John Bowe: FPR's impressing me

Since commencing my regular column for V8 Supercars I’ve gained more respect for journalists. It’s not all caviar, helicopters, fine dining and fancy hotels … they do get their fair share of that, though!

Regularly writing about a subject I love is awesome, but trying to find an angle every few weeks when the category provides its own superlatives is much harder than I thought it would be.

Firstly, after the New Zealand round I need to shut up about downforce parity! I’ve been banging on about it all season.

I still believe I’m correct, but with Frosty winning at Winton and then his incredible performance at Pukekohe means I need to shut up and leave the matters of parity to the category managers/experts to sort out.

FPR have really surprised me this year – they’ve always been good, but the last few rounds they’ve been super impressive. To win as they did in present company is a champion effort.

As for young Chaz, well done mate, he’s obviously talented but recently he’s shown signs of racing immaturity. His efforts on Saturday/Sunday in New Zealand were by far his best performance, he was outstanding. 

Driving with and having a master to compare data with and ask advice is a huge help, just as Frosty did with Brighty all those years ago at FPR.

Looking on as I do, I find the racing, the competition, the closeness, the TV presentation and commentary so good that I’ve run out of words to praise it.

I know that it's financially tough for many teams at the moment but the product is so good that financial success must come in time – I just know it!

V8 Supercars has always been a fantastic show but surely now it is THE BEST racing series in the world!

I know some of you will want to blue about that statement … kids, the closeness and unpredictability of the results is testament to what I’m saying.

Five different marquees in the top seven spots makes even NASCAR look weak, I reckon.

I must take this opportunity to congratulate Mark Skaife and his small crew of people who essentially supervised the introduction, design and roll out of Car of the Future.

Without it, history will show that Australia would not have a V8 Supercar category. Now it is incredibly attractive and accessible to all car manufacturers – I wonder who’ll be the next to join the ranks of V8 Supercars?

If I was running a car company in Australia I would be into it with my ears pinned back… It's that good, and now goes to the world! Congratulations to everyone involved, Long may it live!

Finally, I’d like to pay tribute to a true Australian Motorsport Legend – Harry Firth, who sadly passed away over the weekend.

While Harry was a little before my time, I was full of admiration for his achievements, he devoted his life to motorsport. He scaled real mountains including Bathurst as a driver and team boss on both sides of the manufacturer fence.

Both Ford and Holden benefited immensely from his incredible technical wizardry and planning as did drivers over the decades in the fifties, to the seventies. I enjoyed immensely the times with I spent with Harry more recently.

His stories were always straight forward, often hilarious and he was a genuine character. They don't make blokes like Harry Firth any more. My condolences to his family – RIP Champion!

Cheers,

JB

Follow John Bowe on Facebook. Bowe is supported by Wilson Security, Dunlop Super Dealers and Coates Hire, and competing in the 2014 Touring Car Masters Championship.