By Matt Payne
This weekend Adelaide will play host to the last major Sprintcar event of the 2010/2011 Australian season with the Orrcon Steel Champion of Champions night at Speedway City.
Headlining the show will be the current World Series Sprintcars Champion – Orrcon Steel-supported racer, Robbie Farr and runner up, David Murcott.
Ensuring they will be kept honest is Adelaide racer, Trevor Green – who returns to the circuit he cut his teeth on.
The Orrcon Steel Champion of Champions will also showcase some of Adelaide’s best emerging Sprintcar talent – many of whom are primed to spring a surprise come Saturday night, having made the experts sit up and take notice throughout this past season.
Developing around 950 horsepower from the 6.7 litre V8 engines at a minimum weight of 623kg, Sprintcars have around one third more horsepower than a V8 Supercar at approximately half the weight. Up to 24 of them can be on a 400 metre clay-based oval like Speedway City at any one time.
This event at Adelaide’s Speedway City represents the first time that Orrcon Steel has been involved in Sprintcar racing as a presenting partner.
Farr, as ever, is pumped to be heading back to Adelaide:
“The East Coast Pipelines team started about four years ago and we crossed a pretty big item off the list this year in winning the World Series Sprintcars Championship,” he said.
“Every time we come back to Speedway City, we always seem to have some degree of success. With the season we’ve had so far, it will be great to be part of the Orrcon Steel Champion of Champions night on Saturday.
“It’s fantastic to see Orrcon Steel getting on board as the naming sponsor for this special event at Adelaide’s Speedway City,” Farr enthused.
“They have been a major partner of East Coast Pipelines for a number of years and they have been on board as a sponsor of East Coast Pipelines Racing since day one. The business Orrcon Steel and East Coast Pipelines are able to do away from the track makes it run deeper than just a sponsor’s logo on the car – it’s a much closer association for us.”
Members of the general public will have a very rare opportunity on Sunday at Speedway City to get even closer to the action.
As part of a corporate ride day, the East Coast Pipelines team is allowing racefans a limited opportunity to purchase a ride with the World Series Sprintcars Champion in the East Coast Pipelines two-seater Sprintcar.
To register your interest in this, please contact Robbie via robbiefarr@gmail.com
To see Robbie and some of Australia’s best in the Orrcon Steel Champion of Champions night, head out to Speedway City, Supple Road, Virginia this Saturday from 6:00pm and ensure you have a night that will thrill you to the core.
ORRCON STEEL SPRINTCAR VS ORRCON STEEL FPR V8 SUPERCAR
#Q7 East Coast Pipelines, Orrcon Steel Eagle Sprintcar
Engine 6.7L V8, Chev Block
Power Est. 950bhp (708kW)
Weight 623kg (minimum with driver)
Fuel Methanol
Gearbox None
Wheels 15” Right Rear, smaller left rear
Shocks Cockpit Adjustable shocks
Telemetry None
Radio None
Safety 6 point harness, HANS device, purpose-built wraparound seat
#5 Orrcon Steel Ford Performance Racing Falcon V8 Supercar
Engine 5.0L V8, Ford Windsor Block
Power Est. 635bhp (473kW)
Weight 1355kg (minimum without driver)
Fuel E85, blended with 15% PULP
Gearbox 6-speed, sequential Hollinger
Wheels 17” x 11” all four
Shocks Adjustable shocks and anti-roll bar
Telemetry Motec ACL System
Radio Pit to car Radio
Safety 6 point harness, HANS Device, Side impact protection
ABOUT ORRCON STEEL:
Since being founded in Adelaide, Orrcon Steel has gone on to become one of Australia’s leading Distributors and Manufacturers of steel products. The company boasts sites in South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales with operations spread across large distribution centres and smaller branch outlets.
Recently, Orrcon Steel opened a brand new multi-million dollar, 8400 sq m Distribution Centre in Gillman, South Australia that will allow the company to more effectively service its current customer base in the Southern and Central parts of Australia, along with positioning Orrcon Steel for future growth in the South Australian market.
ORRCON STEEL & MOTORSPORT:
Orrcon Steel is built on principles of quality, innovation, precision, loyalty and seeing things through. Many of the same attributes required to be successful in motorsport.
2011 represents the 10th anniversary of Orrcon Steel in motorsport. Orrcon Steel first got involved in motorsport in 2002 with now Seven Network pundit, Mark Larkham’s V8 Supercar team.
Entering its eighth season with Ford Performance Racing, the company is the primary sponsor on board the Mark Winterbottom #5 Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon.
Orrcon Steel provides strategic associate support to other categories: In Sprintcars through East Coast Pipelines Racing and Robbie Farr and Hillclimbing with Peter Gumley.
Motorsport has not only assisted in Orrcon Steel’s brand development but has provided an outstanding platform to allow the company to generate unique customer interactions.