds in as good condition as possible.

Driver behaviour was under the microscope, with 'racing' strictly forbidden. Driver behaviour was excellent, with just the one group of three drivers black flagged and cautioned for getting too serious.

The circuit itself was a magnificent challenge, with just about every type of corner imaginable on offer, making putting together a consistent lap a true feat. The entire venue passed 'evaluation' with flying colours, with only one small mishap in the final session of the day.

Photos from the event are available here.

Finally, a huge thank you to the venue owners for allowing us to use this great facility. We hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

Round 6 Entries Open

Round 6 entries are now officially open, and we can now reveal that the event will feature two endurance races.

Round 6 will be held on the popular Oran Park South Circuit 13-15 November, and will feature all the favourite iRace categories. In additional to the normal program of races, the meeting will also feature a 1 hour endurance race for MX5 Challenge cars on Saturday afternoon, and another 1 hour endurance race for iRace Sedan cars from Touring Car Challenge, Muscle Division (including HDT Cup) and Production Racing Cars on Sunday afternoon.

Both endurance races will include a compulsory timed pitstop for all cars. A second driver is allowed, but driver changes are not compulsory, the stationary time will be the same whether a driver change takes place or not.

Competitors are encouraged to get their entries in early. All races will be subject to maximum grid density, and we're expecting the enduros in particular to fill up quite quickly.

Entry fee for the normal events at the meeting is $395. Competitors who are entered for the normal meeting can enter one of the enduros for only $100 more. Competing only in one of the enduros is also permitted, the entry fee is $395.

Access the online entry form by clicking here.

Access the printable PDF by clicking here.

First Feature Article Added

We've had a section of the iRace website that has laid dormant since the site was launched last year - the "Features" section. Other things have always seemed to take priority over getting a feature article online.

Not anymore though. We've now published our first feature article, and hopefully these become a more regular occurrence.

The first article is on how to be interviewed, and is mostly aimed at competitors. To check out the Features page, click here, or use the link in the navigation bar on the left.

Entries Closed for Drive Day at "The Farm"

Due to unprecedented interest, entries are now closed for our special event Drive Day at "The Farm".

Thank you to everyone for their interest, and to those competitors whose entries have been accepted, you will receive further information regarding the event (and instructions on how to get to the secret location) shortly.

Invitation to an Exclusive Drive Day at "The Farm"

Independent Race Series competitors have been invited to preview a fantastic Road Course one hour north of Sydney on Sunday October 4th 2009.

An exclusive "Drive Day" has been secured for Independent Race Series competitors at this 5.1 km, 23 corner road course situated in a beautiful parkland setting. The amazing layout (pictured right) has been described as "Australia's Nurburgring", and by Garry Willmington as the best piece of track he has ever driven. The venue has previously only been available to friends of the owners, but has been secured by iRace for this very special event.

Secure your place early as numbers are limited.

Entry is $295, and includes a BBQ lunch for the entrant. BBQ lunches will be available for $10 for everyone else attending.

Access the online entry form here. Please ensure you select the correct payment option if paying via PayPal.

Access the hardcopy entry form here.

Entries are now open, and close 25 September. Don't miss out!

UPDATE: Entries have now officially closed.

Kumho Prizewinners

As always, competitors and officials at Round 4 of the Independent Race Series were in the running to win some great prizes from Kumho Tyres.

The winner in the Production Racing Cars class, with the prize for this round going to the winner of Class X, was Franck Donniaux. Franck wins a pair of Kumho race tyres.

And the volunteer official drawn out of a hat was Wayne Johnson from Goulburn. Wayne worked at the event as a flag marshall, and wins a set of Kumho road tyres.

Kumho helps the Independent Race Series recognise our hard working officials, with one randomly chosen at each round to receive a set of Kumho road tyres. To find out more about being an official for the Independent Race Series, click here.

To find out more about Kumho Tyres, and F Sport, click here.

TV Week!

Television coverage from Round 4 of the Independent Race Series will be screened on SBS Speedweek this Sunday, 23 August. Coverage will start at 1pm (remember to check your local TV guides), and iRace is expected to lead the show.

The coverage will then be repeated on Wednesday on Fox Sports Inside Speed - check your TV guide for exact timings of the program.

The TV coverage will feature highlights of the action from Oran Park, of iRace's biggest meeting so far. Don't miss it!

iRace Grand Prix

The Independent Race Series hosted its most successful round ever at Sydney's Oran Park on the Grand Prix layout on the weekend.

Record fields in a number of categories boded well for the event before it even started, and the spirit of the competitors, and quality of the racing all added up to make it a great weekend of racing.

Action got underway on Friday (14 August) morning, with unofficial practice. Qualifying kicked off after lunch, and the first of the races were held late Friday afternoon. The weather was perfect throughout, and Saturday morning brought more sunshine, and plenty of racing.

Muscle Division saw the inclusion of HDT Cup at this round, and some great racing. The outright honours were dominated by Stuart Inwood in his impressive Nissan R33 GTR Skyline. Inwood was victorious in three out of the four races, only missing out on the handicapped Race Three when his handicap proved too huge to overcome. Brett Morse (Mazda RX7) was also impressive, taking second outright for the category. Third outright was Greg Boyle (Nissan). In the sub categories, Rod Gurney was top Muscle Car, Merrick Malouf was the winning Ute, Todd Betland took out Saloon Car honours, Steve Berry was the best of the Improved Production cars and Stuart Inwood also took out the Japanese Turbo category.

In HDT Cup, there was plenty of action, and Adam Lloyd emerged the outright victor for the weekend. He won from Adam Tipping and Keiran Macklyn. In the sub categories, Troy Harrison won Class B Classic and Keiran Macklyn won Class A Classic. The HDT Cup proved to be a massive success, with the combination of affordable machinery, a recognisable brand, and close, fair racing proving very popular!

In the Production Racing Cars, there was an upset at the front of the field. Anthony Soole has had the upper hand all year, with Franck Donniaux plagued with reliability issues at earlier events. Not so this time out though - despite some VERY close racing, Donniaux (Subaru WRX) took a clean sweep of wins to end up victorious in Class X. Soole (Lotus Exige) secured second in Class X, with Daniel Flanagan (Commodore Ute) taking third in his first run in the car.

In Class A, Clark Stott (Mazda 3 MPS) proved too good, to take the class honours over Geoff Kite and Hans Riehs.

Class B was very nearly a family affair, with Carly Black (Peugeot 206) fighting it out with father Barry Black (Peugeot 306), Neil Byers spoiled the party though, pushing his Mitsubishi 380 to take class honours ahead of Carly followed by Barry.

Class C was another family affair, husband and wife duo John and Kylie Willmington taking on the class in a pair of Nissan Pulsars. John dominated the category (outdoing a number of higher classed cars), ahead of Chris Reeves (Proton Satria) and Josh Riehs (Proton Satria). Kylie did very well on her debut though, finishing fourth in class, and just one point behind third!

Formula Tasman & LeMans Sports saw a promising field, with some truly exotic machines fighting it out. Chris Farrell brought along his beautiful 2001 Swift Formula Atlantic, and was never headed all weekend, the car looking planted on the track, and Chris driving very nicely. Farrell took out the Formula Tasman win, and outright victory. Ed Singleton pushed hard in his immaculate Singletini Radical, taking the LeMans Sports honours. The placings in each category were: Formula Tasman - second Craig Dawson (F391 Dallara), third Chris Lynch (F397 Dallara); and LeMans Sports - second Andrew Macpherson in the formidable Mosler MTR, third Neil Kenny (Mallock MK31).

The Touring Car Challenge saw a diverse field do battle, with some excellent racing, and plenty of spectacle. Andy Cantrell in the ex-Glenn Seton Falcon V8 Supercar was untouchable throughout the event, taking pole and victory in two of the races, to take the outright victory. Close behind though was Dameon Jameson in his awesome Jaguar, who took two race wins, and second outright. Third outright went to Joe McGinnes in his crowd pleasing XT GT Falcon. Class honours went to Cantrell for V8 Supercar, Phil Groeneveld for V8 Giant and Dameon Jameson for Muscle Car.

A welcome addition on the card at Oran Park was the MX5 Challenge. The large field of these nimble machines joined the RocketSports ranks, and enjoyed two standalone races. In the RocketSports outright, the MX5's proved unbeatable, with David Raddatz taking the victory. He was closely followed by Matilda Mravicic, and Nick Martinenko. The Holden Roadsters mixed it up with the MX5's, putting on a great show. Graham Smith ended up on top in the Roadsters, with Rod Moynahan second and Terry Mayfield third.

In the MX5 Challenge, honours in the Turbo category went to David Raddatz, in the NA Slick category, Shane Otten took the win, and in the NA Road category Corey Stevens took the honours.

Overall, the whole meeting was a huge success, and thanks must go out to everyone who helped make it happen - the outstanding competitors, new and old, the volunteer officials and marshalls, Oran Park management and of course the hardworking iRace team.

The next confirmed event for the Independent Race Series will be held at Oran Park (South Circuit) 13-15 November. The team are working hard on securing an event in October - details will be announced as soon as they are available. We're working hard to keep bringing you our trademark brand of mate-against-mate, affordable racing.

So, watch this space!

Round Four Race Winners

Round Four Pole Winners

Press play to start the slideshow. Click the fullscreen icon (lower right corner) to view in fullscreen, then click show info to see the details on each driver.

Round Four Preview

Round Four kicks off in just over 12 hours, and it's looking like the biggest iRace meeting yet.

The round, to be held at Sydney's Oran Park, on the GP layout, will feature racing by all the iRace categories: Formula Tasman & LeMans Sport, Touring Car Challenge, Muscle Division, Production Racing Cars and RocketSports. Additionally, the round will see the debut of the brand new HDT Cup category, and the inclusion of the MX5 Challenge.

The Independent Race Series prides itself on mate against mate racing, and catering for a diverse range of competitors and cars. This round will feature a number of notable competitors:

Andrew Macpherson will be driving the awesome Mosler MT900GTR (pictured right) in the combined LeMans Sports and Formula Tasman category. He'll be up against lady racer, Michele Guyer in her March Formula Holden and Ed Singleton (who made quite an impression in Muscle Division in his last appearance) in his Radical. Chris Farrell will driving his 2001 Swift Formula Atlantic, which should suit the GP layout very well. The Formula R boys are also back, and always push hard.

In the Touring Car Challenge, Darren Saillard will be the man to beat, but Andy Cantrell (pictured left) will be looking to do just that, after being narrowly defeated at the last outing at Oran Park. Friend of the series, David Towe will take the wheel of the ex-John Bowe Mustang, and will no doubt adapt quickly from his light BMW M3 to the hulking V8 Mustang. Steve Ingwersen will be keen to make an impression in his Commodore V8 Supercar, and Joe McGinnes is always spectacular!

RocketSports will be joined by the MX5 Challenge for this round, with nearly 20 of the nimble handling Mazdas in the field. The Holden Roadster brigade have been working on the handling of their cars, and Rod Moynahan, Clive O'Connor, Graham Smith and Terry Mayfield (pictured right) will be battling it out. The MX5 Challenge will also have two standalone races on Saturday.

The Production Racing Cars category has gone from strength to strength. The affordable and accessible nature of the machinery, and the closeness of the racing has really driven that growth, and this round looks to be the biggest yet for the category. Pushing hard for a great result will no doubt be Anthony Soole. He'll be challenged by Richard Mork, an Oran Park expert. Hans Riehs always goes hard, and will be doing double duty this weekend, driving his BMW Mini as well as a HDT Cup car. The girls will be well represented too, with Carly Black doing a great job in Class B, and Candace Shafell returning to Class C. Kylie Willmington (picutred left) will be making her debut in a former championship winning car. Kylie's husband, John is currently leading the Class C championship, and we've received some inside information that Kylie will give John a serious run for his money. Kylie has secured support from Caltex Depot, Jax Tyres Penrith and Penrith Muffler Man, and will be driving a Nissan Pulsar.

And last but by no means least is Muscle Division. Muscle Division will feature the largest field at this round, and will incorporate the brand new HDT Cup category. Muscle Division has seen RX7s run strongly in previous rounds, but they are yet to take a round win - Alex Hay, Gerry Murphy, Brett Morse, Keith Linnell and Steve Anslow will all be looking to rectify that this weekend. Previous round-winner Howard Glinn will be back in his Dolomite Sprint, and watch out for a round long battle between him and Neville Simmons like we saw at the last round. The big story of this round though is the HDT Cup. A category that was only conceived after the last meeting at Oran Park in May, HDT Cup has generated massive interest, and sees a massive TWENTY cars entered for the first outing! Watch out for strong performances from Todd Betland (pictured right), Hans Riehs and Chris Reeves, and the no doubt numerous dark horses, new to the series.

Practice gets underway at 0930 Friday, with Qualifying from 1330. The first of the races will take place from 1510 on Friday afternoon, with the bulk of the racing resuming at 0900 Saturday. The full schedule is available to download here.

Admission for spectators is free on both days. The pits are accessible, and the teams friendly, so come along and check out the Independent Race Series.

Round Four Regulations and Schedule Available

Round Four of the Independent Race Series will take place this Friday and Saturday. The event will feature Practice, Qualifying and three Races on Friday 14th August, and the remaining 19 races will take place Saturday 15th August.

Admission to the circuit is free.

Download the event schedule here.

Download the Meeting Regulations here.

Countdown to Round 4

Round Four of the Independent Race Series is just over one week away, and the excitement is building about the return of iRace to the fantastic Oran Park venue.

Entries have been rolling in for the event, and it's looking like some healthy fields will be in attendance, the standouts being Muscle Division and Production Racing Cars.

In Production Racing Cars, most of the guns from Round Two are back, and this time out they'll be joined by Graham Lusty in an XR6 Turbo Falcon, and Bryan Fitzpatrick will return in his nimble Renault Clio. Look out for some hot action from this group.

Muscle Division has been swelled by the inclusion of the HDT Cup within the ranks, with plenty of excitement and enthusiasm surrounding the new category. Perhaps one of the most excited is Todd Betland. His Commodore (pictured right and below) has been decked out in Peter Brock colours and livery. Aside from being a gun racing driver, Todd once starred in a Fair Dinkum Sheds commercial alongside Peter Brock. Todd's HDT Cup car is a fitting tribute to the Australian motorsport legend.

Todd will be joined by a number of other competitors who are still waiting for the paint to dry on their racing machines, including Robert Marchese. Robert's car (pictured left) still has some finishing touches to be completed, but he is very keen to get on track.

Other categories in action will be: Touring Car Challenge, Formula Tasman and RocketSports.

The full round schedule will be available shortly. Round Four of the Independent Race Series will take place on the GP layout at the Oran Park venue, with action kicking off 14 August, and concluding 15 August. More information on the round is available here.

For spectators admission will be free. For competitors, entries are still open, so if you want to enjoy this awesome venue, get your entry in asap.

HDT Cup Momentum Continues

The recent iRace Open Day saw a number of cars present for the launch of the brand new HDT Cup. Interest in the new category has been very strong, and a large number of competitors have already acquired new racecars to compete in the category.

One competitor getting right behind the category is Todd Betland. Todd and his father Laurie have acquired a Class A car, featuring a 308 V8, a Tony Edwards Ultra High Performance brake package, strengthened M21 transmission, Pedders suspension, and a very famous livery. The guys have painted the car in Brock colours, and will shortly be adding signage to match.

The HDT Cup will be supported by HDT, and will cater for VB, VC, VH, VK and VL Commodores, with classes for different engine types/capacities.

Competitors interested in the HDT Cup can contact Laurie Betland on 02 4860 3333 or 0411 176 382.

Photos from the Open Day at Marulan Driver Training Centre are available here.

The next round of the Independent Race Series is in just under one month, at Oran Park GP circuit, 14-15 August. Get your entries in now!

Coverage from Round Two

The SBS Speedweek coverage from Round Two at Oran Park screened on the weekend. The full episode is expected to be available from the brand new Speedweek website in the near future, but in the meantime, an excerpt from the program is available now.

Click here to view the video.

Click here to check out the excellent Speedweek website.

An iRace Open Day will be held at Marulan Driver Training Centre Saturday 20 June, and the next round of the series will be at Oran Park 14-15 August 2009.

Round Three Postponed

Round Three of the Independent Race Series scheduled for 19-21 June at Morgan Park has been postponed.

With thanks and acknowledgement to those competitors who had shown their support for the round by getting their entries in, the organisers took the step of postponing the event due to insufficient competitor support. The series plans to shift the event to a date sometime in September or October. For all those competitors out there who want a chance to race at the fantastic Morgan Park layout again in 2009, it's up to you to get behind the event, get your entries in when they open, and encourage your friends and fellow competitors to do the same.

Because we know many of you need your regular speed fix, Marulan Driver Training Centre (MDTC) has stepped up to host an iRace Open Day at the facility on 20th June. The day will feature a "better your best time" track day for production-based cars plus passenger rides as well as a public launch of the HDT Cup with displays and a presentation on the new category. Visit the MDTC website: www.mdtc.com.au for more info, and to register your interest for the iRace Open Day.

Entries for Round Four at Sydney's Oran Park are now open. The round is scheduled for 14-15 August, and will be hosted on the GP circuit. To access the Round Four online entry form, click here. To download the form to fax or mail in, click here.

Speedweek Revs Up Online

Speedweek has put the World Wide Web on the rev limiter with the launch of the new Speedweek Internet site.

The solid alliance between SBS and Speedweek has taken yet another step forward with the launch of what both groups feel will be one of the bench mark internet sites in this country for motor sport fans.

The site at Speedweek.com.au includes full Speedweek program replays as well as segment highlights and bonus footage not aired in the program, which gives Web surfers the ability to view a replay of the program at their leisure.

The first installment of Independent Race Series coverage is already available on the new site, click here to view.

The next installment of the Independent Race Series will screen this Sunday on SBS Speedweek. Check your local guides for details, and check the new website: www.speedweek.com.au for the online version in the near future.