March
21st, 2003 Macca
is allowed to play after panel wrangle Ian
“Macca” McAlister will be able to contest the opening round of the
Poolrite V8 BRutes series, after his Ford Falcon AU XR8 was not allowed to
participate in the first practice session. During
the off-season, McAlister had opted to change the front end of his car to
the newer BA spec-panels. Procar, the ruling body of V8 BRute racing had
not officially approved the move. The
Ford dealer from Young in New South Wales explained; “As a Ford dealer
we want to promote the product and the BA is the current Ford model while
the AU is the superceded model. Our rivals Holden have a couple of their
new VY Commodores out there and our move is panel only . . . and
basically, not a performance enhancement. “We
are keen to have the manufacturers supplying these panels, and it is
logical that it involves the latest ones,” he added. The newer BA model
with its 5.4 litre engine will be eligible from the beginning of 2004. That
disappointment followed the loss of Ford Credit as his major backer prior
to the first round, and the subsequent break-up of his three-car team with
the departure of country music singer Adam Brand and Victorian Graham
Hunt. Good
news for McAlister finally came with a petition signed by all V8 BRute
team principals to allow him to take to the circuit for practice session
two, and thus allowed to compete for the remainder of the round one
weekend. The McAlister Ford qualified 21st and drew position 25
for race one (of three) for V8 BRutes. “I
must say that the Procar officials have been very agreeable and more than
cooperative in working with us for the mutual benefit of the series,”
said McAllister.
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