Just like former World Champions Wayne Gardner and Troy Bayliss before him, Casey Stoner during Ducati’s Wrooom admitted that once he retires he too would like to try his hand on Australia’s V8 Supercars.

“After I retire from bikes it’s my plan basically.I enjoy driving dirt cars around. Before I retire I may be testing a few cars and get ready, but once I retire from bikes I think cars will be a little bit more of a relaxing sport for me. I’m not talking about going to Formula 1, but something like V8 touring cars in Australia. I think something like that would be a lot of fun.”

“It’s something I’m planning on. But for now and for the near future I’m enjoying my bikes and that’s all I want to do for now.”

Source | autosport.com

Continue reading: Casey Stoner would like to race V8 Supercars when he retires

This weekend’s Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 endurance race at the iconic Mount Panorama circuit wasn’t easy for the debuting former three times World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss.

Bayliss was scheduled to make his debut at the L&H 500 at Phillip Island last month until a mechanical failure on the race sighting lap forced him and co-driver Dean Fiore to watch the race from pit lane.

Bayliss and Fiore on the Paul Morris Motorsports-prepared Commodore #12 car with the livery of CRC product, Kitten Car Care Products, had trouble during Saturday morning practice when the car caught fire in the pits and then qualified last on the grid and in the race that took place in mixed weather conditions, incidents and safety cars ended up against the barriers.

Bayliss and Fiore DNF the race.

Continue reading: Troy Bayliss at Bathurst 1000 - Crash Video

It’s hard to forget and let slide into media oblivion someone like Troy Bayliss, who delighted motorcycle racing fans for so many years with his three World Superbike titles, his popularity and down to earth attitude and when he retired, left a void in more than one Ducatista heart.

So when we find something about what King Troy is up to we like to share with you.

After testing V8 Supercars with Paul Morris Motorsports, Kelly Racing and TeamVodafone, Bayliss will be finally getting a chance to race on four wheels in two V8 races. The Aussie champion will debut in this year’s L& H 500 and Super Cheap Auto Bathurst 1000 V8 Supercar endurance events at Phillip Island and Bathurst, alongside Dean Fiore in a Paul Morris Motorsports prepared Triple F Racing Commodore.

Troy Bayliss said:

“It has been a long time coming and now the deal has been put together. I am really excited to be making my debut in the V8 Supercar series. It’s going to be a huge challenge but it is something that I’ve longed to do for some time. It’s going to be a massive test for me especially at Bathurst, where my first priority will be to finish and then we’ll see where it may lead to for next year. I have watched Bathurst on the couch since I was a kid. I can’t believe I am actually going to be there driving the mountain.”

Source | livenews

Continue reading: 'Baylisstic' Bayliss to debut in V8 Supercar Race

After Casey Stoner’s withdrawl from the next three MotoGP races due to chronic fatigue, there’s been a lot of fan requests that Ducati try to persuade Troy Bayliss to come out of retirement and take his fellow countryman’s place.

Many nostalgics would like to see a repeat of what happened at Valencia in 2006, but unfortunately for fans,Bayliss doesn’t want to return to motorcycle racing and except for helping out Ducati in testing GP bikes or superbikes occasionally, he seems to be more interested in trying out V8 cars.

This time Bayliss tested the Jack Daniel’s Racing Holden Commodore at Winton Motor Raceway during the team’s Driver Evaluation Day earlier this week.

Troy Bayliss on his test:

“It was a great experience. I came along yesterday and went and had a look at the Kelly Racing set-up and it’s a great facility. It’s on par with the best that I’ve seen, that’s for sure. They’ve done a great job. The guys asked me along to come and do a few laps and it’s nice because it’s been a long time since I’ve been at Winton. It was 1997 on a Superbike.”

Continue reading: Troy Bayliss tries another V8 Car

Valentino Rossi and Loris Capirossi have tried their hand at rallying, Troy Bayliss tested a V8 Supercar, Marco Melandri raced a Speedcar, and SBK rider Fonsi Nieto doesn’t want to be left out, and he too will also try racing on four wheels. The Spanish racer will be making his sportscar debut in the next round of the Le Mans Series.

Nieto will take part in the 1000 km of Algarve-Portimao race in two weeks time behind the wheel of an LMP2 entered by Iberian team Q8 Oils Hache. Taking to the wheel with Nieto will be compatriots Maximo Cortes and a newcomer to endurance, Carmen Jordà.

Carmen Jordà currently races nell’European F3 Open with a Dallara F306 Toyota powered team of ‘GTA’ and is also Nieto’s girlfriend.

Continue reading: Fonsi Nieto switches from 2 wheels to 4

We all know that Troy Bayliss is a 3 times World Champion on two wheels and yesterday he officially tried four wheels, test driving TeamVodafone’s V8 Supercar at Queensland Raceway.

Bayliss turned in 80 laps of the circuit pitting after each five lap run to consult with the team’s engineers. The former Superbike rider rider turned driver, did a sighting lap with Craig Lowndes, the 3 times V8 Supercar champion riding shot gun, to allow him to become familiar with the circuit before setting out on his own.

Bayliss best time was an impressive 11.8 lap, less than half a second slower than Craig Lowndes.

Troy Bayliss:

“That was a dream come true. I have been a huge fan of V8 Supercars for a long time and to finally get some laps in one felt amazing. A lot of the on-track principals transfer between the bike and the car and once the excitement of the first few laps wore off I felt like I was back at the office trying to perfect my corners and reduce my lap times. I can’t thank TeamVodafone enough, they have been fantastic and extremely patient with me as I worked my way through today’s sessions. I can honestly say I have the bug, I definitely want to do more laps and try and get out there in either the Development Series or the endurance races.”

Continue reading: Troy Bayliss Tests V8 Supercar

Retired three-time World Superbike champion and MotoGP winner Troy Bayliss will be testing a V8 Supercar team in May and has been invited to race in the Audi Star Series in Europe.

“Cars are something that I love and I’ve been watching the V8s for many years,” said Bayliss in Brisbane yesterday.

Bayliss will not disclose the team he will test with until March 11, but he is now living on the Gold Coast so it is expected to be a South East Queensland team, possibly Triple Eight which he shares management links with.

Bayliss said his commitments with Ducati as the current world champion meant he would have several overseas duties this year, but he said it should leave him free for wildcard entries in V8 endurance events such as Bathurst or the Fujitsu development series.

Source | visordown

Continue reading: Troy Bayliss to test V8 Supercar