THE two biggest Holden teams in V8 Supercars racing were almost tossed out of the sport yesterday.

The championship-winning Toll-HSV Dealer team and the factory-backed Holden Racing Team both had their race licences threatened as the result of an ongoing dispute over their ownership and control.

Only a last-minute meeting between the team owners and the Touring Car Entrants Group of Australia in Sydney avoided the action.

"We don't have any issues running forward," TEGA chairman Kelvin O'Reilly said after yesterday's meeting.

"I wouldn't put too much emphasis on the meeting. It is ongoing work to ensure the compliance with our licence agreement."

The dispute is rooted in the operation of the two teams, which share many resources and were formerly part of the TWR motor sport empire based in Britain and owned by one-time Arrows F1 team owner Tom Walkinshaw.

When TWR collapsed, as a result of Arrows' debts, the teams were bought by GM Holden in a hurried bail-out before being sold on to Mark Skaife and John and Margaret Kelly, Mildura businesspeople and parents of race drivers Rick and Todd Kelly. Skaife took control of HRT and the Kellys got what has become the Toll-HSV operation.

But Walkinshaw held on to his Holden Special Vehicles' operation in Australia and leased part of its Clayton site to the race teams.

He also began rebuilding his Australian motor sport empire last year, buying the company that builds Commodore race cars and components for a number of teams, including HRT and Toll-HSV, and contracting himself and his company's executives to the two race teams.

Walkinshaw was also behind the controversial decision to switch drivers between HRT and Toll-HSV for the Sandown and Bathurst endurance classics last year, partnering Skaife with Garth Tander and Rick Kelly with Todd for Sandown and Bathurst, a move which - although legal - angered TEGA and most of the V8 Supercars teams.

Walkinshaw's involvement with HRT and Toll-HSV, and other links between the two teams, led TEGA to classify them as a single racing operation in a move that cut their racetrack test time.

It went further with a full-scale investigation into the ownership and control of the teams, which eventually led to a TEGA demand for full disclosure and the cancellation threat on Friday.

"Some of the things we had seen needed to be adjusted," O'Reilly said.

But he said the investigation was now finished and TEGA was happy to have the two teams in this year's V8 Supercars championship.

Neither Mark Skaife or John Kelly, who were at the meeting in Sydney, could be contacted last night for comment.

Wonder how much money was dished out under the table....

bugger, was hoping for it to take longer than this and hopefully delay their season.

ah well. lets cut the s**t and get on with racing.

Everyone knows it's one big happy team but no one is game to take them on. It leaves a nasty taste in the mouth.

Just saw the latest news report on it and it says that The governing bodies are satisfied the the evidence given to them proving separate ownership of both teams is proof enuff to allow them to race.( Here you go fellas $1m Handshake, can we race now PLEASE!!!!!) F U Tom Walkinshaw.

its all well and good for these two teams to carry on like they do when only one team is competitive or challenging for titles during the year. last year hrt had a shocker while hsvdt were up the front. i think if both teams were challenging for championship rights they wouldn't be so willing to jump in and out of each other's pockets.

HRT only had a shocker as far as results go. They had some bad luck and some uncharacteristic mechanical problems but their speed was scary. They'll be up the front this year, no doubt.

yes that is true. hrt had good car speed. what i'm saying is if skaife was also challenging for the title he would not be getting involved trying to help someone else win it. same with t.kelly. they were no hope last year so they could sacrifice their own race. same with technical sharing between the teams. will they do it if both teams are near the top.

i understand hrt are not totally out of the woods yet, but given the size and popularity of the team i can't see any action being taken.

they'll probably release a statement saying the team is now owned by tony cochraine and they can do what they like in future. private testing at woomera is now allowed without getting another team to do it for you.

The Mark Skaife 10 year ownership agreement was the biggest joke I've ever heard. It was an agreement between Skaife and Holden who bought HRT when Tom Wilkinshaw went belly up. Now you cant own something for 10 years then it's not yours any more, thats called a lease and the company leasing the franchise out was/is Holden, and TEGA rules state the Car Manufactureres are forbidden from owning teams.

There all a bunch of championship stealing car punting/blocking dirty F$#kers.

does any1 know whats going on with this?? i found this today


February 23, 2007 V8 authorities will determine today if HRT - and drivers Mark Skaife and Todd Kelly - can take part in next week's opening round of the championship.

Holden is in an ownership dispute with TEGA, the body which controls the V8 teams, and a deadline to supply the necessary paperwork passed yesterday without resolution.

The Toll HSV Dealer team has been cleared to race but members of the TEGA inquiry are believed to be pressing for HRT's expulsion from the championship.

sounds good to me

alas id rather toll be under more investigation tho

hrt site has old news on it. no updates since 22nd when they've been asked to provide documentation. tega has been satisfied verbally but asked both teams to provide documents to confirm which hsvdt have done but for some reason hrt have not. i would think mainly because such documents don't exist. maybe they think they are above it all and it will blow over. not sure banning the drivers is punishment to suit the crime but if a breach of rules has been committed then there needs to be a consequence.

I'm also wondering what's going on, the report on the 20th cleared them both, but the 22nd it says Toll have been cleared but HRT haven't.

If this is the case, HRT has broken the rules since Skaife supposedly bought the team, if they can't produce the paper work then they have something to hide.

This is a story from fox sport news on the 23rd:

D-Day for Holden teams
By Ray Kershler
February 23, 2007 V8 authorities will determine today if HRT - and drivers Mark Skaife and Todd Kelly - can take part in next week's opening round of the championship.

Holden is in an ownership dispute with TEGA, the body which controls the V8 teams, and a deadline to supply the necessary paperwork passed yesterday without resolution.

The Toll HSV Dealer team has been cleared to race but members of the TEGA inquiry are believed to be pressing for HRT's expulsion from the championship.

It's not looking good for HRT, but as usual they'll pull some dodgy paper work out of their a*** and cover themselves LOL.