JMR Green Light #2 - supporters edition

GREEN-LIGHT #2

26 January 2012 - Issue No,2

www.jmr.co.nz

Hi everyone and welcome to what’s going to be a very exciting year in 2012.

Since our launch on 16 December, the team at JMR has been hard at work getting the #47 car ready for our test last week at Taupo Motorsport Park. With parts flowing in from the V8SuperTourer series’ suppliers, the car was finished and ready for testing on Wednesday 18 January on the Taupo circuit. But that doesn’t tell the full story ... from 16 December to 18 January the team’s just had the stat holidays away from the race-shop. Between those dates we regularly had six people working days and nights – and well into the early mornings – to achieve our test day deadline. So, thanks to everyone who pitched in to help us make the test a reality. You’ve done an amazing job – becoming the first V8SuperTourer team to test our car was a major achieve-ment!

During our test days, we welcomed two new members to the team. Firstly, Campbell Little came over from Brisbane to lead our three days of testing and head our technical programme for the season. I have known Campbell for a few years now and those of you who follow V8Supercars will have seen him engineering the likes of Craig Lowndes’ car when he was at 888 and now Campbell is Mark Winterbottom’s engineer at Ford Performance Racing. Campbell brings a wealth of knowledge and experience virtually second to none in Australasia. As soon as he arrived at the workshop on Tuesday 17 January he helped us to make the test deadline without foregoing the level of detail we required to set up the car and systems to the high stand-ards we always expect at JMR. Welcome aboard Campbell!

Our second new member is two-time Bathurst winner Steve Richards. Many of you will have seen Steve driving in the V8Supercars over the years and some will know he is the son of Kiwi touring car legend, Jim Richards. Steve is driving the CRC-backed #556 JMR FG Falcon at the first round at Hampton Downs, 17 to 19 February. After that JMR will be seeking additional sponsors to support the second car and Steve driving it. Like Campbell, Steve works with FPR as an enduro driver and runs his own team in the Australian Porsche Carerra Cup. For me, choosing Steve was an easy decision. He’s fast, experienced and highly motivated to have himself and the #556 JMR Falcon at the front of the field. Glad to have you with us, Steve!

All that good news gives us plenty to share in our second edition of the Green Light. Along with detail on the days spent testing the #47 car you can read more on Steve and Campbell. This month’s tech corner features the gearbox - a pretty awesome little unit.

Also, check out TV3 this Sunday afternoon (29 January 2012), Gillette Motorsport will be showing some of the recent testing footage. We hope you enjoy!


Test 1 – 18 JanuaryAfter working all through the day completing the wiring in the car and getting the set-up right, we just made it out onto the track at 4.30 pm with half an hour to go. On the first two laps we experienced an oil leak from the gearbox and the axles. We fixed the gearbox leak and managed another two laps until the axle leak worsened. Still, it was good to get some mileage on the car for the next day.

Test 2 – 19 JanuaryOvernight we machined the axles so they fitted correctly and were working through the new data ac-quisition and wiring system. We managed to get to the track – which is only 80 metres from the work-shop(!) – at 2.30 pm and had a full two hours. We completed just over 25 laps and started to really get stuck into the driving. We had the electronic shift-cut working on this run which made a huge difference to the car. The shift-cut reduces the spark to the engine for a very short time so that we can keep our foot planted on the throttle and pull the next gear through.

I drove for about 20 of the laps and Steve managed to get in for five. This was a good finish to the day and we were starting to record some good information about the tyres and brakes. Mechanically, the car ran perfectly.

Test drive notes:



Test 3 – 20 JanuaryAfter leaving the workshop at 8 o’clock the night before (a record!) we managed to get onto the track at 12.30 pm on our final day. This was an excellent test with 65 laps completed, my-self having 40 of those and Richo did 25. The car ran beautifully all afternoon without any issues at all, so we were able to concentrate on getting more out of the car and drivers. We both really enjoyed driving the car and for me the difference between this new FG and the old V8 is just night and day. FYI, without giving away too much detail we were around six seconds a lap faster than the old car in race trim!

It was great for the team to be able to watch the the #47 car from pit wall, pounding around the Taupo circuit so quickly, after putting in so much effort to get it ready. Come Friday night most of the team were on their way home for a well-earned weekend off! #47 requires only a change of fluids and a bolt check to have it ready for further testing.

What’s next?The team is now back at the workshop building Steve Richard’s car #556. This car will go together much quicker than #47 with all of the lessons we have learned along the way. We hope to do a shakedown in this car around 7 or 8 February, just before the official V8SuperTourer test day. This takes place at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park on Friday 10 February. It’s com-pulsory for all 16 V8SuperTourers to be present. The official test day is free to the public and we will have two 2-hour sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. We hope to see as many of you there as possible!

Test drive notes cont...


Everyone at John McIntyre Racing is excited by the news that two-time Bathurst winner Steven Richards will pilot the team’s second FG Falcon V8SuperTourer.

With nearly 20 years as a professional race driver and six V8 Supercar race wins – including two victories in the famous Bathurst 1000 endurance race – to his credit, Richo is the perfect fit for JMR.

Johnny Mac says he’s got exactly what he wanted with Steve Richards – a proven race. “With Steve we get this winning heritage plus his incredible ability and experience with a range of racecars. This will play a big part in helping JMR develop the best set-up for both race cars in the first season.

“Steve raced full-time for several years with Ford Performance Racing, and like me, he’ll be racing for the team at the two key endurance events – Bathurst and Sandown – this year. That makes another good link for JMR.”

Steve says he’s really looking forward to sinking his teeth into the new challenge with JMR, which fits nicely around his commit-ments in the 2012 City Index Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship. Last season Richards established and ran the Laser Plumbing and Electrical and WesTrac-backed Porsche team to finish fourth in a very competitive season won by fellow Kiwi and V8SuperTourer racer Craig Baird.

“The V8SuperTourers Championship brings a whole new level of professional touring car racing to New Zealand fans,” says the Melbourne-based 39-year-old. “The concept that has been developed is exactly the right model to take touring car racing in New Zealand to the next level. These cars will be incredibly fast and will bridge the gap and prepare young Kiwi drivers who may dream of driving in Australia’s V8 Supercars Championship someday.

JMR signs Steven Richards, two-time Bathurst winner


JMR signs Steven Richards, two-time Bathurst winner cont...“The quality of drivers and teams will be second to none, and I am naturally incredibly excited to join John and his team at JMR. I’ve no doubt I can make a valued contribution to help build and develop two fast, reliable Ford Falcons that can challenge for race wins right from the outset. JMR has set the benchmark for the past five seasons of V8 racing in New Zealand so I feel pretty honoured to be stepping into their second FG Falcon V8SuperTourer.”

Richards’ first drive in a V8SuperTourer will take place today (18 January) as the team commences a three-day test at their home circuit, Taupo Motorsport Park with the #47 JMR V8Super-Tourer which will be raced by McIntyre. Richards will also be able to see the V8SuperTourer that he’ll test and race in February in the team’s new race-shop at the Taupo circuit.

Other than racing V8 Supercars at Pukekohe and Hamilton, Steve says he hasn’t done a great deal of driving in New Zealand, so he’s looking forward to learning a few new circuits.

For the opening V8SuperTourer round at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park over the weekend of 17 to 19 February, Richards’ FG Falcon will carry CRC branding and the number #556.

“CRC has a great heritage supporting New Zealand motor racing,” adds Steve. “To carry their distinctive branding on the car is fantastic and I hope to get some strong runs on the board at the first round in recognition of CRC’s support.”

McIntyre is taking a NASCAR-style approach with the #556 car this season. “The car’s livery will change during the year with a different naming rights sponsor for each round.”

Follow Richo on Twitter via ‘Steve_Richo’.

“The real test will come on 10 February when we have our #556 CRC-backed JMR FG Falcon V8ST on track. It will be unbelievable to see 16 cars ready to roll at Hamp-ton Downs and we can’t wait for New Zealand V8 fans to come and check out this fantastic new championship!”

V8SuperTourer fantastic, says Richo!“Our first test with JMR was great. These V8SuperTourers are fantastic and I have to con-gratulate John’s team of guys and girls who worked long hours to make the test day dead-lines. As with any brand-new car, the test days had a few challenges, but overall we were ecstatic with how the car ran.

“What a great little circuit Taupo is. It’s got a great mix of corners and the circuit really suits these cars. With fantastic torque and a relatively light weight these cars are really exciting to drive. The tyre was a great surprise. Its consistency was very good and that should bode well for some great racing.


Biography: Steven Richards• Birthplace: Auckland, New Zealand• Son of seven-time Bathurst 1000 winner Jim Richards Started racing karts at age 15 in 1987• Moved into Formula Ford in 1991, winning the Australian Formula Ford Championship in 1994 with Garry Rogers Motorsport• Drove 2-litre Super Touring Cars with GRM and Auscar (Super Speedway) in 1994/5 • First raced a V8 at Bathurst in 1995 for GRM, finishing in fourth position and winning the Denny Hulme Rookie of the Year award• Started driving V8 Supercars full-time in 1996 with GRM• In 1998, appointed full-time test driver for official Nissan UK team in British Touring Car Championship• Late 1998, returned to Australia for two Bathurst 1000 events, winning his first V8 Supercar Bathurst 1000 race with Jason Bright in a Ford EL Falcon and then placing second in the

2-litre Super Tourer Bathurst 1000 in a BTCC car he prepared and transported himself• Second victory in Bathurst in 1999 with Greg Murphy in a Gibson Motorsport Holden. Steve is one of only three drivers to win Bathurst in both a Ford and a Holden (the others are

Craig Lowndes and Tony Longhurst).• Further success in the Bathurst 24-hour event followed, driving a Holden Monaro to victory in 2002 and second place in 2003 against an international field• Steve has driven for Garry Rogers Motorsport (1994-1998), Stone Brothers Racing (Sandown and Bathurst 1998), Gibson Motorsport (1999-2000), Ford Tickford Racing (2001), Jack

Daniels Racing/Team Perkins Racing (2002-2006), and Ford Performance Racing in the #6 Castrol Edge Falcon (2007-2010)• Established the Laser Racing Porsche Carrera Cup team in 2011, finishing fourth in the championship• 2012, joined John McIntyre Racing for inaugural V8SuperTourer Championship, which fits with further Porsche racing in Australia


The QBE69G Quaife Six Speed Heavy Duty Rear Wheel Drive Universal Sequen-tial Gearbox

By utilising the very latest dog engagement tooth profiles for the QBE69G, It has resulted in a six speed sequential unit which allows ultra rapid gear changes and not only offers users a choice of gear lever locations, but also the option to upgrade to a state of the art closed loop, pneumatically operated semi automatic paddle shift system.

The result of this careful design work is a competitively priced new gearbox which is rated to power outputs of over 750bhp and features an integral oil pump to ensure adequate lubrication during long distance racing events. Quaife’s popular digital gear position indicator is also directly compatible with the new QBE69G, and is avail-able as an optional extra.

In 2008 Quaife’s technicians identified a market opportunity for an upscaled version of Quaife Engineering’s successful QBE60G inline six speed sequential gearbox, which would be designed to suit higher torque and power output motorsport require-ments.

Incorporating the lessons learnt on the popular QBE60G unit, the new QBE69G utilises 90mm shaft centres and larger gears to maximise strength, with a well proven modular six speed gear cluster layout.

Technical corner: About the V8SuperTourer gearbox


During an action-packed week of testing the #47 JMR FG Falcon V8SuperTourer, the team also announced that über-talented Campbell Little was confirmed as JMR’s technical director in 2012.

Fans of the Australian V8 Supercar Championship will know that Campbell has been an integral component in the success of leading V8SC teams Stone Brothers Racing and Vodafone Tri-ple Eight each winning two V8SC championships. He was SBR’s first employee when established by Kiwi brothers Ross and Jimmy Stone and lead the team to championship victory with star driver Marcus Ambrose. Among the many race wins, Campbell has also contributed to five Bathurst victories with these teams.

Now with Ford Performance Racing in V8SC, Campbell will also share his more than 20 years of technical race-craft with JMR for the inaugural season of V8SuperTourer racing in New Zealand.

Johnny Mac comments: “It’s fantastic to be able to work with Campbell because of his incredible technical expertise, massive experience and his passion for the V8SuperTourer project. JMR are arming ourselves with the best possible technical and engineering team by having Campbell working alongside our New Zealand-based engineering guru Jason Liefting.

“The V8SuperTourer championship is going to be incredibly hard-fought – the last tenth of a second or two of speed from these cars will be due nailing the tiny details. Both Campbell and Jason are known for their meticulous attention to detail; they’ve worked together before and I’m thrilled to have this phenomenal technical resource for JMR’s 2012 V8SuperTourer campaign.”

Campbell says he’s pleased to work with John, Steve and Jason Liefting on JMR’s new V8SuperTourer programme.

“It’s really good to be part of JMR and I’ve known John and Steve a long time. I’ve also worked with Jason with some Toyota Racing Series teams and at Triple Eight – he’s a good guy and very versatile in his abilities.”

Campbell has many positive comments to make about the V8SuperTourers as a class. “In a lot of ways the V8SuperTourer is similar to a V8 Supercar – certainly its DNA is V8SC, but the V8SuperTourer guys have picked the eyes out of the good parts of a V8SC. They’ve simplified things, made the cars friendlier, I guess you could say, to run with fewer full-on engineers than you need to do well in V8SC. So although the cars are different and the engines too, I can bring some experience to the team which is going to be positive.”

V8SC championship-winning technical director for JMR


Where we’ve been seen


Where we’ve been seen - weblinksAn overview of website links carrying the latest JMR news:

Steve Richards scores V8 SuperTourers drive (18 Jan)http://www.speedcafe.com/2012/01/18/steve-richards-scores-v8-supertourers-drive/

Two-time Bathurst winner Steven Richards joins John McIntyre (18 Jan)http://www.v8.co.nz/news-3900/two-time-bathurst-winner-steven-richards-joins-john-mcintyre- racing

John McIntyre Racing secures championship-winning technical director (20 Jan)http://www.nzracer.com/john-mcintyre-racing-secures-championship-winning-technical-director.html

V8 Supercar legend joins JMR (20 Jan) http://www.speedstuff.co.nz/?p=99

Fans to get revved up for V8 SuperTourers with free test day (23 Jan)http://www.nzracer.com/fans-to-get-revved-up-for-v8-supertourers-with-free-test-day.html

YouTube video clips (see them on www.jmr.co.nz, the JMR TV page)Four clips, 5133 views from 18 Jan to 25 Jan.


2012 V8SuperTourer Calendar

Test day10 February – Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, North Waikato

Sprint ChampionshipRound 1*: 17-19 February – Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, North Waikato Round 2: 7-8 April – Powerbuilt Tools Raceway, ChristchurchRound 3*: 27-29 April – Manfeild, FeildingRound 4*: 1-3 June – Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, North Waikato

Endurance ChampionshipRound 5*: 10-12 August – Taupo Motorsport Park, TaupoRound 6*: 21-23 September – Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, North WaikatoRound 7: 26-28 October – Final, Powerbuilt Tools Raceway, Christchurch

* Events which feature the 2012 V8Challenge Cup

Early bird ticket sales end January 31st for Hampton Downs, $30 for GA the weekendGet your tickets from www.hdticketing.co.nz

Notepad:

Follow us on Facebook: John-McIntyre-Racing

Or email [email protected]

Follow us on Twitter: JohnMcIntyreRac


With only THREE WEEKS until the first round of V8SuperTourers explodes into action at Hampton Downs on Feb 17-19, let us remind you of the special ticket offer still available until Wednesday 1 February.

A General Admission (GA) ticket costs only $30 per person for all three days, including free entry into the pit area. Children 15 and under are free with a paying adult. Grandstand seats are selling fast at just $50 per person for all three days. Children’s grandstand seats are also $50 per person.

On 1 February all GA and grandstand ticket prices will increase, so get in NOW!

The hospitality packages will not change in price, but here is a reminder of the package available for this history-making weekend of motorsport. [show brochure]

Please remember to email [email protected] if you have any queries about GA, grandstand or hospitality tickets.

Get your tickets - QUICKLY!


Merchandise has arrived!

Our new range of merchandise has arrived and is being sorted at the Taupo race-shop right now.

We will send a separate email early next week with the pricing and advise of the sizes available.

This year we have:• JMR polyester T-shirt• JMR polyester polo shirt• JMR race cap

21st December 2011 - Issue No,1

JMR would like to thank our sponsors:

JMR Green Light #2 - supporters edition

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