Pitstop: Kiwi schoolgirl rubs salt in Aussie wounds

Pukekohe schoolgirl Katherine Prumm completed the treble of New Zealand women's successes against Australia last weekend when she blitzed the opposition in the Australian women's motocross championships in Victoria.

Following the example of the netballers and hockey players, the 17-year-old made light of the slushy track at Horsham to win all four races over the two days.

So dominant was Prumm that she lapped the entire field in one race.

Murray to race in Nevada

Palmerston North driver Sam Murray will be heading to the United States next month to compete in Rally USA in Nevada.

The 27-year-old, who won the rookie award in the national championship last year, received confirmation of the opportunity this week and rushed his Subaru Impreza on to a ship leaving Tauranga.

His regular co-driver, Rob Ryan, was unable to make the trip and Murray will be accompanied by a former navigator, Anton Cheetham.

Subaru quits

Subaru will pull out of rallying in Australia at the end of the season, citing the death of Possum Bourne as a factor.

The works team won its 10th successive drivers' championship with Cody Crocker at the Bathurst round of the championship. Subaru Rally Team Australia has also won eight of the last 10 manufacturers' championships, the last six in a row.

Bourne, who was instrumental in the formation of the team, won seven straight championships from 1996 to 2002 while Crocker has won the last three.

Subaru managing director Nick Senior said the company had achieved all its objectives in rallying and intended to change its focus to events on tarmac, reflecting the interests of its customer base. The tragic death of Bourne in a road accident in New Zealand had been a factor.

"Possum was the driving force in more ways than one," said Senior. "He was an inspirational team leader, a seven-time champion but probably his greatest gift was his larger-than-life character and his love of the sport that encouraged many competitors and enthusiasts ... rallying overall has never really recovered from his loss."

Subaru drivers Crocker and Dean Herridge finished first and second in the Australian rally championship after dominating at Bathurst in cars prepared by Possum Bourne Motorsport.

Crocker took the Bathurst title, winning both heats in a superb display that saw him win all but four of the 17 stages contested.

Weel steps down

Paul Weel, Greg Murphy's teammate in the Australian V8 Supercar championship, will step down from fulltime driving at the end of the season.

Weel says the demands of his business must come first and the team will sign another driver for the 2006 season.

Atlanta disappointment

Tony Stewart finished only ninth at the Atlanta round of the Nascar Chase for the Championship but he has extended his lead to 43 points with three rounds to go.

Second-placed Jimmie Johnson was 16th and holds a 32-point advantage over Greg Biffle in third place.

Winner at Atlanta, for the second time this season, was Carl Edwards, who is fourth in the Chase standings. Defending champion Kurt Busch is ninth, 260 points behind Stewart.

Dixon for ironman

Scott Dixon may be off the track for the moment with the end of the IRL season but he is far from idle.

The super-fit Kiwi is training for a mini-ironman triathlon to be run at Miami next Monday.

The event is made up of a 1.9km swim, 90km cycle and 20km run.

Coulthard at Pukekohe

Aucklanders will have the chance this weekend to check out the form of local boy Fabian Coulthard, who has a commanding lead in the Australian Carrera Cup Porsche series.

Coulthard, a former New Zealand Formula Ford champion, will drive a GT-3 at Pukekohe in a field including last season's champion, Craig Baird.

In other races during the season the car will be driven by Jim Richards and Matt Halliday.

Locals fire up V8 utes

Chris Pither, John McIntyre and Wade Henshaw are confirmed local drivers when the Aussie V8 utes come to Manfeild on February 4-5.

The organisers intend to have a New Zealand and an Australian driver in each vehicle and they are inviting applications.

Australian drivers include James Brock, son of Peter, Bathurst winner Allan Grice, James Moffat, son of four-time Bathurst winner Allan Moffat, league star Jack Elsegood, former Auscar champion Kim Jayne and Danish driver Allan Simonsen.

Fastest lap

He came. He saw. He went home. American teenager CR Crews, originally named as an overseas entry, flew to New Zealand for the Toyota single-seater series, but was unable to come to terms with the car owner and won't be racing.