The Alfa Romeo 159 JTD 2.4 has proven that its not just frugal, its also fast with the oil burning Alfa Romeo taking the diesel class win in the weekend’s (8 April 2007) WPS Bathurst 12 Hour race, completing 218 laps and 1351 km in 12 hours at the legendary Bathurst track with Kean Booker, Rocco Rinaldo and Alfa Romeo’s Australian boss, David Stone, behind the wheel in the Supercharge Batteries/Thomson Alfa backed 159 JTD.

“This result has blown the myth of slow and boring diesels out of the water,” says David Stone. “We took what is basically a standard Alfa Romeo 159 JTD, fitted the required safety gear, took it to Bathurst and brought back the class win. The Alfa was fast, frugal, reliable – and a winner. What more could be wanted from a race car! The range of performance offered by the Alfa was remarkable. During the event the Alfa Romeo averaged 17 litres per 100 km and this dropped to just 7.0 litres per 100 km when the safety car was out. We changed just the front tyres once during the event, really only as a precaution, and one set of brake discs not only lasted the whole race, we used just a little more than 25 per cent of the pad thickness. The Alfa’s engine used no oil at all,” says Mr Stone.

Although popular in Europe, diesel car racing is still new in Australia, something the Supercharge Battery/Thomson Alfa Team were aiming to change. “With our obsession with power in Australia, we often forget that diesels beat petrol engines hands down when it comes to torque,” says Mr Stone. “With 400 Nm from just 2.4 litres, the 159’s Turbo diesel is punching out more torque than some V8s and its that torque that made the 159 so competitive at Bathurst, enabling it to blast up the mountain over and over again. Once we were on the move, we used just 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th gears, maxing out at 225 km/h. But more telling is the  fact that we kept the revs between 2800 and 4000 rpm, which along with the fact that it had the standard exhaust making it very quiet, the 159 was a remarkably relaxing car to drive in the event, something that is very important on an endurance race. Indeed, we even put the AirCon on several times during the race!”

The drivers of the Alfa 159 JTD entry are all fully committed to Alfa Romeo off the track as well as on it – Kean Booker helped set up one of Sydney’s leading Alfa Romeo dealerships, Rocco Rinaldo is the sales manager at Thomson Alfa Romeo and completing the team is David Stone, the General Manager for Alfa Romeo in Australia. “The interest in the Alfa 159 from the public and other teams was remarkable,” says Mr Stone. “They saw a highly effective racing car, one that has cut fuel use and therefore emissions but not excitement and performance. I am sure that in coming months the 159 is going to see a lot more diesel competition, but I am equally sure it will remain the car to beat!”

Almost 30,000 people enjoyed the second instalment of the WPS Bathurst International Motor Festival, which culminated in the action packed endurance race as a fitting finale to the Easter weekend. The WPS 12-Hour Showroom Enduro lived up to all expectations, as the top manufacturers and some of Australia’s leading drivers competed at Bathurst’s famous Mt Panorama racing circuit.
 

An enthralling tussle for the overall win that lasted the entirety of the 12-hour acid test saw the Craig Baird/Paul Morris/Garry Holt BMW 335i entry collect the chequered flag. The team’s overall race strategy proved superior as they finished ahead of the top Subaru WRX Sti being campaigned by rally champions Chris Atkinson, Cody Crocker and Dean Herridge. Further back in third was the Mitsubishi EVO of Rick Bates/Bob Hughes and Peter Gazzard, ensuring three separate manufacturers were represented on the podium. “It’s always nice to bring the car home to the finish line and this one was even more special reliving that feeling from ’97,” said Baird. “It felt like we were chasing early on but then got into a rhythm and everything just fell into place. It’s not just about us, all the guys have been really digging in and I’m just over the moon and ready to celebrate the win.” As the two major combatants in the final wash up of the WPS 12-Hour Showroom Enduro, the Baird/Morris/Holt trio also claimed the Penrite Rear Wheel Drive Performance Class. Just as impressive were Atkinson, Crocker and Herridge who were deserving victors in the Sonax All Wheel Drive Performance Class.

From an event perspective the feedback received and the results of the 2007 WPS Bathurst International Motor Festival all point to a bright future. “It’s been great to bring back top class motor racing to Bathurst over the Easter weekend and I think the fans have responded in kind by supporting the 2007 WPS Bathurst International Motor Festival,” said Event Director James O’Brien. “Today we had a crowd figure in excess of 10,000 people and that’s a brilliant result as we lay the foundations to making this event a long term fixture on the Australian motor racing calendar. Of course we’ve been able to provide a magnificent program across the entire festival, incorporating first class entertainment and interactive opportunities. Without the partnership we share with the Bathurst Regional Council and the support from our primary sponsor WPS the event wouldn’t be able to take place. But we’re now moving forward and looking towards bigger and better things in the future.”

Such sentiments were shared by Bathurst Regional Council Mayor Norm Mann who sensed the significance of the Bathurst Easter occasion. “There is potential for this event to grow even further and I have no doubt that word of mouth will spread the message, there is a sense of nostalgia about Easter racing at Mount Panorama that people enjoy,” Cr Mann said. “I would like to thank those visitors to the Bathurst Region who attended the event, as well as make special mention of the locals who were there. Without home grown support we can’t continue to grow something as valuable as the Bathurst International Motor Festival which benefits the entire Region.”