Internet alleges illegal V8 test
By Ray Kershler
19jul06
V8 SUPERCAR racing has been rocked by allegations of illegal testing against a top team.

The claims, which surfaced on an internet chat room site last week, are now the talk of the sport.

Individual V8 Supercar teams are allowed only six individual test days a year at designated tracks to ensure a fair balance between teams.

As such, illegal testing is regarded as the most heinous crime in the sport.

In the only verified case, in 2004, the Adelaide-based Team Dynamik was fined $132,000 and virtually banished from the sport after allegations they had tested illegally at Woomera rocket range.

The chat room allegations are not specific about which of the 17 V8 Supercar teams is involved in the latest allegations.

However several V8 teams acknowledge the team in question is identifiable because of information included in the chat room site.

The chat room allegations suggest the team has tested illegally several times in the off-season and during the current season.

Illegal testing is a hard allegation for V8 Supercar officials to prove, as teams have to be caught in the act. Insiders say the stringent penalties available to the sport - and the public ramifications and shame - are the best safeguard, virtually precluding any such dirty tricks.

In the Team Dynamik case, V8 officials were tipped off and drove to Woomera to catch the team in the act, taking photos as evidence, but officials later admitted they got lucky.

Kelvin O'Reilly, the general manager of TEGA which represents and polices the V8 Supercar teams in the sport, said yesterday that he was aware of the current web allegations.

"If we had evidence to support the allegations they would be treated just as seriously, if not more so, than the breaches which occurred at Woomera two years ago," O'Reilly said.

"But unless we have got some incontrovertible evidence it occurs, how do you prosecute?.

"If credible witnesses were to come forward to give us something to build a case with then we would not hesitate.

"But I can't go on speculation of anonymous people."


Thanks to the NT News...


Anyone heard anything about this and who the mystery team could be???