Ronald I. Meatchum.....Part 3
* * * THE former BMW Australia managing director, Mr Ron Meatchem, has been
asked to become the chairman of TEGA, the organisation representing the top
V8
touring car teams.
The move is ironic considering Mr Meatchem was the motivating force behind
the creation of rival group TOCA Australia (with 2-litre cars).
He once described the V8s as "dinosaurs"
Publication.: ADVERTISER
Date........: Thu 08-Aug-1996
Edition.....: METRO
Page........: 26
Column......: motoring
Headline....: V8 touring car job for Meatchem
Type........: features
Keywords....: sa
Biog........: MEATCHEM RON
Text................................................................:
RON Meatchem, one of the prime-movers in establishing two-litre
touring car racing in Australia, has been appointed chairman of the
five-litre, V8 category of touring car racing.
Mr Meatchem, managing director of BMW Australia before his retirement
three years ago, set up BMW's racing program in Australia and also
served on the motor racing executive committee of the Confederation of
Australian Motor Sport.
He will take up his post as chairman of Touring Car Entrants' Group
Australia (TEGA) immediately, guiding the group towards its two major
long distance events of the year, Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000.
Member......: 2
Publication.: ADVERTISER
Date........: Thu 31-Oct-1996
Edition.....: STATE
Page........: 37
Headline....: 'Rebels' have immediate impact on Bathurst
Byline......: By BOB JENNINGS
Type........: sport
Keywords....: nsw
Libhead.....: Motor car racing - Australia
Text................................................................:
A new structure for Australian V8 touring car racing was announced
yesterday, with no sign that the dispute over Bathurst had been
resolved.
The International Management Group has become a partner in running V8
touring cars with the Touringcar Entrants Group of Australia. Their
joint company ~ Australian Vee-eight Super Car Company ~ will be known
as AVESCO.
The company, which also announced an agreement with Network 10,
reached an immediate impasse, insisting that Channel 10 should have
the rights to telecast the annual October Bathurst race.
Channel 7, however, part of the consortium which runs the October race
and which includes the Australian Racing Drivers' Club and the
Bathurst City Council, has a contract to telecast the race until 2004.
The vice-president of IMG Australia, Tony Cochrane, said he hoped the
five-litre cars would be racing at Bathurst next October but AVESCO
would be asking the Bathurst consortium for $750,000 for the
appearance of the touring car teams in addition to Channel 10 gaining
the telecast rights.
If an arrangement is not reached it is expected the Bathurst
consortium will promote a touring-car race for international two-litre
touring cars ~ which ran at the track as a supporting event this year
~ with local numbers possibly being boosted by teams from Japan, the
US and the UK.
The alternative for the consortium is to once again make the race open
to five-litre cars, attempt to attract breakaway teams and privateers
and rely on sponsor pressure for teams to appear in the 100km race,
which is Australia's major motor sport event outside the Formula One
Grand Prix.
AVESCO chairman Ron Meatchem ~ formerly managing director of BMW
Australia and at one time a major proponent of two-litre racing ~ said
AVESCO would take the sport and its sponsors into a ''very bright and
profitable future''.
AVESCO, however, has not found a venue for its rebel race and the
calendar revealed yesterday only has a provisional race scheduled for
October 5 at a track still to be nominated.
The 17-race calendar of next year's touring car races included 10
touring car championship races in addition to the supporting events at
the Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne in March and the IndyCar race
at Surfers Paradise on April 6.
There are two events in New Zealand, which at this stage are listed as
being provisional.
The touring car championship will begin at Calder Raceway in Victoria
on March 2 and will include the ninth round at Mallala on July 6.
Next year's IndyCar Grand Prix is part of an expanded 18-race IndyCar
schedule.
The Australian race will be the second round of the championship and
be held on the weekend after Easter ~ about a month clear of the
Formula One race next year.
There was more on the site......
But you get the general idea.
The Boogieman |
