Team Mirage Australia heads to Europe with a very experienced team of Australian Drivers for the 34th Zurich 24h Race on June 16 / 18 2006 at the famous Nurburgring " Nordschleife " .

The team is led by Rossmore driver Mal Rose who has again prepared a 3 car team of Aussie race cars to tackle the demanding 26km track in a field of over 220 cars in 10 classes!

This year Mal is racing an all Australian V8 Holden Commodore with his regular co drivers Mittagong's Anthony Robson & Putney's, Kevin Burton.
They are being joined by South Australian Adam Wallis who is a regular V8 Supercar competitor in the Australian series.

The car is an ex Larry Perkins built VX model Holden Commodore that has been first raced by 2005 Australian V8 Supercar Champion Russell Ingall & later raced by Konica / Minolta Champion Paul Dumbrell in 2001.

The car was bought in 2004 and now has been prepared by Mal Rose & THR developments to endurance specification with extra lighting / battery / alternator & an Australian designed Holinger Sequential 6 speed gearbox as an example.

Mal's other class winning Mitsubishi Cup Cars are also on the way to Europe to again challenge the 1600cc 24h Specials class.

The 2 Mitsubishi also have been fully rebuilt after the teams mighty effort at the Inaugural Dubai 24hr in January this year where Mal, Kevin & Anthony won their class & an incredible 11th outright ( from 70 European teams ) The other matching ( black / yellow ) Mitsubishi Cup race car finished 2nd in class & 12th outright with only 1 lap separating them after the 24hr race.

The Mal Rose Team will arrive in a custom built 40' container housing 2 Mitsubishi Cup cars , the V8 Holden & a Toyota for another Aussie team. They are fully equipped with spare engines / gearboxes / tyres for all the race cars making this a fully self sufficient group. The container is also used as a drivers / crew rest room with carpet & heaters!!

We are the 1st ALL Australian team of Drivers & crew to do this type of International adventures say Mal Rose ( team Owner / manager)
Another fact is WE will be the 1st ever Holden V8 to ever compete at the Nurburgring " Nordschleife " in this 24hr event!

The V8 Holden is geared for over 300kmh and would be the first time in the history of an All Aussie V8 Supercar that 300kmh could be genuinely achieved! We expect appox 315kmh on the "Antoniusbuche"

Note: In the Australian series V8 Supercars have a controlled diff ratio of 3.15 / 1 and has only been possible of 290+kmh

We expect to be in the top 20 cars however we wont be too disappointed if we don't achieve this result says Mal Rose.

Our overall expectations are to finish ALL of my teams cars with class wins if possible. Our team is very experienced with most of my drivers having raced with me in other 24hr events around the world.

Some of the drivers like Kevin Burton , Adam Wallis , Ric Shaw & Anthony Robson drive for my Hot Laps business, The Supercar Experience here in Australia.

The Supercar Experience is something I had created in the late 1990s to give the public an experience in a real V8 Supercar driven at race speed by real race drivers. The business has given 1000s of Aussies a first hand look at the inside of a V8 Holden or a V8 Ford ( our Aussie home grown product )

This also keep my drivers focused and gives them 100s of miles needed to stay sharp for these events, Rose said !

The Team is

Holden V8 car 16
Drivers
1/ Mal Rose ( & Team Manager ) racing since 1983 has raced at Bathurst 1000 five times ( 1st Privateer 1998 ) also has raced Formula Ford , Production cars, AUSCAR , Trucks, & has raced Nurburgring 2004 / 2005, Sepang 12hr 2005, ( 2nd in class ), Bathurst 24hr 2002 / 2003 and class winner at Dubai 24hr 2006.
2/ Adam Wallis ( co owner Holden ) racing since 1993 has raced at Bathurst in the Konica / Minolta Series in a Ford AU V8 Supercar & was SA state Formula Ford Champion & competed in the 2005 Nurburgring 24hr.
3/ Kevin Burton has raced since 1984 and raced the Bathurst 1000 with Mal Rose ( 12th outright 1997 ) also raced production cars, then Spintcars in speedway. Has raced with Mal & Anthony Robson to class victory in Dubai 24hr 2006 and Nurburgring 2004 / 2005 ( 2nd in class both years )
4/ Anthony Robson raced since 1992 in Formula Ford , Production cars, Super Touring at Bathurst and has been Mal Rose & Kevin Burtons co-driver in all the 24 races at Nurburgring & Dubai also 3rd in class at the Bathurst 24hr 2002.

Mitsubishi Cup Car 152
Drivers
1/ Richard Gartner has been racing since 1984 in Sports sedans , Mirage Cup, & a Class winner at the Bathurst 2hr race for production cars, Also raced at the Dubai 24hr race 2nd in class and 12th outright 2006
2/ Ric Shaw has raced since 1982 in sports sedans, production cars & the Bathurst 1000 in both V8 Supercars & Super Touring BMW with Anthony Robson , also raced Nurburgring 2002 / 2003 in a class winning Honda & BMW M3.
3/ Phil Alexander has raced since 1978 in Touring cars at Bathurst finishing in the Top Ten Twice also has raced production cars in the 12 hr races at Bathurst & is one of the teams most experience drivers.

Mitsubishi Cup Car 153
Drivers
1/ Rob Rubis has raced 1991 in Porches Cup and Production cars. He has raced at the Bathurst 24hr 2002 / 2003 and the Nurburgring 24hr 2005 being placed 4th in class!
2/ Stephen Borness has raced since 2000 and has been 2nd in class at the Bathurst 24hr 2002 / 2003 also raced in Porche Cup and is currently in the Australian F3 championship.
3/ Mal Rose
4/ ( TBA )


The Cars are No 16
Holden VX Commodore sedan ( 4 door )
5.0 litre Chev with MOTEC ( Australian Made ) fuel injection management
Solid rear axle with a 9" Differential with full floating hubs
120 lire FT3 fuel cell
6 Piston front Callipers with DBA rotors ( Australian Made )
4 Piston rear Callipers with DBA rotors ( Australian Made )
17" / 11" magnesium alloy wheels
6 speed Holinger sequential gearbox ( Australian Made )
On board fire system

Cars No 152 / 153
Mitsubishi Cup cars ( 2 door )
Mivec 1600cc with custom exhaust
close ratio 5 speed with LSD
Adjustable KYB shocks with race springs
2 piston front callipers with DBA Rotors ( Australian Made )
single piston rear disc brakes DBA Rotors ( Australian Made )
80 litre FT3 fuel cell
15" / 6.5 " alloy wheels with TOYO R888 performance radials.

Crew
Mal B, Ryan M , Dixon M, Mick M, Brett F, Nick T , Rob H

The Website at Nurburgring has put out a entry list of 230 cars

In our class SP8 is 4000cc to 6200cc 24hr Specials

Car 3 Dodge Viper GTS-R
Car 4 Lamborghini Gallardo
Car 5 Audi RS 4
Car 6 Audi RS 4
Car 8 Aston Matin V8 Vantage
Car 9 Maserati Gransport Note driver is F1 ex Jacques Lafittte
Car 12 Lamborghini Gallardo GTR
Car 14 Mercedes 500 SEC
Car 16 Holden V8 Commodore
( Mal Rose , Adam Wallis , Anthony Robson & Kevin Burton. )
Car 17 BMW M3
Car 20 BMW 840 CJ
Car 21 Wiesmann R-GT
Car 33 Dodge Viper GTS-R
Car 41 Chevrolet Corvette C5
Car 43 BMW M3

As you can see this is a quality field of REAL Supercars and we WILL HAVE the ULTIMATE SUPERCAR EXPERIENCE.
This is only the small selection of cars in the race , as the web site shows the rest.

Websites

www.24hrennen.de

www.v8experience.com.au

Sponcers & Supporters

The V8 Supercar Experience
Disc Brakes Australia
5 Star Australian CV & Power Steering
Xenon OZ
Toyo Tyres
Castrol Oils Australia
Geoff Wright ( engines )
Blairs Tyre Service
Motorsport Models
Platetronic
Sennhieser

Ends