SEAN CARTER MEDIA: Heart break for Carter on Sydney’s Streets

HEART BREAK FOR CARTER ON SYDNEY’S STREETS

December 5, 2010: Sean Carter’s final weekend of MINI Challenge at the Sydney Telstra 500 turned out to be devastating, being unable to complete the weekend as a result of the Plan4Growth/OnTimeEarth MINI impacting with the turn eight tyre wall during a torrid race one.

Heading into the event with high hopes, a slightly incorrect qualifying setup compromised the protégé of Rock Racing V8 Supercar star, Jason Bargwanna. This was despite showing some good pace in the two practice sessions.

Qualifying sixth placed the 19-year-old mid-pack and on racing terms with his nearest Championship combatant, Peter McNiven and the two Spanish racers – former GP2 star Javier Villa and Jose De Los Milagros – guesting in the Series.

Proving they weren’t here for a holiday, the Spaniards mixed it up with the two young Aussies and Carter was forced to push hard to maintain pace with McNiven. This ultimately proved his undoing – the car drifting into the turn eight tyre wall.

The resultant suspension damage left the black and blue MINI John Cooper Works Challenge racecar decidedly bruised. After some frantic work post race one, the crew decided it was unfixable and that put pay to Carter’s weekend – and his charge towards third in the Championship.

Not scoring a point throughout the weekend dropped Sean to fifth in the overall point standings behind Gavin Yortt.

The Telstra Sydney 500 event was the final race meeting for Hertz MINI Challenge, delivered by Pizza Capers in Australia after its recent cancellation by BMW Group Australia. The Carter team is currently working on plans towards its 2011 campaign – where Sean promises to bounce back and take another step forward – so stay tuned!

CARTER’S CORNER:

“This weekend was all about pushing for race wins and ultimately, that’s what brought us undone. We had some pace in the Plan4Growth/OnTimeEarth MINI during practice, but I went the wrong way with some options for qualifying, which buried us.

“It was tough, hard racing with the Spaniards and Pete and unfortunately at turn eight, the car didn’t respond the way I expected and I ended up in the tyres.

“My mechanics said the car was too severely damaged to continue and to rub salt into the wound, Gavin got us for fourth in the Series, so it was a double whammy. Devastating.

“Looking back on the year as a whole, we had a couple of DNF’s and some bad luck, but we always had excellent pace and brought home solid results, which is not easy against quality competition.

“I have to thank first and foremost the sponsors that have been right behind us every step of the way, including Plan4Growth, OnTimeEarth, Specialised Body Works, Jack in the Box, 3M, PPG, BELL Helmets and Helenic Dairy.

“The guys at Bargwanna Motorsport and Rowse Motors have been looking after the car for us all year and Jason Bargwanna has been an outstanding inspiration to my family and I over the last 18 months since moving up to National competition, it’s been amazing.

“Without the support of my family, I’d be nowhere, particularly, my Dad Les. He puts his heart and soul into my motorsport and he’s the one that makes it all happen.

“Finally, I want to thank the guys that I’ve been racing with on MINI Challenge this year. It’s been fun, challenging, but overall rewarding and I hope we all meet in another category whatever that may be!

“We will be back stronger next year with the knowledge and experience of this year behind us and I’m really looking forward to bigger and better things!”

FINAL STANDINGS – 2010 Hertz MINI Challenge, delivered by Pizza Capers:

Pos	Sponsor	Driver	Points
1	JAXQuickfit Tyres	Chris Alajajian	825
2	DecoRug Racing	Paul Stokell	777.5
3	Supercharge Batteries	Peter McNiven	688
4	Squawking Magpie Wines	Gavin Yortt	604.5
5	Plan 4 Growth/ON TIME EARTH	Sean Carter	584
6	Pizza Capers	Glenn Seton	441

More Information:

Matt Payne

Acclaim Media for Plan4Growth Racing

Ph: 0413 082 142

Em: matt@acclaimmedia.com.au

SEAN CARTER MEDIA: Carter aiming for MINI history in Sydney

CARTER AIMING FOR MINI HISTORY IN SYDNEY

November 29, 2010: Heading into the final event of the 2010 Hertz MINI Challenge season at the Telstra Sydney 500 this weekend, Victoria’s Sean Carter has his eyes firmly on a Series podium result. He is also aiming to go down in the history books as the final MINI Challenge Australia event winner.

With BMW Group Australia bringing the curtain down on MINI Challenge after three years this weekend, it is a bittersweet weekend for the Plan4Growth team – who entered the Series in 2010 as team owners.

Having raced on the 3.4 kilometre Sydney Olympic Park layout last year under the Bargwanna Motorsport banner, Carter believes that experience will hold him in good stead for this weekend’s stoush.

The 19-year-old protégé of ROCK Racing V8 Supercar star Jason Bargwanna sits 13 points back from fellow Victorian Peter McNiven and a further 102.5 points behind second placed man, Paul Stokell.

Sean concedes he would need a virtual miracle to surpass Stokell and even Series leader, Chris Alajajian (132 points in front), but with 180 being the perfect score from the three races – it isn’t beyond the realms of possibility.

After coming agonisingly close to his first race win on the Gold Coast in October, the youngster is aiming to rectify that situation in Sydney.

Carter and the Plan4Growth team have been working hard on sponsorship options for 2011, the team now being forced to look further afield to continue their racing program following the cancellation of MINI Challenge.

With the addition of two Spanish MINI Challenge drivers, the Championship up for grabs and everyone chasing that crown as the final MINI Challenge round winner, it’s sure to be “game on” this weekend in Sydney!

CARTER’S CORNER:

“We’re aiming for third in the Championship, should we get anything more than that, it would be a bonus. Mathematically, it is possible to finish further up the chain, but realistically, third is our goal.

“The Gold Coast showed we had the pace to be challenging for race wins. It was an epic race with Paul and if it wasn’t for a slower car baulking me out of the final corner, I would have got away with the win.

“But that’s in the past and our focus is on Sydney. Last year’s event really set a benchmark and the track is incredibly challenging. We’re able to stretch the legs of the MINI John Cooper Works Challenge racecars over the back of the circuit and approach the 240kph maximum speed.

“It has a mixture of everything, but is very tight and those walls come up quickly. The Gold Coast put me in street circuit mode, so we’re ready to take it on.

“Of course we are very disappointed that BMW elected to cancel MINI Challenge for 2011 and beyond. It had been our aim to race in the Series next year. With the decision coming so late, it has thrown our 2011 plans into chaos and we’re back to the drawing board. We are looking at the options against our budget and will hopefully have some plans in place early into the new year. The last thing we wish to do now is have a year away from the sport. We have to build on what I’ve learnt racing in a national Series over the last 18 months.

“I have to thank our supporters, On Time Earth and Plan4Growth for their partnership throughout the year and also the Bargwanna Motorsport team. Jason has been unwavering in his support of our efforts since we first hooked up last year and its been a pleasure once again to work with the Bargwannas, Tim Rowse and the guys who’ve worked tirelessly on the car.

“We’re heading to Sydney aiming for a big result. We’ve got the usual suspects out there looking for the Championship win, along with some one off drivers, so it’s going to be a fascinating weekend. We cannot wait.”

RACE SCHEDULE – Hertz MINI Challenge, delivered by Pizza Capers:

Sydney Telstra 500 – Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush Bay

3.4km, Anti-Clockwise

Friday, December 3

08:00-08:20 – Practice 1

11:05-11:25 – Practice 2

17:00-17:20 – Qualifying

Saturday, December 4

12:15-12:35 – Race 1

17:35-17:55 – Race 2

Sunday, December 5

9:45-10:05 – Race 3

CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS:

1. Chris Alajajian – 691 points

2. Paul Stokell – 662.5

3. Peter McNiven – 572

4. Sean Carter – 559

5. Gavin Yortt – 509.5

MORE INFORMATION:

Matt Payne

Acclaim Media for Plan4Growth Racing

Ph: 0413 082 142

Em: matt

SEAN CARTER MEDIA: Oh so close for Carter on the Coast

OH SO CLOSE FOR CARTER ON THE COAST

October 25, 2010: Sean Carter took his Plan4Growth/On Time Earth MINI to an outstanding result in support to the Armor All Gold Coast 600 across the weekend, finishing two races on the podium and recording the closest ever finish for a MINI Challenge race in Australia.

After spectacularly fighting his way into the lead during Saturday’s race two, current MINI Challenge Series Champion, Paul Stokell hunted down Carter. The pair reached lapped traffic on the last corner and Stokell drew level on the front straightaway, the veteran getting the nod by just 0.01 of a second. So close was the finish, officials even inspected both cars post race to ensure their transponders were located in the same position!

If that excitement wasn’t enough, in Sunday’s third race, a top two result was stolen from Carter when Glenn Seton rounded up the youngster and Stokell on the final lap to win. Sean was attempting to extract the maximum from his 240 kilometre per hour, 211 horsepower MINI Challenge racer.

The weekend didn’t start well with a throttle issue putting Sean out of practice on Friday morning, however with this problem fixed, he showed great pace to qualify in sixth place. He advanced one place in the opening race before the top eight were inverted for race two, placing Sean off grid four.

The result moves Sean closer to his nearest Championship rival, Peter McNiven – narrowing that gap to just 13 points with another round to go in Sydney, where he will try and elevate himself into the top three – and score his first race win.

It was a rewarding weekend for Sean and the Bargwanna Motorsport-run team. They will now regroup and prepare for the Sydney event in early December.

WHAT SEAN HAD TO SAY:

“Overall, I’m incredibly happy with how the weekend panned out. We closed on Peter a little and he’s right in my sights as we head to Homebush. I was a little disappointed that I wasn’t on the MINI Challenge podium for the weekend, but we bagged solid points – and nearly got a win!

“On Friday when we had the problem I thought it was going to be one of those weekends, but it turned out amazingly well for us. The fly by wire problem we experienced put us right off from the beginning, we didn’t get on to setting up the car until basically after race one.

“Race two was just amazing. To be leading and nearly winning was a great feeling…but getting caught up on the final corner with a lapped car which distracted me just enough that Paul could sneak through for the win. I don’t think it could have been any closer!

“The third race was just an awesome race all round. Any one of us had potential to win it and it could have gone either way.

“I’m absolutely stoked with that after having the re-build from Phillip Island and we’ll be going all out in Sydney, I can assure you of that!”

SEAN CARTER QUICK RESULTS – Hertz MINI Challenge, delivered by Pizza Capers, Armor All Gold Coast 600, Surfers Paradise, Queensland
Practice: DNS

Qualifying: 6th

Race 1: 5th

Race 2: 2nd

Race 3: 3rd

Round: 4th

Championship Positions:

1. Chris Alajajian 691 points

2. Paul Stokell 662.5 points

3. Peter McNiven 572 points

4. Sean Carter 559 points

5. Gavin Yortt 508.5 points

More Information:
Matt Payne

Acclaim Media for Plan4Growth Racing

Ph: 0413 082 142

Em: matt

Acclaim Media reunites with Sean Carter

For the remainder of 2010, Acclaim Media will represent Australian MINI Challenge competitor, Sean Carter – who races in the Series under the tutelage of V8 Supercar star, Jason Bargwanna.

Acclaim Media’s Matt Payne contributing to Motorsport eNews

Acclaim Media’s owner – Matt Payne – has recently taken over a role as contributor to the Australia’s first weekly motorsport e-magazine, Motorsport eNews.

Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport Release: GAUNT AND LDM MAKE PROGRESS AT WINTON

MAY 17, 2010: Daniel Gaunt aboard the Gulf Western Oils Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport Holden is ever so slightly closing the gap to the V8 Supercar Championship Series front runners, this weekend being just a second off the pace at a wintery Winton Motor Raceway in Victoria.

BARGWANNA MOTORSPORT: Carter charges to Adelaide MINI Podium

ADELAIDE – March 15, 2010: 19 year old Victorian, Sean Carter has made a stunning start to the 2010 Hertz MINI Challenge delivered by Pizza Capers Series for Bargwanna Motorsport, ending the Clipsal 500 in an outstanding second place

BARGWANNA MOTORSPORT: Bargs backs teen sensation, Carter in MINI Challenge 2010

February 16, 2010: Bargwanna Motorsport is in final preparations for the new season of MINI Challenge, confirming 19-year-old Victorian sensation, Sean Carter will return as a single car operation for the spectacular 2010 season, kicking off at the Clipsal 500, March 11-14.

Chris Wootton ready for Trans Tasman Toyota Challenge

JANUARY 8, 2010: After taking on Asia’s best in Formula BMW Pacific, 21-year-old Brisbane racer, Chris Wootton is setting himself for his next challenge – the five round Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand, kicking off in Invercargill next weekend.

Wheels stay on DecoRug’s MINI Challenge Championship – JUST!

DECEMBER 7, 2009: Brisbane based Tasmanian, Paul Stokell will represent Australia in a round of the Spanish MINI Challenge next year after he claimed his sixth National motor racing Championship in Sydney this weekend, whilst DecoRug Racing were crowned the MINI Challenge Team’s Champion for the second year in succession.