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Victory is Robinson’s in TPCR Summer Slam Series Round Heading into the second round of the Summer Slam V8 Dirt Modified Series at Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway (TPCR) on Saturday night Mark Robinson was confident of victory, and that was exactly what he got, which continued his successful run at the TPCR venue. After battling tooth and nail with arch rival Stuart Herne, Robinson was able to move into the lead of the feature race in the closing stages of the 25-lap event and went on to score a commanding victory, despite the loss of brakes.
Although the night ended in success, it didn’t start that way when Robinson in the opening heat race he made contact with another competitor, and this caused damage to his left hand shock absorber and as a result he finished well down the order in ninth place. In the following heat race, Robinson started off the front row and made the most of the opportunity by taking a strong victory, and this set him up in good stead for the feature race. Due to his dramas in the opening heat race, Robinson started the feature race from position seven, but within the opening five laps the former Australian Champion moved into the podium contention, before he charged his way to the head of the field. “We certainly didn’t earn this victory the easy way, and we had to fight for it all the way, as even when I moved into the lead I had to contend with a loss of brakes,” Robinson said. “I knew Stuart [Herne] would be there on my tail once I got passed him for the lead, so I had to play it safe, and I knew that if I didn’t make any errors then victory was going to be mine. “My first round victory in the Summer Slam Series has taken long than I would have liked, but hopefully now we have my first out of the way we can focus on more success, and that also includes taking out the overall series.” Robinson will return to his home track of the Lismore Speedway (Northern NSW) on Boxing Night (December 26) for his next event with the running of the Mr. Modified Title, while the third round of the Summer Slam Series is to be held at Warrnambool’s Premier Speedway Victoria on Saturday night, January 12. 07/08 We Can't Wait! The high-profile Robinson Racing outfit have long been regarded as innovators within the V8 Dirt Modified fraternity. With the level of competition amongst V8 Dirt Modified drivers now reaching unprecedented levels, the potent father/son combination of Steve and Mark have once again gone that extra yard in search of a competitive advantage over the field. That advantage, they hope, comes in the form of a newly imported Teo Pro Car, custom built in Vernon, New Jersey.
Indeed it was eight years ago that Mark took delivery of the teams first American-made weapon, an Olsen chassis, a car that was diametrically opposed to the locally engineered cars of the day. After a successful debut season that saw the team claim Queensland and South Australian Titles, as well as a runner-up finish in the 2000 Australian Title, team patriarch Steve commissioned Lismore fabricator Phillip Mathews to build an Olsen ‘clone’, a car which saw Mark claim the 2005 Australian Title as well as duel NSW Titles and a second Queensland crown. It is this success Robinson is hoping to emulate with the new Teo. “It was still a good car but we just felt we had to update to keep up to date with the technology” said Mark. And the main area of technological advancement? “Mainly the rear suspension. Australia has been a bit behind the eight-ball as far as suspension goes but now that we are starting to get more and more of their (American) cars over here its clear the American setup is the way to go. It’s just the rear end package they’ve got. I think it works better for our type of racing than the open-tube cars do” Whilst the consensus domestically has been that an open-type (Sprintcar) rear-end has been the way to go, the ongoing development by American manufacturers has lead to a proliferation of enclosed differentials and a more ‘sedan’-type setup. Robinson offered a simple explanation for the benefit of the American-style rear-end. “Its all bind free. Everything just seems to work together with the rear end. It will take us a few race meetings to get used to the changes we’ve got to make. Each track we go to we might struggle a little bit at the start of the night but by the end of the night we should be there.” It was Robinson’s long-standing friendship with American DIRT Modified and Late Model powerhouse Tim Fuller that swayed the Lismore-based Robinson Teo’s way. But this was no ordinary ‘off-the-shelf’ purchase. In fact, it represented quite a challenge for Teo and a painstaking wait for Robinson “They run something similar to our steer (front) tryes on their rear. I think theirs are about 94 inch circumference and ours are 104 inches. They run 13 inch wide on the rear and we run 17’s. They (Teo) took our rear tyres, the hight and width and pretty much built the whole car around that” “They took into consideration our rules and our tyres. We sent some videos over of our tracks and stuff like that and knew what we were up against. The engine position is pretty much the same. The engine mounts go off the rear weigh percentage. I think its about 70% rear weight, just to keep the car settled. With the difference in our wheelbase they had a bit of work to do to get the rear weight right.” Whilst the fan on the hill is unlikely to notice any of the technical improvements over his former car, Robinson’s new mount is cosmetically vastly different to its predecessor. The livery has returned to the traditional red, while & blue of long-time supporter Valvoline, after two years sporting Eagle One colours. The new car is a full 8 inches longer (104 inch wheelbase), a characteristic that Robinson says “makes the car more settled and less twitchy and more forgiving on the rough tracks”. A sleek new bonnet design and unique front scoop coupled with much higher side panels and an extremely low inner deck mean Robinson’s car will be unique amongst a growing fleet of American-inspired V8 Dirt Modifieds on-track this season. Robinson’s new weapon first hit the race track at a mid-September practice night in Brisbane. The first sighting of what will arguably be the most talked about V8 Dirt Modified in the country this season certainly got tongues wagging. And with good reason. Robinson was rumoured to be on lap-record time in just his first outing and on a less than ideal racing surface. Initial indications certainly support the move to Teo equipment. After a stellar start to last season, Robinson’s new toy landed in Brisbane in at the start of February. After months of planning it was decided that the new car make its racing debut towards the end of the 2006/07 season. However an untimely engine detonation two-thirds the way through last season changed all that. “Our plan was to have the two engines and have one in the car we were running at the time and fit the other one to the new car so we could have it on the track for the end of the year. But the other engine blew up and the engine we wanted to put into the new car had to go into the old car so that put us back even more. We had to fit the engine to the new car but we couldn’t fit until the end of last year” explained a somewhat frustrated Mark Robinson. Powering the new Teo is the same engine that saw out the end of last season, the same ‘old bitza’ as Mark likes to call it. Indeed it is an engine with some history amongst the team, containing some of the original components from the very first Ford engine campaigned by Mark’s father Steve in his farewell season in the last 1990’s. Some well-documented engine failures have plagued the Robinson camp in recent season’s, leading some to question the team’s apparent undying loyalty to the blue oval. Indeed, with an at-times unreliable engine package, the added distraction of sorting a new chassis combination on top of reliability issued may seem an unwise move. Whilst certainly hindering the team’s performance at times, greener pastures lie ahead says Mark. “Bill Mann & Phil O’Brien at Performance Wholesale have put together a strong package for us with the engine we’ve got in the car now. Plus we’ve got the other engine up with Kenny MacNamara. He’s going to come to a few race meetings so he can get the gist of how the car works, what the engine needs and when it needs it. Then we can make changes from there. Hopefully with these guys on board all our engine dramas are behind us” Time will tell if Robinson’s move to Teo equipment has paid off. However if looks and prior experience are any indicator, then the Valvoline No. 9 Teo Pro Car may well be coming to a victory lane near you.
Robinson Kicks Off 2007/08 Season In Winning Fashion Former Australian V8 Dirt Modified Champion Mark Robinson made the perfect start to the 2007/08 season by taking out the feature race victory on Saturday night at Brisbane International Speedway in Queensland.
06/07 Season begins 27/11/2006 Mark
Robinson got his season 2006/07 campaign off to the best possible
start by taking out the Valvoline/Southside Agencies Silver Sash
at the Batercard Lismore Speedway on November 11. The next meeting, round 2 of the brand new Summer Slam series would be a different story. After a washout in round 1 of the series at Parramatta City Raceway, the much anticipated round 2 would be held at Avalon Raceway in Victoria. Mark's form from his previous feature win continued early in the heats crossing the line first and third respectively. A third placing in the A dash put him in the second row of the grid for the feature. It was a hard fought slog in the feature with intense racing all the way through with rivals such as Herne, Hopwood and Morse. In the end Morse and Herne came from behind to fill the top 2 podium positions with Mark finishing a credible third. However after starting the feature at the rear, Morse was pinned by officials for passing on the infield and was relegated back 2 positions giving Herne the victory and second place to Mark. Mark is ahead on points in the series after his consistent effort in the heats with a total of 279. With Kevin Hopwood 2nd (269) and Stuart Herne third (261). For more information and results from the Summer Slam series visit the website at www.summerslam.com.au.
Robinson Gearing Up For Title Defence 22/12/2005 Things are getting decidedly serious in the workshop of Australian V8 Dirt Modified Champion Mark Robinson, with just five weeks until he attempts to defend his Australian Title in Lismore. Momentum has been slowly building for the Robinson camp, with recent strong showing’s giving the team plenty of confidence heading into the busy Christmas/New Year racing period. “The car’s been really strong since we got the motor back” Robinson said. “If you take the broken tail shaft out of the equation in Lismore, we’ve had a fourth in Toowoomba and a win in Brisbane, so we’re hopeful of keeping the momentum up heading into January” Although the win in Brisbane was the highlight of the season so far, the fourth place finish recently in Toowoomba was also a pleasing result. “We took a lot away from Toowoomba and were especially pleased with the engine. It was a slick track with not a lot of passing but we were moving forward all night and passing cars around the outside. It’s not very often I’d be happy with running fourth but it was the first real test for the car this season and the old Ford passed with flying colours!” The coming weeks will see Robinson contest the tough Mr Modified series, followed by the NSW Title in Gilgandra and the all-important Australian Title over the Australia Day weekend. “It’s going to be a hectic few weeks with so many big races over a short period of time. I’m really looking forward to the Mr Modified races with their fifty lap features. Fifty laps is a long way and if you can win one of those races you know you deserve it.” “But it’s all about the Aussie Title this season. We had a great run last year and it would be awesome to be able to defend the Title in Lismore. The last Aussie Title in Lismore was a bad memory so I’m pretty keen to make amends this year.”
NEW LOOK FOR SEASON 2005 - 2006
The car has been completed just in time for the first meeting of the 2005 - 2006 season for MRR. Mark and the crew will be heading to Brisbane International Speedway this Saturday the 22nd of October to iron out the cobwebs, we hope to see you there.
ROBINSON FINISHES SEASON ON A ROLL ……. LITERALLY! Upside down wasn’t exactly the way Australian V8 Dirt Modified champion Mark Robinson planned on ending his season, but that’s exactly the way things panned out. The last event of the season in Lismore saw the Australia #1 machine qualify as highest point scorer, however the event will be remembered for all the wrong reason’s. While attempting an outside pass on Stuart Herne midway through the Feature, there was contact between the pair, the end result being Robinson’s Valvoline/Crimsafe-backed entry coming to a rest on its roof “I’m just glad it happened at the last race of the year and not the first” commented Robinson. “We were racing pretty hard there with Stuart and the only way I was going to get past him was around the outside. So I went high and then we touched wheels and the next thing you know I’m hanging upside down inside the car!” “The car looked pretty trashed when we got it back to the pits but apart from the panels being trashed, it wasn’t too bad. We did bend the diff, but the chassis is ok. Looks like it the next few months are going to be busy!” The event featured a ‘fastest to the rear’ format, meaning highest qualifier Robinson started from the rear of the field.. “Talk about having to work for your money!” joked Robinson. “It’s hard work coming from the back but it’s also good fun. We were doing ok, I think we were running about 5th before I inverted it, just a pity it ended up the way it did. It’s always good to do a race that’s a bit different, like the 50-lappers or starting the fastest at the rear. It’s something different for the fans and makes life a bit interesting for the drivers. Having said that, I still prefer starting up the front somewhere!” Two weeks earlier in Brisbane, it was a different story, with Robinson claiming taking out his third Queensland win of the season. “Things just seem to have gone our way in Brisbane this season. It certainly makes life easier when you start off the front, that’s for sure. Barry (Ashen) pushed us pretty hard there at the end but we kept our noses out front. If we can do as well in Brisbane next season as we have this season, I’ll be very happy.” With the racing season now having come to a close, Mark Robinson Racing would like to thank their many sponsors and supporters for their invaluable assistance throughout season 2004/05. “It’s a cliché, but we really couldn’t have done it without all our sponsors” commented Mark. “ Valvoline & Crimsafe have been a huge support, Pro Engines got the old Ford humming again, Bocar, Phil Mathews Steel, Wayne Barret Paint & Panel, Southside Agencies, all these guys have helped us out and I just really want to say thankyou” Mark Robinson will return to the track in an all-new looking Australia #1 V8 Dirt Modified in just a few short months time.
Still Life In The Old Ford Yet! With the current season fast winding down, the past two weekends have seen some pleasing on-track performances from Australian V8 Dirt Modified Champ Mark Robinson. Competing in events in Sydney (Parramatta City Raceway) and Toowoomba (Charlton Speedway), Robinson recorded a win and runner-up finish in his Valvoline/Crimsafe-backed V8 Dirt Modified. It was a successful return to Parramatta for Robinson, a track he has a liking for. “I just love the place” he said. “It’s big, it’s wide, you can run high or low, it’s just a great track to drive on” “Racing wise, it was a good night for us. The Feature was a good race, but we had to work pretty hard for it. Hernie pushed us pretty hard but we kept it tidy and ended up with the win. We also broke the six lap record by five seconds, so looks like there is still plenty of life left in the old Ford yet!” With a win in the bag at Parramatta, all attention turned to the Queensland Title, being staged the very next weekend in Toowoomba. Robinson is a former two-time Queensland Title winner and was quietly confident heading into last weekend’s event. “The car’s been strong all season so we were definitely going to Toowoomba to win” he recalled. “Then in the first heat we had a repeat of the fuel pump problem we had at Easter. At the start of the heat, I put my foot down and it just died. Then it played up again later in the heat, so we weren’t real confident when we got back to the pits” “We worked out what was wrong with it and then it was right for the rest of the night. In the Feature, we ended up finishing second behind Hernie. I thought I might have had him there near the end in traffic but I had to back off coming onto the front straight otherwise we would have both ended up in the fence!” Just two events remain on Robinson’s schedule for season 2004/05, with a race meeting on April 30 in Brisbane followed by the Hatrix Hustle in Lismore on May 7.
18/4/2005 After a few weeks rest & recuperation, Australian V8 Dirt Modified champ Mark Robinson returned to the racetrack this past Easter long weekend for the annual V8 Dirt Modified Easter Trail. Three consecutive nights racing was something Robinson was looking forward to. “We hadn’t raced for a few weeks so we were pretty keen to get stuck back into it” said Robinson. “It’s always a pretty tough weekend, especially if you have a bit of bad luck along the way ”With Grafton Speedway playing host to the first nights racing, the Robinson camp were quietly confident of a strong showing. “We seem to have a pretty good handle on Grafton at the moment” commented Robinson. “We had a good run there in the Mr. Modified series so we were definitely going there looking to win. It didn’t quite end up that way though. We ended up having our first mechanical failure of the season and had a DNF. The main belt drive on the front of the crank broke, so we dropped oil pressure and lost the power steering & water belt. Thankfully though I managed to shut it off pretty early and we didn’t hurt the engine” The following night, all attention turned to Robinson’s home track, Lismore Speedway, for the final two nights racing. After the disappointment of a DNF the previous night, the team were out to redeem themselves. Unfortunately, it was to be another disappointing night. “We spent most of Saturday just checking over the engine to make sure we hadn’t done any damage from the night before. But then we ended up having an annoying fuel problem all night. After the drama’s we had last season, we were a bit concerned but it ended up just being a fuel line fitting that had cracked. Still, two DNF’s in two nights isn’t exactly how we planned our Easter weekend going.” After a frustrating two nights, Easter Sunday nights’ third and final round of the Easter trail couldn’t com fast enough and finally, the Valvoline/Ford Australia No. 1 machine would spend more time on the racetrack than the infield! “I tell you what, it’s a good thing we finished because I don’t think I could handle another DNF!” Robinson joked. “Seriously though, we ended up fourth, which considering the previous two nights was an ok result. It might have been a different story if I didn’t get sent to the rear, that wasn’t exactly part of the plan. Still, we ended up finishing the feature, the car is straight and the engines in one piece.” With the current season winding down, two more major events remain on Robinson’s racing schedule. “We’ve got our eye on the Queensland Title in a few weeks up there in Toowoomba, then there’s a big show at PCR towards the end of April. I think there may be another race or 2 in there as well, but apart from that, it’s just about time to start thinking about next season.” Speaking of next season, the familiar Valvoline machine is set to have a new look next season. “It’s all pretty hush hush at the moment but the car’s probably going to look a lot different to what it has for the past few years. We’ve got a few things in the pipeline so you will just have to wait and see!”
Solid Two Weeks for Robinson Racing Twelve and a half thousand kilometres. That’s how far Australian V8 Dirt Modified Champion Mark Robinson has travelled in search of racing so far this season. The past 2 weeks have seen the Valvoline/Crimsafe backed Robinson compete in both the Victorian and NSW State Championships, producing some pleasing results. At the new Heartland Speedway in Moama, Robinson was looking to add a Victorian Championship to his season tally. After a hard-fought race, he would leave Moama with the runner-up trophy. “Obviously we went there to win but overall, we’re pretty happy to come away with second” Robinson said. “There was really only one grove on the track and not a whole lot of opportunity for passing, which was a little disappointing. Our car handles the slick tracks pretty well and we came close to taking it out but just not quite close enough” The Victorian Title was only the second event ever held at Moama and the venue left quite an impression on the Lismore-base Aussie Champ. “That place is going to be one of the best speedways in the country when it’s all finished” said Robinson. “It’s big and fast and the lighting is awesome. Once they get a handle on the racing surface it’s going to be a pretty spectacular place” Upon the teams return from the Garden State, attention shifted to the NSW Title, being held in Lismore the following weekend (Feb 19). Having previously finished second in the NSW Title, Robinson was hopeful of a breakthrough NSW Title win in front of his home crowd. Starting the main event out of position six, things were looking good heading into the 30-lap Title decider. However, a stoppage-free Feature race threw everybody’s strategies out the window, with Robinson bringing his Australian No. 1 machine home in fifth place. “What an awesome race” Robinson reflected. “ It was just flat out for 30 laps. It was a bit disappointing not to finish up the order a bit but from a driver’s point of view, it was a great race. We had some good battles there with (Tim) Morse & Ray (Klarich) but we just couldn’t seem to go forward. We really needed a stoppage near the end to help us out but it didn’t quite work out that way.” This weekend, the Robinson camp will enjoy a race-free weekend before embarking on the remainder of the season, which may include a trip to Borderline Speedway, Mt Gambier, for the South Australian Title.
Doughnuts Anyone? The past fortnight has produced a mixed bag of results for Australian V8 Dirt Modified Champion Mark Robinson. Competing in events in Grafton (Jan 29) and Parramatta (Feb 5), Robinson recorded a win and a fourth place finish respectively. At Parramatta this past Saturday night, Robinson, driving the Valvoline/Crimsafe backed Australia #1 machine, started the main event from the second row, only to have an uncharacteristic spin virtually end his chances at the start of the Feature race. “I’d moved into second behind Tim (Morse) and thought I’d go up high and try to find a way around him” recalled Robinson. “I had a bit of a brain fade though when Hopwood (Kevin) & Bruce (Kiehne) stuck their noses underneath me. I got on the gas too early and looped it.” It was to be a costly doughnut for the Lismore driver, dropping back to 14th as a result. All was not lost however. “I kept it going and just stayed up high and got stuck into it. We ended up fourth, which is not too bad all things considered. It might have been a different story if I didn’t spin, but that’s just racing I guess.” The weekend prior (Jan 29), Robinson journeyed to the Grafton Speedway, where he brought his Ford-powered machine home in first place. “Grafton has been pretty good to us this season. It’s a pretty tough track to get a handle on so it’s always good to come away with a win. It was a tough night on tyres.” The next two weekends will see the Valvoline/Crimsafe team partake in both the Victorian (Feb 12) and the NSW (Feb 19) State Championships. “We’re all really looking forward to going down to Moama for the Victorian Title. It’s pretty big and fast, which should really suit our car. Then it’s back to Lismore for the NSW Title, so it’s a pretty full on few weeks”.
Strong Run Continues for Aussie Champ Australian V8 Dirt Modified Champ Mark Robinson has continued his run of good fortune with a strong runner-up finish in Toowoomba at the weekend. So far this season, the Valvoline/Crimsafe-backed Robinson is yet to finish a main event outside of the top three. A first and third in his heats would see the Lismore (NSW) domiciled Robinson claim top qualifier honours for the night. After drawing the dreaded number eight marble for the inversion, Robinson would find himself starting the main event from the fourth row. “We knew we had our work cut out starting out of eight” he said. “The track was pretty slick by the end of the night so moving forward was going to be tough. We basically just tightened the car right up for the Feature and were hoping to be a bit closer to the front at the end” After steadily making his way towards the front of the pack, a restart with just 5 laps to go put Robinson in the box seat. “We were right behind Hernie (Stuart Herne) in second at the last restart and that was our big chance. He made a mistake coming out of turn three and left a big hole down low but I drifted high as well and that was the end of that. The lead was here for the taking but I just made a mistake at the wrong time and missed it.” Although pleased with his runner-up finish, the highlight of the night for Robinson was his Heat One battle with Tony Sneddon. “That race with Sneddo was awesome” he said. “Its always good when you can run wheel to wheel with someone lap after lap and know that they are going to give you room and not try anything funny. I wish every race was like that” Work commitments will prevent Robinson taking part in this weekend’s event in Grafton; however a hectic schedule lies ahead with the Australian Champ racing over six consecutive weekends starting in Parramatta on February 5. “We’ve got Parramatta (Feb 5), then down to Heartland for the Victorian Title (Feb 12), back to Lismore for the NSW Title (Feb 19), then Brisbane (Feb 26), back to Parramatta (Mar 5), then over to Mt Gambier for the South Australian Title (Mar 12) and then the next night at Avalon (Mar 13). I’m tired just thinking about it!”
Winning Streak Continues Newly crowned Australian V8 Dirt Modified Champion Mark Robinson has continued his recent run of good form, taking out the final round of the Mr. Modified series in Lismore on Saturday night (Jan 8). On top of his round win, Robinson also took out the overall series honours, The final round win caps quite a week for Robinson, who just 7 days earlier claimed his maiden Australian Title. “It’s just been a great season so far” said Robinson. “The car is just awesome to drive at the moment, probably the best it’s ever been, and things just seem to be going our way.” The tough Mr Modified series is unique for a number of reasons. It is run over three rounds in Lismore & Grafton, held over the Christmas/New Year period. Add to the mix gruelling 50-lap main events, which also feature a mid-race infield pit-stop... Finally, series points are awarded for finishing positions at the end of the first and the last 25-laps of the Feature. At the opening round in Lismore on Boxing night, Robinson brought his Valvoline/Crimsafe backed V8 Dirt Modified home in third place at the end of the 50-lap journey., while at Round Two in Grafton (Jan 4), the Lismore-domiciled Robinson recorded a strong second place finish. Heading into the final round, Robinson was quietly confident of a good result. Adding an extra dimension to the night, it was to be his first appearance at his home track as Australian Champion. After a solid night all round, Robinson would bring his Ford powered Australia #1 machine home in second at the end of the first 25 laps and first at the completion of the 50-lap main event... The overall round win was enough to secure Robinson the Mr Modified series top honours. “Lismore was a good night for us. We had a few good battles there with Mick (Santin) & Herne and it was a pretty good feeling to see that chequered flag at the end of the night, especially in front of all our local supporters.. We’ve been trying to win the Mr Modified series for a long time but we’ve never really had the consistency to get the job done. I spent a bit of time watching these races from the infield last season and I can tell you it’s much better being out there actually racing” said Robinson. With the first half of the racing season now behind them, Team Robinson now embark on perhaps their most gruelling schedule to date. “We looked at the calendar last night and we’ve got a heap of travelling coming up” said Robinson. “We’re going to do all the State Titles, plus do a bit of racing down south. Then we’ve got the local shows, the Easter Trail and a few more in Brisbane, pretty much wherever there is a race meeting, we’ll probably be there. “
Australian V8 Dirt Modified Champion 2005 Unbelievable. That’s how Valvoline/Crimsafe V8 Dirt Modified driver Mark Robinson described his win in last weekends Australian V8 Dirt Modified Championship in Brisbane. Robinson led the last half of the race, leading home fellow NSW drivers Stuart Herne & Tony Sneddon. The win is the crowing achievements of Robinsons driving career to date. “It was almost a week ago but it still hasn’t quite sunk in yet” said Robinson. “We’ve finished second and third before and have had our disappointments as well and to finally win an Australian Title is just unbelievable. We’ve won plenty of races over the years but the Australian Title is what it’s all about and we’ve finally nailed it” Robinson began his Title campaign on the back of some pretty impressive form, which had the Valvoline/Crimsafe team quietly confident of a strong showing. Despite a solid preparation, the teams Title assault didn’t get off to the best of starts. “I spun in the last corner of our first heat and ended up finishing 7th, which wasn’t the start to the weekend we were looking for” said Robinson. “At the end of the first night, we were down in 16th place in points, which is definitely not where we planned on being.” Heading into the final night, Robinson was in need of a strong final heat result to guarantee a direct starting spot in the main event. A lucky draw would see Robinson start off the front row in his final qualifying heat . “We had Tim (Morse), Ray (Klarich) & Lloyd (Hobson) in our heat so we couldn’t really afford to hold back. We pretty much needed to win just to guarantee us a spot directly in the Feature. The track was totally different to the Friday night so we made a few changes before the heat and we managed to pull off the win” Robinson’s final heat win earned his a fourth row starting spot in the 30-lap Australian Championship. The tricky track conditions were to Robinsons liking and a restart at the mid way point of the Feature presented the former SA & Qld Champion with the opportunity he was looking for. “The restart put us right in behind Sneddo (Tony Sneddon) but it also put Morse right back behind us. We had the car set up just right though and I managed to sneak past Sneddo and into the lead. I tried not to think about it too much though (leading the Australian Title), I just tried to take it one lap at a time” After 30 gruelling laps, Robinson greeted the chequered flag, claiming his first Australian Title. “To win the Australian Title just means so much to the whole team” said Robinson. “Both dad (Steve) & I have now won Australian Titles, which is pretty special. But the whole crew have worked so hard to get us to where we are. We made the right calls on the set-up which makes my job a whole lot easier. Without their efforts, we couldn’t have done it” “And I just can’t say enough about Pro Engines in Brisbane. 12 months ago we just couldn’t seem to solve the engine drama’s we were having, Mick worked pretty hard over the off-season to sort it all out for us. I think we’ve done 8 race meetings so far this season and haven’t been off the podium yet. Looks like there is still life in the old Ford yet!” In the week leading up to the Australian Title, Robinson competed in the opening round of the Mr Modified series, a tough three-round series of 50-Lap Feature events held in Lismore and Grafton over the Chirstmas/New Year period. In the Boxing day event in Lismore, Robinson brought his familiar Valvonline/Crimsafe No. 9 machine home in third at the end of 50 laps. The series resumed in Grafton on Tuesday night (Jan 4), which saw Robinson take to the track in his first event as Australian Champ. It was a good night for the Robinson outfit, taking the win in the first 25-lap stanza and finishing in second to Stuart Herne over the final 25 laps. Robinson will compete in the third and final round of the Mr Modified series in Lismore this Saturday night (Jan 8) before heading to Toowoomba on January 22.
More Strong Performances for Robinson
“Results wise, this is probably the best preparation we have had leading into a Title” said Robinson. “The car is working really well, the engine is strong, and about the only work we have had to do to the car this season is repair one side panel.” Last Saturday night, Robinson ventured to the Brisbane International Speedway for the final hit-out before the upcoming Australian Title. At the end of a hectic 25-lap main event, Robinson recorded his second runner-up finish of the season in Brisbane. “It was a pretty tough night in Brisbane but we are happy to come away with second. I come pretty close to getting past Ray on the last lap but couldn’t quite get the drive out of the corner. The team was happy at the end of the night to see our car come on strong towards the end of the feature. If the last few Brisbane races are any indication, the Australian Title is going to be one hell of a tough race to win” This weekends see’s the Robinson camp venture to the Charlton Raceway in Toowoomba, before the busy Christmas/New Year period kicks in, which will see Robinson tackle events in Lismore (Mr Modified Rd 1 Dec 26), Brisbane (Aus Title Dec 31, Jan 1), Grafton (Mr Modified Rd 2 Jan 4) and Lismore (Mr Modified Rd 3 Jan 8).
Robinson Enjoys Solid Start To Season Mark Robinson is two races into his season 2004/05 campaign and although not recording an elusive Feature win as yet, two second- place finishes have the Valvoline V8 Dirt Modified team brimming with confidence heading into the busy Christmas/New Year period. Last Saturday night saw Robinson record a runner-up finish in Lismore, his second runner-up finish in as many outings. On a track that offered limited passing opportunities, the man they call ‘Krusty’ was happy to record another good result. “ We tried pretty hard on Saturday night and we were definitely there to win, but just couldn’t get the breaks in traffic that we needed to put more pressure on Luke (Oldfield). The car was fast though, and we didn’t have any drama’s in the engine department, so all in all it was a pretty good night” Attention now turns to this weekends event in Brisbane and with two strong runs under his belt, Robinson will be going all out for the win. “ We finished second up in Brisbane in our first show, which is not a bad way to start the season. We’re looking toward the Australian Title now, which is only a little over a month away so we will be trying a few different things set-up wise to get ourselves dialled in before the event.” The coming weeks are set to be busy for the Robinson camp, with the team set to compete in events in Parramatta (Nov 27), Brisbane (Dec 4), Toowoomba (Dec 11) and Lismore (Dec 26) in the lead up to the Australian Title.
2004/2005 Season to kick off this weekend Lismore (NSW) V8 Dirt Modified competitor Mark Robinson is chomping at the bit to get his season 2004/05 campaign underway, with this Saturday nights event in Brisbane marking the first of many competitive outings for the Valvoline backed outfit over the coming months. After a disappointing season last season, this Saturday night can’t come quick enough for Robinson. “ The whole team is looking forward to this weekend,” said Robinson. “ Last season was pretty frustrating for everyone, so we are pretty keen to get back out there and make amends for the disappointments of last season” Robinson, 25, ensured a horror season 2003/04, with engine problems plaguing the team for much of the season. All that appears to be behind the team however, with the potent Ford powerplant undergoing an extensive rebuild over the off-season. “ The boys, Mick & Tony, at TOCA performance have been working flat out on the motor. We had it on the dyno last week and pushed it pretty hard and didn’t have any problems. Now it’s just a matter of trying it out in a race set up. The coming few months will see the Valvoline Ford No. 9 machine travel fairly extensively throughout eastern Australia. “ We are going to do as many of the Parramatta shows as we can and we’d like to get back down to Victoria as well. And with the local races here in Lismore, Grafton plus Brisbane and Toowoomba, it’s going to be a pretty full-on season”. The ultimate goal this season however, is the Australian Title. With this years event being held in Brisbane, a track that has been kind to Robinson in the past, hopes are high that Robinson can go one better than his runner-up finish in 2000 and join his father Steve as Australian Champion. “ We’re pretty focussed on the Australian Title this season, especially with it being in Brisbane. We’ve had our chances before in Australian Titles but haven’t been able to come away with the win. It’s going to be tough this year but I definitely think we are in with a shot”
Interview with Steve Robinson President of the DMA Steve Robinson is a name synonymous with V8 Dirt Modifieds. A former multiple Australian & State Champion, Robinson played a pivotal role in the development of the division throughout the 1980’s & 90’s. Several years after stepping out of the drivers seat & making way for son Mark, Robinson is now back in the thick of things with the V8 Dirt Modified National Body, Dirt Modifieds Australia. Robinson took time out recently to discuss all things V8 Dirt Modified with SRN’s Ben Graham. What is your role in the DMA? President. Why did you take the role on & what do you hope to achieve? I was lobbied the night before the AGM and after realizing I would have great support from some very good State delegates and also the fact that the National Secretary/Treasurer is based also in Lismore, I believed that I could bring some new ideas on various issues into the DMA. I am always a firm believer of bringing new blood in for new ideas. I believe the role of any National President is to endeavor to present a balanced approach to all issues. At the same time as balance, to also look to the future to take our section forward. I also see it as a liaison role between the V8 Dirt Modified community, NASR, the Promoters & competitors. What is the role of the DMA? With the support of some very good State delegates; to address & control issues of car specifications, car safety, control of new components, supporting the running of the State & National Titles, liaison with NASR & the Promoters, nomination forms, rule books, inspection of equipment….…As I say, if it wasn’t for some great support, the role of any National body borders on being a permanent-part time job. Has the DMA been successful in the past? Absolutely. I can think back not too many years where we had 2 separate sections with two different engine rules & different tyre rules. We also had different body shapes. Forming one DMA put all this together and made V8 Dirt Modifieds a truly national section. We are recognized by NASR and V8 Dirt Modifieds is a national section. Is technology impacting V8DM? Yes, but it is up to the DMA to maintain a constant vigil on what is allowed. Issues such as electronic engine management and others all have to be monitored and if cost effective allow their introduction. The racing last season was widely praised. Why do you think that is? Without doubt, the V8 Dirt Modifieds are at an all-time high. At the end of last season we had four fantastic races, namely the Australian Title, NSW & Qld Titles and the $20,000 Masters and in each of these races, anyone of four competitors could have won. Where you witness 2 or 3 cars dicing for the lead and you have the fans thinking ‘ can he…can’t he…can he..” that is entertaining racing. All of the races listed above had side by side racing and the winner was not known until the chequred flag fell. Do V8 Dirt Modifieds need to be running for higher prize money on a more regular basis? There would not be a speedway competitor who does not want to race for more prize money but we must put it in perspective. If the V8 Dirt Modifieds are seen to be an emerging section, we must be diligent as far as prize money is concerned. I believe local club shows should be run for a minimum amount of prize money and then select the right meetings to support the Promoters and build them into a major meeting. I’d also like to think that if any section wanted to introduce their own sponsor; the promoters would be approachable to working with us. Are there any mistakes other divisions have made that you would like V8 Dirt Modifieds to avoid? I would like to think the DMA and the State delegates are all experienced racers and collectively, we observe other speedway sections, identify their mistakes and make sure we don’t go down the same road. That is minimum weight rule, open tyre rule, engine compression etc. I believe the V8 Dirt Modifieds are one of the few speedway sections to use the Whistler machine to monitor engine compression. If the Whistler machine can keep V8 Supercars honest, I am sure it can do likewise for us. V8 Dirt Modifieds now have a strong presence in all states. That must be heartening to see. Yes, without a doubt. It is also heartening to know that the Promoters can program a major meeting where the V8 Dirt Modifieds are the major billing and can attract a crowd in their own right. At the end of the night, there has been some great racing and excitement & entertainment for the fans. The Promoter can also come out on the right side of his budget. Where do you see V8 Dirt Modifieds sitting in the speedway pecking order at present? This varies around Australia. Maybe in northern NSW & southern QLD, you could rank the V8 Dirt Modifieds in the top 3. Other parts of Australia they have to grow and as long as Promoters are willing to foster our section & our competitor base responds to this, the V8 Dirt Modifieds will grow Australia wide. Where would you like to see the division in five years time? I believe it possible for V8 Dirt Modifieds to be a strong, viable section of speedway. With strict control of our costs, attracting new competitors to our section and having a regular contingent of American drivers coming to Australia each year, the division is sure to be an ongoing success. It won’t happen by itself however, everybody has to work at it, the DMA, driver, car owners & Promoters. How important to the growth of the division has been getting back on the PCR program? Very important, especially following the closure of Newcastle, where V8 Dirt Modifieds were very strong. Parramatta has programmed the V8 Dirt Modifieds on a regular basis for season 2004/05. This is a huge boost to the Newcastle & Sydney competitor base and it is now up to them to support these dates and help grow the section down there. Perhaps the Sydney club could put on a few ‘guest driver’ events where they can attract competitors out of the sedan division. Is self-promotion the way forward for the division? Self-promotion will have to be part of the future of V8 Dirt Modifieds. You just have to look at the success that the Modified Masters achieved in Brisbane last season. That was an event put on by Bruce Kiehne, but it was also heavily supported by Brisbane Promoter John Kelly. The Sydney club has a tremendous supporter in Brendan Lowe and there are others around the country as well. We need to be pro-active and promote our division in a professional way to the Promoters. The days of just turning up on race night are long gone.
Do you see specifications changing much from here or is the mix pretty close to being right? Our specs are pretty much where we would like them at the moment. This now makes it easier for any new competitor to come into the V8 Dirt Modified ranks. If any competitor has a limited budget, they can purchase an entry-level type car and if the budget allows for a more advanced open type car, they can do so because our specifications are all the same. You are not a big fan of the word ‘B-Grade’ are you? I hate the words B-Grade & Division 2. I believe that all new competitors, regardless of their purchase budget should be regarded as a ‘Sportsman’. Now the word Sportsman should not be confused with a different specification car. All V8 Dirt Modifieds are the same specification. The word Sportsman just means that all new competitors will be regarded as a Sportsman, race against other Sportsman AND Open cars and once our grading committees see that any Sportsman begins to dominate, they are then moved into Open. You then have the Promoter recogise the Sportsman drivers and at the end of each night, the first Sportsman home is also on the podium with their own trophy. I don’t think the cost of an extra trophy is too much to ask the promotion to help foster the division. How is the coming season shaping up? The new season is starting to shape up as the best ever. For the first time EVER, we have been able to coordinate race dates on the Eastern seaboard where race dates between Parramatta, Lismore, Grafton, Archerfield & Toowoomba do not clash. I would particularly like to thank Steve Green (Parramatta) for his assistance. This is the first time this has happened and should now free up the competitors to support these non-clashing dates. Are V8 Dirt Modifieds ready for a Series? Absolutely, especially considering that we now have a calendar where dates don’t clash. Matt Payne actually raised this very idea back in Issue No. 251. Matt is 100% right, now is the opportunity to build something on a National basis Speaking hypothetically, what would be your ideal series? There have been some ideas and suggestions along the lines of a mini WSS concept. To begin with, maybe only 4 or 5 meetings spread over the eastern states. Also in the beginning, maybe 2 or 3 cars contracted from each state. As Matt Payne states, we have to start somewhere and I believe a smaller well supported series would be the way to go. Where will this season’s Australian Title be decided? Our next Australian Championship is at the Brisbane International Speedway over the New Year weekend and this will be a major boost for the Brisbane club. The Brisbane club has had steady growth and should grow in competitor numbers, particularly with the support of Promoter John Kelly. If we can have another Australian championship like last years Australian championship, QLD championship & the Masters I will be very happy. Are V8 Dirt Modifieds the sleeping giant of Australian speedway? I have been saying for a number of years that the V8 Dirt Modifieds are on the horizon. We now have our rules locked down, regular programming around Australia & with regular programming at PCR and with the company in the USA that controls the WoO also controlling DIRT (American V8 Dirt Modifieds) one would have to picture a future possibility of American Modified drivers competing against the Aussies. Sure, we had one American at a time in the past but I long for the day to race against say 6 competitive Americans. If you could change one thing in V8DM, what would it be? I honestly can’t think of anything I’d like to change at the moment. Thanks for your time Steve No worries Ben, thank you.
An Early End to Season 2003/2004 Mark robinson racing would like to take this opportunity to thank all his sponsors during the 2003/2004 racing season. This season hasnt been one to remember for the team with on going engine problems. The team has decided to finish up the 2003/2004 season early to concerncate on fixing the engine for the start of the 2004/2005 racing season. A special thankyou goes out to Mike and the crew at TOCA Performance in Brisbane for the new Ford engine. Alot of hours were put into the development of the new engine, implementing various changes to the old set up. Recent testing showed great promise, with the new power plant performing wonderfully. However a minor glitch with the fuel system was exposed at Sunday's race meeting in Lismore the last race of the Easter Trail series. The glitch was causing the engine to be slighlty starved of fuel therefore resulting in a loss of power. Mike from TOCA Performance was on hand to make the diagnosis and he recommended a change in a few specific components of the fuel system and fuel pumps as the old pump was not up to spec with the new engine. This problem and other factors contributed to Mark and the team making the decision to call it quits early this season in order to have enough time to resolve the problem with the fuel system properly and start next season with a bang!
MEDIA RELEASE - DECEMBER 24 2003
"Rain washed out the two shows we tried to run earlier in the season, so at the moment, we have completed a few hot-laps and one heat race in the Modified, that’s it". On a more serious note, the endurance format of the three-round Mr. Modified series is something that Robinson is looking forward to. “ The endurance format brings a whole new element into the race. Strategy & set-up become far more important, it’s not just about going flat out for 25 laps. You just have to be consistent lap after lap and work your way forward. Having said that, you can’t afford to hold back ‘cause there are guys in the field who just hold it flat the whole time.” Although the Mr Modified series & Team 3:16 Gold Cup are high on the teams agenda, the real prize is the Australian Title, to de decided at Victoria’s Avalon Raceway on January 17. Having come close before, Robinsonis keen to improve on his previous runner-up finish. In between Rounds One & Two of the Mr Modified series, the Robinson camp head to Brisbane for the Team 3:16 Gold Cup. Brisbane is a venue that has been kind to Robinson in season’s past and he hopes this to continue on Saturday night. “We won back-to-back Queensland Titles in Brisbane, so naturally we like racing there. I’ve had three starts this season in Brisbane but they have been with the Titan Sprintcar team, so Saturday will be my first race there in the Modified this season. The Queensland Club & Team 3:16 have put up some pretty good money, which is good to see, so it should be a good night’s racing” “ The bottom line is that EVERYBODY wants to win the Australian Title. We’ve come close before, especially over in Perth a few years ago, but everything has to be spot on on the night. Every time you hit the track, you have to give it 110%. We know we have the equipment to get the job done; we just need to bring it all together and make it happen’ The lack of seat time leading up to the major events of the season is not something that concerns Robinson. “ We have spent just as much time preparing the car as we have done in previous seasons,” said Robinson. “ Our engine is right where we want it and we have just spent the last week going over the car in preparation for the big events. Ideally, it would have been good to have had a few more laps by now, but we are confidant we can have a successful couple of weeks never the less” Mark Robinson Racing’s itinerary over the coming weeks includes: December 26- Mr Modified Rd One- Lismore
SRN Interview Mark Robinson is a name synonymous with V8 Dirt Modifieds. Now in his sixth season of V8 Dirt Modified competition, the 24-year old Robinson is a former duel Queensland and South Australian Champion. The son of multiple state & national champion Steve, Mark has this season expanded his racing horizons and has competed in a number of events at the wheel of the Titan Garages Sprintcar. Mark took time out recently to talk with SRN about his Sprintcar experience and to share his thoughts on the world of V8 Dirt Modifieds. YOU RACED THE TITAN CAR LATE LAST SEASON. HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT? Glenno gave me a call in the week before the Australian Open last season and asked me to come up and have a few laps in the car. We went up there on the Monday night and did a few laps and the next thing we knew, we were racing that Saturday night. AFTER THAT EXPERIENCE, WERE SPRINTCARS SOMETHING YOU WERE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING? Yes, but only as a ‘hired gun’ driver. There was no way we could actually get into a competitive car ourselves. YOU WERE BACK WITH THE TITAN TEAM EARLIER THIS SEASON. WAS THIS A PERMANATENT ARRANGEMENT? No, the plan was always to run 5 shows. We did one last season and four this season. YOU’VE HAD FOUR STARTS THIS SEASON IN THE SPRINTCAR. HAVE THINGS GONE TO PLAN? We moved along all right. I wouldn’t say we went ahead in leaps and bounds. We progressed slowly, we didn’t do anything dumb and didn’t go out there and try to set the world on fire. We had a couple of accidents where we were in the wrong place at the wrong time. But for me personally, I felt that every time we hit the track we were doing better. YOU FINNISHED 11TH IN YOUR SPRINTCAR DEBUT AT PCR EARLIER THIS SEASON. WAS THAT A SATISFYING RESULT? Yes, it was. To make the A was a big bonus for me personally. Just to know that we made the A at PCR was something else, especially with 38 cars in the pits and only 20 making the A-Main. IS THE 410 NOTICABLY DIFFERENT TO THE 372? YOUR FIRST TASTE OF WSS ACTION WAS IN BRISBANE IN NOVEMBER. WERE YOU NERVOUS GOING INTO THE EVENT? I was actually pretty good. The whole team was very calm and there was no pressure going into the event. It would have been good to make the A-Main. We were in a transfer spot in the B but we got involved in a racing incident and ended up tipping it over. DNF IN THE B-MAIN ASIDE, HOW WAS YOUR OVERALL WSS EXPERIENCE? Overwhelming. Just the whole experience of actually driving in a WSS event and not being a spectator. Seeing how much goes on behind the scenes with the WSS and how many guys they have running the show, it was pretty eye opening. Everything was so professionally run. COMPARE THE LEVEL OF COMPETITION BETWEEN PCR & BIS. They are both pretty tough but there are a lot more cars at weekly shows at PCR DIDYOU FEEL UNDER ANY PRESSURE RUNNING FOR SUCH A HIGH PROFILE TEAM THAT HAS BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL IN RECENT YEARS? Yes and no. The team had no expectations on us but as a driver, I knew that the equipment was good enough to win anything. There were no expectations and the team made that clear so we just went from there. THE FACT THAT YOU WERE DRIVING SOMEBODY ELSES CAR- IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND ON THE TRACK? It was for the first couple of meetings. I’ve never driven for a ‘car owner’ as such but in the last few races I got settled in and it wasn’t such an issue. OBVIOUSLY THINGS HAPPEN MUCH FASTER IN THE SPRINTCAR. HAVE YOU HAD TO CHANGE YOUR DRIVING STYLE? Yes, a heap! In the Modified we turn the car in with the right front, whereas in the Sprintcar, it’s all on the left rear. Getting the car into the corner, that was the biggest thing for me to overcome. Driving it like a Modified meant that it sometimes biked up which got a bit hairy. STUART HERNE SOLD HIS ENTIRE RACING OPERATION SEVERAL YEARS AGO IN THE HOPE OF SECURING A SPRINTCAR DRIVE. IS THIS SOMETHING YOUR TEAM HAS CONSIDERED? No, if anything came off full-time in a Sprintcar we’d still keep the Modified WAS IT DISSAPOINTING TO HAVE TO MISS THE FIRST 2 PCR V8 DIRT MODIFIED MEETINGS THIS SEASON? Yes and no. It was a bit disappointing not to be able to support the Sydney club and run back down there in the Modified but then again we were also happy to be able to run the Sprintcar down there on the same night YOU WON THE 100 LAP EVENT AT LISMORE LAST SEASON. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MORE ENDURANCE RACES ON THE CALENDAR? Yes, definitely. Not only in the Mr. Modified series, but I think they should start running 75 lap races as well. And don’t just have one 100-lap race during the year; I think they should do 2 or 3 100-lap races a year at different tracks. Maybe a series of them? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE V8 DIRT MODIFIEDS EVOLVE TO MORE CLOSELY RESEMBLE THEIR AMERICAN COUNTERPARTS? From what I’ve seen, the way the American cars are I don’t think they would last out here on our tracks, the smaller tracks, the rougher tracks. Their cars are mainly for the bigger, smoother tracks. Once they get a rough track, they’ve got to do a hell of a lot of maintenance on the car to run it again so in a way, I think the way our cars have evolved I think they are probably best suited to over here. I think our smaller cars are suited to our smaller tracks. YOU RUN ONE OF THE BETTER-FUNDED V8 DIRT MODIFIEDS IN THE COUNTRY. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE WHO CLAIM THAT BIGGER SPENDING TEAMS ARE HURTING THE DIVISION? I can’t see how it’s hurting the division; I can see it lifting the profile of Modifieds. Everyone reckons we spend big bucks but we don’t spend a lot of money. We make all our own panels and Dallas (Mules) does the motor. We’ve got crew uniforms and overall I think it benefits the sport and helps attract more people to come and race Modifieds. DESCRIBE YOUR RIVALRY WITH STUART HERNE. Very tense. Our rivalry goes back to when Stuart & Dad were racing. Every time we race, we are there to beat Stuart and I know he’s the same with us. WILL YOU BE COMPETING IN THE AUSTRALIAN TITLE AT AVALON ON JANUARY 17? Yes, definitely be there. WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO LIFT V8 DIRT MODIFIEDS TO ‘THE NEXT LEVEL’? Quality of cars. I know that might sound a bit harsh, but definitely more quality cars. And getting the Modifieds out there and not just in Lismore & Grafton, but also at places like Parramatta and I know (John) Kelly like the Modifieds up in Brisbane. IF YOU COULD CHANGE OR IMPLIMENT ONE RULE IN V8 DIRT MODIFIEDS, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Get rid of the Chief Steward! Seriously though, the weight rule, that’s a big issue. Our weight rule includes the driver and there are a lot of people out there who are right on the weight. I think they’ve already changed the weight once but I think they could go another 20 kg’s over, then it would be right in the middle of the playing field. HAVE YOU CONSIDERED ANY OTHER FORMS OF MOTORSPORT? Not really. Our budget allows us to race a competitive V8 Dirt Modified. If we went into a Sprintcar, we would be at the tail end of the field whereas in the Modified, we can race at the front. We make the most with what we’ve got. WHATS BEEN THE HIGHLITE FO YOUR CAREER SO FAR? Making the A-Main at PCR in the Sprintcar was a bit of a buzz for us. We went down there with no great expectations and we made the A-Main, which was good. In the Modified, definitely winning the 100 lapper last season. Winning the Qld Title back to back was also pretty special. WHICH DO YOU PREFER, THE MODIFIED OR SPRINTCAR? I like both. The challenge of learning to drive the Sprintcar was something I wont forget but then the Modified is a buzz as well. They are two totally different cars.
MEDIA RELEASE - DECEMBER 4 2003 Lismore’s Mark Robinson returns to familiar surrounds this Saturday night when he straps into the Valvoline-backed NSW No. 9 V8 Dirt Modified at the Batercard Lismore Speedway. Saturday night’s festivities will mark just the second time this season Robinson has campaigned his V8 Dirt Modified, having spent the early part of season 2003/04 behind the wheel of the Titan Garages & Carports Sprintcar. “We campaigned the Titan car four times this season and once at the end of last season” said Robinson. “ We had our ups and downs, but overall it was a great experience with the best equipped team in the country. Results wise, we won a B-Main down at PCR and finished 11th in the Feature which was a highlight and we had a great run in the with the World Series crowd in Brisbane until a racing incident in the B main while running in a transfer spot for the A main caused a DNF.” This weekend’s event will be somewhat of a mental challenge for Robinson, who has spent the past few months adjusting his driving style to suit the ultra-responsive Sprintcars. “ Well everything happens so much faster in the Sprintcar and you just have to be so precise, where as the modified is a complete different driving style That was probably the hardest thing about driving the Sprintcar- working out how the car likes to be driven, and they certainly don’t like being driven like a Modified!” quipped Robinson With the three-round Mr. Modified series and Australian Title fast approaching, Robinson will be well and truly focused on all things V8 Dirt Modifieds over the coming weeks. “ The next month leading up to the Title is going to be pretty full-on. We are running the Mr Modified series between Grafton & Lismore. In between that we are racing at Brisbane as well. We want to get as many runs in as possible to dial the car in just right for the Title.” The upcoming Australian Title represents some unfinished business for the former Queensland & South Australian Champ, who is keen to go one better than his runner-up finish in Perth in 2000. “The Aussie title is going to be something else. We had a good run going down there a few years back in the Aussie title so we are definitely looking forward to it.” The coming weeks will see Mark Robinson Racing competing at Lismore (Dec 6, 26 & Jan 3), Brisbane (Dec 27), Grafton (Jan 1) and Avalon in Victoria (Jan 17) for the Australian Title.
28/05/2003 - MEDIA RELEASE
Robinson was invited to Brisbane on Tuesday for what, at the time, was scheduled to be a test session at the wheel of the Titan machine. After just a dozen laps behind the wheel, he was hooked. “ The biggest difference over the V8 Dirt Modified is definitely in the cornering. You can go into the turn a lot harder than in the Modified and the top wing really helps to keep the car planted on the ground” Robinson said Further dialogue between the Robinson camp & Team Titan following the mid week test session saw the V8 Dirt Modified hard charger being confirmed as a guest driver in the Titan machine for Saturday night’s season finale in Brisbane. Rather than hyping up his sprintcar debut, Robinson adopted a low-key approach. “ We pretty much kept it to ourselves right up until Saturday. There was an article in the local paper on Saturday which let people know what we were up to, but with all the speedway rumours it was hard to keep it under our hat” said Robinson After a wait that seemed like an eternity, Saturday finally arrived and after spending some time at Titan HQ, it was time to go racing. Apart from being his first competitive outing in a sprintcar, the night also presented another challenge for Robinson: it was the first time he had driven for a car owner other than his father Steve. “ At the start of the race night with 17 sprintcars in the pits I definitely thought about ‘hey, don’t tear up Reeves car!’. But once the racing started, I was too busy concentrating on what I was doing, although the thought was still at the back of my mind. But at the end of the night it was a pretty BIG relief to bring the car home straight and without any damage” The two heat races proved invaluable familiarisation sessions for Robinson and after a sixth and fifth place finishes, he was feeling more and more comfortable behind the wheel. “ We didn’t try to go out there and set the world on fire. The goal in the heats was just to get used to the car. I also had to adjust to having an open cockpit with all those huge right rears within arms reach” Come Feature time, Robinson would start out of position 12. With the likes of regular sprintcar hot shots as Gary Brazier, Andrew Sheuerle & Darrell Hodges in the field, the Feature was always going to be a competitive affair and after a solid, trouble free run, Robinson brought the Titan rocket home in a respectable tenth place. “I guess overall it was a pretty good result, all things considered. We passed a few cars in the Feature and didn’t have too many hairy moments, which is good. The goal for the night was to improve every time we were on the track and we managed to achieve that. Everyone went home happy” Robinson was full of praise for the ultra-professional Titan outfit. “ Working with the Titan guys is just something else. I’d like to thank Reeve, Glenno & Steve for the opportunity to drive the car & to drive for such a professional team” With the current racing season all said and done, Mark Robinson Racing are now focused on preparing for yet another busy campaign in season 2003/04.
23/05/2003 - Robinson makes his Sprintcar debut with the Titan Garages Team
Robinson, a former SA & two-time QLD V8 Dirt Modified Champion, travelled to Brisbane early in the week for a short test session. The Tuesday night’s squirt in the dirt was Robinson’s second time behind the wheel of a sprintcar, having tested Barry Lawrence’s machine a few seasons ago. As they say in the classics, ‘one thing lead to another’
and the end result is that Robinson will be at the wheel of the
WSS winning winged monster this Saturday night in the season finale
in Brisbane. Robinson now joins Australian Champ Tim Morse &
South Australian driver Cory Hodgson as V8 Dirt Modified drivers
who have had a skid in a sprintcar this season.
14/05/2003 - Disappointing End to Season Valvoline/Crimsafe driver Mark Robinson will have to wait another season for his chance at glory in the NSW V8 Dirt Modified Title, after a broken shock bolt ended his campaign midway through last weekend’s Valvoline-sponsored event. It was a disappointing end for an otherwise promising night for the Robinson camp, with the Valvoline/Crimsafe No. 9 machine momentarily taking the lead before being relegated back to second after a stoppage on the very same lap. “ Obviously, it was disappointing to finish on the infield, but there were a lot of positives to come out of the night. We were pretty consistent in every one of our heats and the car was fast enough to take the lead, albeit momentarily. We drove past the three eventual placegetters and I am happy with that” The night started off well for Robinson, who recorded a trifecta of runner-up finishes in his three preliminary heat races. With a top class field on hand and no inversion for the Feature, it was always going to be imperative to do well in the heats. “ The heats were pretty trouble free for us, which was good. Without an inversion, you make life pretty hard for yourself if you have a bad heat race so I just brought the car home straight and in a good position without taking too many risks. We made a few changes throughout the night to suit the track conditions and we were very happy with where the car was at for the Feature” Starting out of position three for the main event, Robinson’s plan was simple- get to the front fast and stay there! Had the trying track conditions not taken their toll, the plan may well have worked. “ The car was spot on in the Feature and we looked set for a good result. I got passed Hernie for the lead only to have another car roll on the same lap, which brought out the yellows and put us back to second. It wasn’t long after the restart that the rough track conditions threw a spanner in the works and broke a shock-mounting bolt on the front right corner of the car. That was it for us, we were out of action. It’s always disappointing to watch the end of the Feature from the infield, but I guess it was just one of those things. There’s always next season!” The entire Valvoline/Crimsafe team will now enjoy a few weeks rest before starting to prepare for next season, which believe it or not is just 5 short months away.
06/05/2003 - MEDIA RELEASE MARK ROBINSON RACING It was a tough weekend at the office for Mark Robinson & the Valvoline/Crimsafe V8 Dirt Modified team at last weekends Queensland Title in Brisbane. Hot on the heals of their narrow runner-up finish in the recent Easter Trail, the Robinson camp went into the weekend quietly confident of a strong showing. At the end of a hard nights racing, Valvoline/Crimsafe No. 9 machine came home in fifth position. The two qualifying heats produced a mixed bag of results for Robinson, with a second in his opening heat and a costly DNF in his second. “The night started off really well in the first heat. We started out of position six and came through to finish second. The car felt good right out of the box and we didn’t have to change the set-up much for the second heat.” “The second heat was a totally different story however. We were running pretty comfortably in fourth when everything went wrong. A car in front of us got turned around. I had nowhere to go but into the side of the car. Everybody was trying pretty hard and we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. The end result was a broken front axle and no points from the heat. It wouldn’t have been so bad if we were able to restart and salvage just a few points, but the DNF meant that instead of starting towards the front of the Feature, we were back on the fifth row” Having fitted a new front axle assembly prior to the start of the Feature, Robinson started the main event out of position nine. Although starting a little further back than he would have liked, a third Queensland Title was still a possibility. “There were certainly some heavy hitters starting in front of us, but 30 laps is a long way and you don’t win the race in the first corner. Starting mid pack, we had to be a little bit more conservative early on to ensure that we made our to the front without any damage. The restarts worked in our favour and once we moved forward, we were on the pace with the leaders. The last restart was with 6 laps to go and I was running third at the time. Unfortunately for us, the car in front lost momentum coming out of turn 2 and I got boxed in behind. That allowed 2 cars to sneak past and I went from third to fifth in one foul swoop, which is where I ended up finishing” Although a finishing inside the top five, it was not quite the result Robinson was hoping for. “ We definately went there to win and in that respect, the result is a little disappointing. The crew did another fantastic job and the car was fast. But what’s done is done and we certainly aren’t going to dwell on what could have been. Our focus now is on this weekends NSW Title in Lismore. I’ve finished second for the last 2 seasons in the NSW Title and with this years race sponsored by Valvoline, there is extra incentive to do well. It’s been a pretty trying season and it would be great to finish the year off with a NSW Title win”
25/04/2003 - Solid Easter Trail For Mark Robinson Racing The annual V8 Dirt Modified Easter Trail produced a mixed bag of results for Mark Robinson & the Valvoline/Crimsafe V8 Dirt Modified team. With a run, a runner-up and a fourth place finish, Robinson finished runner up in the three round series by the narrowest of margins. The season’s most demanding racing weekend began in Grafton on Good Friday night for Round One. Having performed well in his heat races, Mark qualified inside the top eight and drew the all important pole position marble prior to the start of the Feature. On a slick racetrack, starting off the front row was always going to be an advantage. “ The way the track was we knew we would need to start up the front to be a chance. I knew passing would be tough so I just had to make sure I drove to the conditions and not make any mistakes” said Robinson The Valvoline/Crimsafe team then headed to Brisbane for Round Two on Easter Saturday night. After a win and a fourth in his two heats, Mark drew starting position five for the 25-lap main event. Throughout the Feature, Robinson was engaged in a heart stopping battle with race leader Tim Morse, taking the lead on a number of occasions. After one final lunge in the last corner, he had to settle for the runner-up spot. “ We finished second, but only just. The car was set up just right, but I had to get into the corners in exactly the right spot to get a good run out of the turn. I thought I might have had something for (Tim) Morse coming out of the last corner but it wasn’t to be” Robinson said. The Robinson camp then headed to Lismore on Easter Sunday for the third and final round. With a win and runner-up finish from the opening two rounds, Mark went into the decider with a narrow lead in the overall point standings. After starting mid-field in the Feature, Mark worked his way into fourth position by races end. Had it not been for contact with the wall mid-way through the main event, the Valvoline Ford may have finished further up the order. “ We were moving through the pack just nicely in the Feature until I clipped another cars wheel and hit the wall. Luckily, the front crash bar absorbed the impact and we were able to restart from the rear. We finished up coming home in fourth, which was a good result considering the contact with the wall, but it wasn’t quite the result we were hoping for” “ We’ve now got a bit of work to do before the Queensland Title. The impact with the wall was harder than we first thought so the chassis needs a new front clip. We also bent a few other bits and pieces, which means unfortunately, we will have to pull the engine out in order to fix. All things considered though, the car is in pretty good shape after 3 nights racing in one weekend” Although missing out on the overall series crown by just four points, Robinson was pleased with the team’s performance over the weekend. “ I really can’t fault the cars performance and the big Ford is just spot on at the moment. We were on the pace all weekend, had three top four finishes and missed the overall series win by just 4 points. It’s also a credit to the crew who were able to have the car on the money 3 nights in a row on 3 completely different racetracks” said Robinson Mark Robinson returns to the track in the Valvoline/Crimsafe NSW No. 9 V8 Dirt Modified on May 3 for the Queensland Championship at the Brisbane International Speedway.
17/04/2003 - "Tough Racing" ahead for Easter Trail Mark Robinson returns to the drivers seat this weekend after a four-week layoff as V8 Dirt Modifieds embark on the annual Easter Trail. The three-round series kicks off in Grafton on Friday night, followed by round two in Brisbane on Saturday night, with the third and final round in Lismore on Sunday night. With some of the best drivers in the country present and three consecutive nights racing, Robinson is looking forward to getting back behind the wheel this weekend. “ It’s going to be tough racing this weekend, that’s for sure. We have to finish well in our heat races to make sure we get into the top 8 draw for the starting positions for the Feature. From there it’s a matter of luck where your draw for the feature. With three nights racing in a row, consistency every time you hit the track really is going to be the key to take the overall points win for the series.” Last season, Mark piloted the Valvoline/Crimsafe machine to victory in the opening round in Grafton and finished runner-up in the second round in Brisbane. The third round was twice rained out and not contested. After two wins from his three most recent events, Robinson is quietly confident going into this weekend’s series. “ The cars been great since Christmas” said Mark. “We have made a few changes here & there on the setup, but the car has been handling really great lately.” Without any racing scheduled for the past month, the team has been busy making preparations for the last few events of the season. “We’ve had the motor out again to put new head gaskets on it. They tend to blow after 300- 400 laps of racing & if we didn’t replace the gaskets now, they would probably blow either this weekend or in one of the upcoming title races. There might not have been much action on the track recently but there has been plenty in the workshop” After this weekends action, just two more events remain on the Mark Robinson racing itinerary for season 2002/03; the Queensland Title on May 3 and the NSW Title on May 10. Having already won two Queensland crowns, the NSW Title is one of the few blue ribbon events Robinson is yet to take out. “ We really want to win that NSW Title. We have been so close before & to win this one would really round out our season on a high after all the motor troubles we had early in the season. We won the last event of last season in Lismore, so hopefully we can round out this season in the same way”
22/03/2003 - Media Release
After staring the 20-lap Feature event from the inside fourth row, Robinson wasted no time in moving forward, soon finding himself inside the top three. A thrilling battle with Mick Santin ensued, although things almost came unstuck mid way through the Feature. “ We were in third at the time. In turns one and two Mick had made contact with another car & had a half spin. Luckily I saw him in time and jumped on the brakes. We just made contact with another car, but there was no damage and we kept going” Now in second, Robinson set about chasing runaway leader Rob Clifford. It wasn’t long before he found himself right on Clifford’s tail and within striking distance for the race lead. As he chased the race leader through traffic, fate would deal Robinson a cruel blow. “I came up the inside of a lapped car on the back straight. He didn’t see me there and he started heading towards the infield. I was right beside him and I didn’t have anywhere to go except the infield as well! I pretty much had to come to a stop to allow him past before I could get back on the track. It was disappointing but I guess it’s just one of those things” With laps fast running out, there was little Robinson could do but put his head down and try and salvage a credible result. “ We recovered well after the incident with the lapped car. The leaders had gotten away on us a bit so I pretty much had to hold it wide open to catch up. In the end, there wasn’t much in it, it’s just a pity the race didn’t have a caution period!” Although he crossed the line in third, Robinson was later awarded second position after Santin was relegated back two positions for an incident mid race. “ It was a shame Mick was put back a few spots. We had a real good battle going on for most of the race and it was almost a photo finish at the end. Unfortunately for us, we just ran out of laps. But Rob drove well and deserved the win. We were really looking to complete the hat trick tonight but it just wasn’t to be.” “ The whole team’s rapped with the performance of the car lately. We’ve got a few weeks now to go over the car pretty thoroughly in preparation for the last few meetings of the season so we are quietly confident of some pretty strong results to round out the year”
20/03/2003 - Media Release
“We always seem to run pretty good in Brisbane. We’ve won up there already at the start of the season, so we are looking forward to this weekend. It’ll be a good trial run before the Queensland Title later in the season” said Mark. This weekend’s event also marks one of the two remaining events at the BIS prior to the Queensland Title, which will be held at the Brisbane venue on May 3. After a disappointing DNF in last years Title, Robinson will be looking to make amends come the first weekend in May. “Regaining the Queensland Title has definitely been one of our goals all season. We were looking strong in last years Title but things just didn’t go our way. We were running second until we were taken out by a lapped car. We’ve won the Qld Title twice before in Brisbane so we are definately looking forward to the Title race this season” Running in Brisbane this weekend also carries some extra incentive for the Robinson camp. “Our sponsor, Crimsafe, has their head office in Brisbane. Peter & Steve always come out and support us & so it would be great to win one in front of the Crimsafe boys in their own backyard” With just a few events remaining on the racing calendar for season 2002/03, Robinson is hoping to end |
