HOW DO THEY STOP BOWE ON HIS OWN ISLAND?

Press Release – 18 November 2008.

Round Seven, Symmons Plains, Tas, November. 21-23.

Everybody knows that John Bowe is a difficult man to master at the best of times behind the wheel of his grunty 69’ Chev Camaro, but the task becomes significantly more difficult when the affable Apple Isle wheel twister returns home this weekend for the seventh round of the 2008 BIANTE Touring Car Masters.

Bowe comes into the event at Symmons Plains in fine form after sharing the winner’s honours in Division One with fellow legend Jim Richards for Round Six at Phillip Island GP circuit.

“I’m really enjoying my racing with the BIANTE Series,” says Bowe, “I can’t wait to come home and show the folks back there just how good the racing really is in this series.”

Indeed the BIANTE Touring Car Masters Series seems to be on everyone’s lips right now, for all the right reasons. Boasting stout fields, iconic cars, recognisable stars and an on track soundtrack that is simply music to the ears of Motorsport devotees across the country, there’s so much to like about where the “Masters” is headed.

The combatants in the BIANTE Series take their cars into battle the way that nature intended, which would be without the assistance of ground gripping aero kits that deaden the sideways nature of big horsepower on Hoosier dot radial tyres. “I love the fact that the cars slide around and I’m sure the fans do too,” says Bowe, “my car in particular is a real handful and that’s what makes the racing so much fun. The cars slide, they run low on brakes late in the race and you have to really DRIVE them.”

There’s no doubt JB’s homecoming this weekend will be met with substantial home town support as well, as he pedals that big mean CAT / Wilson Security Chev Camaro around a circuit that will test his brakes for sure.

Bowe’s nemesis on BTCM weekends is fellow legend Jim Richards in his pristine Shannon’s Insurance Falcon Rallye Sprint, and the revered former Kiwi is happy to stay right where he is.
“Anyone that tells you they will have more fun in another category is lying,” he told the assembled drivers at the Phillip Island GP circuit round recently, “this is the most fun I have ever had racing. It’s awesome.” That’s a big call from someone who has raced all over the world in a variety of different categories in a myriad of different machines. It is just a pity that Jim will be driving his Porsche in Classic Adelaide for this weekend, as part of his ongoing commitments to Shannons rather than behind the wheel of his much loved Falcon Sprint!

It’s difficult to argue with Gentleman Jim’s logic though, particularly after the BIANTE Touring Car Masters events had pretty well stolen the show earlier in the day with some powerhouse position changes between Brad Tilley, John Bowe, Gavin Bullas, Steve Mason and Richards.

And it will be like that around the tight confines of Symmons Plains this weekend as the 17 car field takes on Tassie with a combination of Chev Camaros, XU1 Toranas, varying models of Mustangs, HQ’s and Monaros, Chrysler Chargers, GTHO Falcons and even 911 RS Porsches.

Divided into Division 1 and Division 2 each round has joint winners, and after the last round was shared jointly in Division 1 by Richards and Bowe, and Division 2 was won by Trevor Talbot in his potent Dukes Body Works XU1 Torana, the field is wide open this weekend in Tassie. You can expect the nimble XU1’s and Porsche pilots to be particularly annoying to their gruntier counterparts around the tighter sections of Symmons Plains.

The BIANTE Touring Car Masters is carefully managed but not over administrated to the point where parity gets in the way of pedal to the metal. “This is a great category to race in,” says hard charging front runner Gavin “Bullet” Bullas, “we compete on an even keel with the majority of the field and the guys we don’t are having their own battles anyway.”

Minimum weight, rev limits and engine modifications are understandably the main points for the series managers to patrol but those racing within the BTCM know that they are their to have some fun, and entertain fans along the way. For that reason, ‘bending the rules’ is less of a priority than ‘backing the car into a tight corner’ for these drivers and the standard of competition prospers as a result.

This weekend is the second last round of the BIANTE Touring Car Masters with the final slated for Oran Park in early December.

The naming rights sponsor of the BIANTE Touring Car Masters Series is the BIANTE Model Car Company – Australia’s leading Model Car Company. For all the information on their stunning range visit www.biante.com.au .

Commentary sponsor for the BIANTE Touring Car Masters is Rare Spares. Rare Spares is undoubtedly the most recognised name in the Australian Automotive Aftermarket, which includes the growing restoration industry. Visit www.rarespares.net.au for more…