JANUARY 18, 2009

Aussie V8s wants Villeneuve

The Super Cheap Auto Racing Team, the Queensland-based team run by Paul Morris, is trying to sign Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve to race one of its Holden Commodores alongside Russell Ingall in the V8 Supercar Series. Villeneuve had ambitions of making name for himself in NASCAR but it was impossible to find backing for this year and Villeneuve has agreed to race in the Speedcar Series this year in the Middle East.

Paul Morris, the son of wealthy Queensland businessman Terry Morris, who has diverse business interests, including property development, manufacturing, information technology, tourism, venture capital and direct marketing, entered the V8 Supercar Series with his own team in 2000 and won the team's first race a year later. The team then landed sponsorship from the Morris Family wine business Sirromet but for 2008 the team changed its name to Supercheap Auto Racing as a result of a major sponsorship deal with SuperCheap Auto, a successful Queensland automotive accessory business, which is not listed on the Australian stock exchange.