By Matthew Agius
After a controversial finish to the 2006 V8 Supercar Championship Series, one thing has become cemented in the minds of the race-going public ? Tom Walkinshaw is back, and judging by his actions throughout the year, is prepared to do anything to secure more titles.
Walkinshaw was the driving force behind the dominance of the Holden Racing Team and to a lesser extent Kmart Racing between 1999 and 2002. It was this success that resulted in the union between the two Tom Walkinshaw Racing teams being coined ?The Evil Empire? or simply ?The Empire?. After the collapse of TWR and the Orange Arrows
Formula One team in 2002, the two teams separated but remained connected through Holden Motorsport. But since Tom Walkinshaw?s return to Australia, and the formation of the Tom Walkinshaw Performance Group, the V8 Supercar Championship has been embroiled in controversy once more.
The might of Holden has officially returned through TWPG. After three years of Ford dominance, there is a clear frontrunner for the Holden brand, with the Holden Racing Team and Toll HSV Dealer Team spearheading the charge for Walkinshaw and Holden?s interests in V8 Supercar racing. Whilst the Scotsman?s influence in the series is a positive for the Holden brand, we have seen in 2006 three key events or factors which could pose a threat to the series? short-term future.
Shortly before the endurance races, Walkinshaw orchestrated a driver swap between his two teams, Todd Kelly joined his brother Rick at the Toll HSVDT, whilst Garth Tander swapped to the Holden Racing Team Mark Skaife. This clever exploitation of a loophole in V8 Supercar regulations was, despite not in the spirit of the game, a smart move to maximise the championship chances of Garth Tander and Rick Kelly.
However a double-DNF from the #2 Holden Racing Team Commodore saw Tander slide from series contention, whilst Rick Kelly?s two second placings at Sandown and Bathurst helped his rise back into the championship.
