Miedecke And Elsegood Take Mountain Victory

Race one of the V8 Ute's Return of the Mountain Masters at the WPS Bathurst International Motor Festival and it was a Bathurst Veteran Andrew Miedecke and co driver Jack "The Hustler" Elsegood who came out
on aboard their Coopers Pale Ale Racer.

It was a convincing win with Elsegood taking the lead early from a row one start and Miedecke strengthen their position in the closing stages
of the race in the new 5.4 Litre BF Ford V8 Ute.

"I don't know why I stopped racing, that was just great. The car overall is a good package but the late afternoon sun was certainly an
issue," said Miedecke.

It was the usual battle between the top three V8 Ute drivers for the
first four of the eight lap race.

Marcus Zukanovic weaved his way through the pack from fifth position keeping seriously close to Elsegood with 2005 champ Damien "Iceman"
White keeping the pressure on them both.

Zukanovic's Ford came in second with David Parsons bringing it home and team owner Garry Rogers made a strong return bringing the James Brock
Commodore home in third.

"I just went out and enjoyed it and got some length on Rogers in those closing stages. This is the start of getting back into motor racing and
I am now looking at the future," said Parsons.

The pits went crazy as eight cars filed in for a compulsory 60 second driver swap with a confused Greg Willis in the # 44 Grove Fruit Juice machine continuing on for an extra lap leaving Bob Holden waiting
patiently as his fellow legends flew past.

Kevin Bartlett who rode to Bathurst on his BMW GS 1100 bike in a fast 13 hour trip from Maleny Queensland forced his way past the Network 10 personality Neil Compton in the O'Grady #22 Holden SS to finish fourth
outright.

All of today's front runners will be starting from the rear of the pack in tomorrow afternoon's reverse grid race making for some great racing as the legends take the first four laps of their final race in the V8
Utes before handing over to their co driver.

Legend V8 Ute Challenge Race 1
Elsegood/ Miedecke Ford XR 8
Zukanovic/ Parsons Ford XR 8
Brock/ Rogers Holden SS
O'Grady/ Bartlett Holden SS
White/ Crompton Ford XR 8
Kiss/ Moore Holden SS
Jennings/ Rogerson Ford XR 8
Derums/ Holland Ford XR8
Willis/ Holden Ford XR 8
Race 2 Reverse Grid at 4:20pm Sunday

BATHURST LEGENDS RACE 2 - SKIPPY'S START SECURES MOUNTAIN MASTERS WIN

Bathurst winner 1987, David "Skippy" Parsons took first place on the Bathurst podium this Easter weekend as he and Marcus Zukanovic took out the Return of the Mountain Master at the inaugural WPS Bathurst
International Motor Festival.

Starting from the rear of the pack in the reverse grid final, Parsons, in the Ford XR8 V8 Ute, made a massive move to take the lead in the
opening moments of the race.

""What a start by Skippy Parsons, all I had to do was sustain that lead and we had it in the bag," said Parsons co driver, Marcus Zukanovic.

The first lap was an astonishing 2:43:9210 from a standing start and the soon to be retired Ford AU, dubbed Black Betty, just seemed to get
quicker as both drivers climbed the Mount Panorama circuit.

"That was fantastic! What a top car and Mick Zukanovic, Marcus, and the boys have done a great job with it. It has been an absolutely great weekend. The boys made it really comfortable to come back to Bathurst. I
should have never left," said Parsons.

Race one's winning combination Jack Elsegood and Andrew Miedecke came in second in the final and took out yesterday's lap record with the grunt of the new Ford BF proving it has what it takes up Mountain straight.

Rounding off an all Ford podium was Network 10 personality Neil Crompton and 2005 V8 Ute Champion Damien "Iceman" White who slipped into third place after Team Brock's final time was added 30 seconds after they departed 11 seconds early from the 60 second compulsory pit stop.

The entire event was something not to be missed as the likes of Kevin Bartlett, Bob Holden and Don Holland took to the Bathurst circuit and
raced as they did in the back in the 60's and 70's.

"The International Motor Festival has been a complete success and it has been a pleasure being apart of the festivities. The credit has to go to the organisers and the Bathurst City Council and let me tell you I'll be
back if they can make a go of this," said Kevin Bartlett.

For those who missed the weekends festivities Channel Nine will covering the event in a half hour presentation during Speed Machine at 12 noon
May 6, 2006.

Now, all nine of the competing V8 Utes will prepare themselves for the second round of the Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series at Oran Park on May
6-7.


Final Winners Table - Race One & Two Aggregate Points
Zukanovic/ Parsons Ford XR8
Elsegood/ Miedecke Ford XR8
White/ Crompton Ford XR8
O'Grady/ Bartlett Holden SS
Brock/ Rogers Holden SS
Kiss/ Moore Holden SS
Derums/ Holland Ford XR8
Jennings/ Rogerson Ford XR8
Willis/ Holden Ford XR8

2006 Telecast Times - NINE @ 12 Noon Sat on SPEED MACHINE
EventVenueDateDuration (mins)

Pre-Season Review April 22 30
Bathurst Legends Mt Panorama May 6 30
Round 2 Oran Park May 20 60
Round 3 Wakefield Park June 3 60
Round 4 DarwinJuly 15 30
Round 5 Phillip Island August 26 60
Round 6 Qld Raceway Sept 16 60
Round 7 IndyTBA30
Round 8 Eastern Creek Dec 9 30
TOTAL TV COVERAGE 8 HOURS

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