Dane pleased with 2006, but wants championship.

By Matthew Agius

Roland Dane is a man fully committed to winning in motorsport. Triple Eight Race Engineering Australia has the opportunity to do so this weekend, and under Dane has achieved much in V8 Supercars. He spoke to Crash.net Radio with his thoughts on 2006 and the future in 2007.

Dane has led Triple Eight Race Engineering Australia for the past three years, and has experienced many high and low points. When speaking to Crash.net however, he revealed that the Triple Eight Race Engineering Falcons have not been as quick at the business end of the year than he would have liked.

"I honestly don't know," said Dane when asked of team leader Craig Lowndes chances for the championship.

"Its tight, we haven't got particularly good car speed so I don't know how that's going to play out in the last race but it could be when we go to Phillip Island where its all to play for.

"Craig was on pole there last year, so its all still up in the air. Whatever happens, at the end of the day we've got Bathurst in the bank and that's the biggest single thing in the year in Australia.

"We've won more races that anyone else, more rounds of the championship this year -as we have over the last year as well - so whatever happens I won't be too unhappy, but for sure we'd like to win it.

"The way the points structure is in Australia at the moment is, its going to change next year, but right now it just rewards consistency and Rick Kelly - the main opposition for the championship this year - hasn't won a round all year, but he has been plugging away getting points.

Triple Eight Race Engineering has had an interesting few years in V8 racing. After taking over Briggs Motorsport midway through 2003, the team has enjoyed a relatively strong period in their three years in Australia. However despite winning the most races and rounds in 2005 and 2006, the team has been unable to clinch a championship, and, when in the box seat to maintain a lead in the 2006 series, Lowndes has fallen behind Rick Kelly in the standings.

"You can see we've had the speed a lot of the time. This is our third season here. The first season was very mixed - we only had one podium - but the second and third have been good with race wins.

"It's the consistency sometimes that we've been lacking and Craig (Lowndes) has had a bit of bad luck as well - the last race in Tasmania was no fault of his at all, which has affected the points.

"I can't say that there is any one single thing missing. this is a full on championship with a lot of competitive cars and very good teams if there was some bit of magic that you chucked in the last bit I'd do it tomorrow."

Jamie Whincup has joined Triple Eight in 2006 as second-driver. Round wins at Adelaide and Bathurst have been the highlight, and Dane is confident he can improve on that in 2007.

"Jamie hasn't been as consistent as we'd like this year but when he's been on the money he's been right on the money," said Dane.

"His two outstanding drives for the season were at Adelaide under big pressure and also at Bathurst under more pressure. His drive at Bathurst was the drive of the race - the way he handled the pressure of driving Craig's car as it were, but he was the one who also took the lead of the race and it put in a really pretty stunning performance.

"He's more than justified his place in the team."

With Betta Electrical going into receivership this year, sponsor funding appears to have been cut to the Gold Coast-based operation. However a lucrative deal with Vodafone for 2007 has seen the team, despite possible adorning a red livery to conflict with Ford blue next year, secure high income for championship next.

Vodafone's sponsorship presence in Australia has been significant. The company was a foundation sponsor of the Port Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League in 1997, national volleyball teams, and is the major sponsor of the English Cricket Squad currently touring the Great South Land for the current Ashes series.

"They're pretty much the biggest sponsor in motor racing in the world now that tobacco money has fallen off the edge and were very proud to have them on board, and it's at least a three year deal," said Dane on the new sponsorship with Vodafone.

"We've also got a number of other sponsors coming on board including Sony Ericsson so we've got some good names there and it reflects well not only on the team but also the championship as a whole."

Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup are expected to run a revised livery this weekend to reflect a new promotion for Vodafone as Betta Electrical is removed from the official Triple Eight livery design. To win the championship Lowndes must beat Rick Kelly but eight points from the round - a scenario that can be achieved if he finishes ahead of him in each race.