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BRISBANE CATCHES INDY FEVER ON SEPTEMBER 1
Thursday, 18 August 2005
Brisbane will witness the colour, excitement and atmosphere of the Lexmark Indy 300 at Midday on Thursday September 1.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman, Lexmark Indy 300 General Manager James O’Brien and V8 Supercar driver David Besnard today announced the plans for the September 1 Official Launch of Queensland’s premier Event.
For the first time in Brisbane’s history, a 750-horsepower Champ Car and a Holden and Ford V8 Supercar will roar around a street circuit in the heart of the city in front of a large lunchtime audience on the first day of Spring.
Councillor Newman said he was very excited that the launch of such a popular international event would be held in Brisbane.
“It will provide a great opportunity to show the rest of the world that Brisbane is an exciting and vibrant world-class city,” Cr Newman said.
“What better backdrop for the launch of an international event than sunny blue skies, the Brisbane River, Kangaroo Point Cliffs and the CBD.
“I encourage the people of Brisbane to come into the city at lunchtime on September 1, see a real Champ Car and two V8 Supercars drive around the streets of Brisbane live, meet the drivers and get a taste of Indy.”
A ‘real’ Champ Car is being flown out from the United States for the Official Launch. The green-and-gold Team Australia Champ Car will be driven around a special street circuit by the first full-time Australian driver in Champ Car history, Marcus Marshall.
The 26-year-old who hails from the Gold Coast will be joined by fellow Queensland motorsport identities David Besnard and Paul Morris who will drive V8 Supercars around the Brisbane circuit. Besnard will captivate the crowd in his WPS Racing Ford Falcon, while Morris will pilot the Team Kiwi Holden Commodore.
Lexmark Indy 300 General Manager James O’Brien said the September 1 Official Launch will give Brisbane an adrenaline-charged taste of Queensland’s premier Event.
“This will be the most spectacular launch of the Lexmark Indy 300 in its 15-year history,” said O’Brien.
“We will generate greater awareness and excitement about Queensland’s premier Event in Queensland’s capital City.
“There is no better way to do it than in the heart of Brisbane at lunchtime in glorious Spring conditions, with the Brisbane River and historical CBD buildings like the Conrad Treasury Hotel as a backdrop.
“We find that once people taste the action and atmosphere the Lexmark Indy 300 generates, they keep coming back for more. We’re hopeful that we’ll be able to entice the thousands of people that will watch the Launch to attend the Lexmark Indy 300 on the Gold Coast from October 20 to 23.”
Just after Midday on Thursday September 1, the three cars will set off from the Stanley Street on-ramp to the Riverside Expressway and proceed north next to the magnificent Brisbane River showcasing the Kangaroo Point cliffs to the East and South Bank to the West.
The cars will take the Elizabeth Street exit, turn right into William Street and then do two laps around a secured circuit that loops the Conrad Treasury Hotel. The circuit includes William Street, a left turn into Margaret Street, a left turn into George Street and a left turn into Elizabeth Street.
After two laps, the Team Australia Champ Car, WPS Racing V8 Supercar and Team Kiwi V8 Supercar will pull into Queen’s Park outside Conrad Treasury, where the drivers will be interviewed on-stage.
The entertainment in Queen’s Park between 12 midday and 12.30pm will also include a catwalk parade by the Bartercard Miss Indy and Bartercard Miss V8 Supercar girls, and public display of all the categories of cars that will be racing at the Lexmark Indy 300 this year.
The best vantage points for public will be on the sidewalk beside the street circuit along Elizabeth Street, George Street and William Street, and in Queen’s Park.
Brief road closures will take effect on the Riverside Expressway and around the secured street circuit during the time of the ‘Street Demonstration’. More detail on these temporary closures will be released next week.
Key Facts
- Champ Cars and V8 Supercars headline the action at the annual Lexmark Indy 300.
- Team Australia is the first full-time Australian team to contest the 14-round Champ Car World Series, of which the Lexmark Indy 300 is the 13th round.
- The Team Australia Champ Car is an open-wheel, single seat vehicle designed specifically for racing. It is powered by a Ford Cosworth XF turbo-charged 2.65L V8 engine, fuelled by methanol, and produces more than 750 horsepower. Champ Cars are just over four metres in length and 700kg in weight (similar in look to Formula 1 cars).
- Marcus Marshall is a Gold Coast 26-year-old in his first season of Champ Car racing and the first full-time Aussie driver to contest the full series.
- The Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore V8 Supercars use a 5L fuel injected V8 engine which exert 620 horsepower at 7500 rpm. The approximate fuel capacity of an engine is 120L, the cars use a 6-speed Holinger gearbox, weigh a minimum of 1355kg, and have a top speed of 298 km per hour.
- David Besnard drives for WPS Racing. The 28-year-old from the Gold Coast made his V8 Supercar debut in 2000, and his list of credits includes a win at the Queensland 500 in 2002. Last year Besnard drove a Champ Car in a one-off drive at the Lexmark Indy 300 and finished a remarkable seventh.
- Paul Morris will be driving the Team Kiwi Commodore at the Launch. Morris, 37, also hails from the Gold Coast and made his V8 Supercar debut in 1991. Morris’ list of credits includes a win at Calder Park in Melbourne in 2001.
- During the Launch, the three cars will be led by the WPS Safety Car – the official safety car of the V8 Supercar Championship Series.
- The entertainment will begin at Queen’s Park outside Conrad Treasury at Midday with a catwalk parade by the Bartercard Miss Indy and Bartercard Miss V8 Supercar girls. There will be a display of cars in Queen’s Park including the Team Australia Champ Car, WPS Racing V8 Supercar, Team Kiwi V8 Supercar, WPS Safety Car, Wright Patton Shakespeare Carrera Cup car; Yokohama V8 Ute; and The CARSguide Aussie Racing Car until 1pm.
- The street demonstration will start at 12.10pm at the Stanley Street on-ramp to the Riverside Expressway and will finish at Queen’s Park at approximately 12.20pm.
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Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman, Lexmark Indy 300 General Manager James O’Brien and V8 Supercar driver David Besnard today announced the plans for the September 1 Official Launch of Queensland’s premier Event.
For the first time in Brisbane’s history, a 750-horsepower Champ Car and a Holden and Ford V8 Supercar will roar around a street circuit in the heart of the city in front of a large lunchtime audience on the first day of Spring.
Councillor Newman said he was very excited that the launch of such a popular international event would be held in Brisbane.
“It will provide a great opportunity to show the rest of the world that Brisbane is an exciting and vibrant world-class city,” Cr Newman said.
“What better backdrop for the launch of an international event than sunny blue skies, the Brisbane River, Kangaroo Point Cliffs and the CBD.
“I encourage the people of Brisbane to come into the city at lunchtime on September 1, see a real Champ Car and two V8 Supercars drive around the streets of Brisbane live, meet the drivers and get a taste of Indy.”
A ‘real’ Champ Car is being flown out from the United States for the Official Launch. The green-and-gold Team Australia Champ Car will be driven around a special street circuit by the first full-time Australian driver in Champ Car history, Marcus Marshall.
The 26-year-old who hails from the Gold Coast will be joined by fellow Queensland motorsport identities David Besnard and Paul Morris who will drive V8 Supercars around the Brisbane circuit. Besnard will captivate the crowd in his WPS Racing Ford Falcon, while Morris will pilot the Team Kiwi Holden Commodore.
Lexmark Indy 300 General Manager James O’Brien said the September 1 Official Launch will give Brisbane an adrenaline-charged taste of Queensland’s premier Event.
“This will be the most spectacular launch of the Lexmark Indy 300 in its 15-year history,” said O’Brien.
“We will generate greater awareness and excitement about Queensland’s premier Event in Queensland’s capital City.
“There is no better way to do it than in the heart of Brisbane at lunchtime in glorious Spring conditions, with the Brisbane River and historical CBD buildings like the Conrad Treasury Hotel as a backdrop.
“We find that once people taste the action and atmosphere the Lexmark Indy 300 generates, they keep coming back for more. We’re hopeful that we’ll be able to entice the thousands of people that will watch the Launch to attend the Lexmark Indy 300 on the Gold Coast from October 20 to 23.”
Just after Midday on Thursday September 1, the three cars will set off from the Stanley Street on-ramp to the Riverside Expressway and proceed north next to the magnificent Brisbane River showcasing the Kangaroo Point cliffs to the East and South Bank to the West.
The cars will take the Elizabeth Street exit, turn right into William Street and then do two laps around a secured circuit that loops the Conrad Treasury Hotel. The circuit includes William Street, a left turn into Margaret Street, a left turn into George Street and a left turn into Elizabeth Street.
After two laps, the Team Australia Champ Car, WPS Racing V8 Supercar and Team Kiwi V8 Supercar will pull into Queen’s Park outside Conrad Treasury, where the drivers will be interviewed on-stage.
The entertainment in Queen’s Park between 12 midday and 12.30pm will also include a catwalk parade by the Bartercard Miss Indy and Bartercard Miss V8 Supercar girls, and public display of all the categories of cars that will be racing at the Lexmark Indy 300 this year.
The best vantage points for public will be on the sidewalk beside the street circuit along Elizabeth Street, George Street and William Street, and in Queen’s Park.
Brief road closures will take effect on the Riverside Expressway and around the secured street circuit during the time of the ‘Street Demonstration’. More detail on these temporary closures will be released next week.
Key Facts
- Champ Cars and V8 Supercars headline the action at the annual Lexmark Indy 300.
- Team Australia is the first full-time Australian team to contest the 14-round Champ Car World Series, of which the Lexmark Indy 300 is the 13th round.
- The Team Australia Champ Car is an open-wheel, single seat vehicle designed specifically for racing. It is powered by a Ford Cosworth XF turbo-charged 2.65L V8 engine, fuelled by methanol, and produces more than 750 horsepower. Champ Cars are just over four metres in length and 700kg in weight (similar in look to Formula 1 cars).
- Marcus Marshall is a Gold Coast 26-year-old in his first season of Champ Car racing and the first full-time Aussie driver to contest the full series.
- The Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore V8 Supercars use a 5L fuel injected V8 engine which exert 620 horsepower at 7500 rpm. The approximate fuel capacity of an engine is 120L, the cars use a 6-speed Holinger gearbox, weigh a minimum of 1355kg, and have a top speed of 298 km per hour.
- David Besnard drives for WPS Racing. The 28-year-old from the Gold Coast made his V8 Supercar debut in 2000, and his list of credits includes a win at the Queensland 500 in 2002. Last year Besnard drove a Champ Car in a one-off drive at the Lexmark Indy 300 and finished a remarkable seventh.
- Paul Morris will be driving the Team Kiwi Commodore at the Launch. Morris, 37, also hails from the Gold Coast and made his V8 Supercar debut in 1991. Morris’ list of credits includes a win at Calder Park in Melbourne in 2001.
- During the Launch, the three cars will be led by the WPS Safety Car – the official safety car of the V8 Supercar Championship Series.
- The entertainment will begin at Queen’s Park outside Conrad Treasury at Midday with a catwalk parade by the Bartercard Miss Indy and Bartercard Miss V8 Supercar girls. There will be a display of cars in Queen’s Park including the Team Australia Champ Car, WPS Racing V8 Supercar, Team Kiwi V8 Supercar, WPS Safety Car, Wright Patton Shakespeare Carrera Cup car; Yokohama V8 Ute; and The CARSguide Aussie Racing Car until 1pm.
- The street demonstration will start at 12.10pm at the Stanley Street on-ramp to the Riverside Expressway and will finish at Queen’s Park at approximately 12.20pm.
Back | Back to top
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