no stranger to Alfas, but new to this forum.

[kartone]

Ciao Greg,

next week i will be taking delivery of a 1980 GTV which will probably require a new rear hatch door, do you have this part for sale ?

I rally raced in north-eastern Italy (Miki Biasion country) in the late seventies, I currently reside in Narre Warren South (Berwick Springs area) and would appreciate to chat with you over a few beers. 

[redalfaracing]

Kartone, i do not have an unallocated hatch at the moment. sorry. I would enjoy chatting about rally in italy over a beer. Will have to wait though as being in the air con industry it has gotten a bit hectic after last weeks weather. Haven't had any shed time for a week now. Sad about that.

AND... to top it off, Toyota have announced their withdrawal from the ARC for 2009. Where will it stop?
Is this the start of a slow death to motorsport ?

[kartone]

Redalfaracing,

use link below to my backyard in the 70s; enjoy.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=KSJKchNQmtI

[alfagtv58]

AND... to top it off, Toyota have announced their withdrawal from the ARC for 2009. Where will it stop?
Is this the start of a slow death to motorsport ?

It does not stop there.  Porsche Cars Australia has just announced the Carrera Cup championship will not run in 2009!

[k76]

Redalfaracing,

use link below to my backyard in the 70s; enjoy.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=KSJKchNQmtI

I lived one year in Milan and two years in Monza, roads like that looks familiar. It's great with roads where you can really give yourself and the car a workout, and you're still not breaking the speed limit. Not that the speed limit matters there anyway, more of a guidance.

[Fast Eddie]

AND... to top it off, Toyota have announced their withdrawal from the ARC for 2009. Where will it stop?
Is this the start of a slow death to motorsport ?

It does not stop there.  Porsche Cars Australia has just announced the Carrera Cup championship will not run in 2009!

Yeah heard that at the CAMS meeting last night - complete Porsche support withdrawal. Wow, what or who ss next?

[Scott Farquharson]

This is always the risk with heavy manufacturer support - Ford and Holden will be really looking hard at their V8 investment atm.  I don't think it is sustainable.

[Sheldon McIntosh]

I got the impression it was more a lack of competitors than lack of support from Porsche.  The teams still have to buy the cars from Porsche, even if they are 'subsidised' somewhat.  In fact I got the impression Porsche actually have very little to do with it, and that the whole series is contracted to another company.  I've been wrong before though.

I'm very interested to see what happens with Porsche series overseas.

Reckon Toyota and Mitsubishi still want to get in on the V8s?

[alfagtv58]

It was a lack of competitors, mainly due to lack of sponsorship $$ available.  Dont forget that Porsche Cars Aust is also throwing it's support behind another Australian series, namely the GT3 Cup Challenge.  I guess that the current owners of 997 cars will be looking to compete in something else, my guess it is going to be either the aforementioned GT3 series or the Aust GT Championship.  If it is the GT3 guys, then it would be similar to the way they run the Carrera Cup in NZ, a class for current (997) and a class for the older (!) cars, which in theory is probably more sustainable when 90% of the sponsorship money in aust is tipped into the supertaxis.

The guy I feel sorry for in this situation is Glenn Ridge and his QMedia company, they have only recently taken the rights to run the Aust Carrera Cup (and the Mini's too from memory).