In what would have been his home round of the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series at Wakefield Park on the weekend, Ashley Cooper’s friends and family put in a gallant effort to raise $17,533.20 in public donations for the Ashley Cooper Foundation.

And to top it off Fujitsu General have matched the amount dollar for dollar, meaning the Fujitsu Series weekend raised an incredible $35,066.40 to help support Ashley Cooper’s partner Casey and their two children Ella and Bailey.

The Cooper family were truly touched by Fujitsu General’s generous offer and the Foundation was suddenly overwhelmed with offers from the public wishing to be volunteers and pledging donations to the foundation that was set up by Transplant Australia.

Ashley donated his organs following his fatal accident at the Clipsal 500 in February, saving the lives of six other people including a young girl.

The emotional weekend at Wakefield Park gave those close to Ashley the chance to reflect and grieve their loss with the racing community in a moving tribute lead by Chaplin Richard Cormack before the start of the final race.

The front of the grid was left empty and in its place stood Ashley’s family, friends and team-mates in a fitting farewell to the sport that Ashley had loved and lived for.

Highly respected amongst his motor racing peers, Ashley’s colleagues drove the warm-up lap with their headlights on as a mark of respect.

At the time of his death, 27-year-old Ashley Cooper lived life away from the race track with equal passion and drive. Inspired to reach his full potential in every aspect of his life, Ashley was a successful businessman, community role model, committed partner, father of two young children and fun loving man.

The Ashley Cooper Foundation was subsequently formed by Transplant Australia with the aim of raising enough funds to ensure the future for Ashley’s partner and their two children.

The Ashley Cooper Foundation would like to thank the small country town of Goulburn for their big hearted generosity.

Details about the foundation can be found here

In case you thought the events at the Melbourne Grand Prix were a one off, V8 Supercars this week announced that the L&H Philip Island 500 will have a new format. Rather than the traditional 500 race on the Sunday only for the first time in the history of the endurance event, two individual races will be held on Saturday with each co-driver contesting one or the other. Teams will decide which driver competes in which race but their identity will not be known until all teams have nominated their drivers.

Adding to the intrigue will be that each car is required to complete one compulsory pit stop for a tyre change in either of the two races. Again the teams will make their own decision in which race they choose to change tyres.

“It’s an innovation that will lead to the ultimate in strategy and it will be intriguing to see what teams choose to do,� said Shane Howard, V8 Supercars Australia General Manager of Events and Motorsport.

“There will be some eagle eyes in pit lane for the first race to see who they are lining up against and then when each team chooses to pit. For the fans it will be sensational.�

The first two races are short, 15-lap sprints. They will count for only one third of the points on offer for the weekend but will decide the composition of the grid for Sunday’s famous L&H 500 which is being held at the World class Phillip Island circuit for the first time.

“While we are adding the two short Saturday races the Sunday L&H 500 remains the emphasis of the weekend and the winner of the L&H 500 will be the car that crosses the line first on Sunday,� Mr Howard said.

“But the Saturday races set the all-important grid, decide pole position and count for Championship points so in their own right will be integral parts of the L&H 500 and the Championship picture.�

V8 Supercars Australia is delighted to announce the successful amalgamation of the two boards previously charged with managing the sport after a majority vote by the 17 competing teams on the Gold Coast today.

The amalgamation will merge the boards of V8 Supercars Australia and the Touring Car Entrants Group (TEGA) into one entity to provide for a streamlined business structure that will guide the sport well into the next decade.

It will also mean that the Racing Entitlements Contract will replace the Team’s Licence Agreement to ensure a long term financial blueprint for the sport and increased stability moving forward. This agreement is a stakeholders document agreed to by all competing teams.

The team vote today was overwhelmingly in support of the amalgamation and the associated changes to the business structure following seven months of extensive work by an amalgamation committee chaired by eminent South Australian businessman Roger Cook.

It will result almost immediately in a board compromising four team representatives, two representing of Sports Entertainment Limited (SEL) and two independent directors.

“After 11 and a half years this is another exciting development in the history of V8 Supercars Australia,� Chairman Tony Cochrane announced today.

“The business has never been in better financial shape underpinned by record numbers across all income categories. This will really enable the business to move in a very progressive way to the next level.�

Previously the two boards had individual responsibilities and made decisions in those areas. Now one united board will oversee the entire business of managing, running and staging the V8 Supercar Championship Series across Australia, New Zealand and internationally.

Mr Cochrane also announced that he would stand for the Chairmanship of the new board.

“It is now my intention to stand for Chairman of the amalgamated board at the first meeting in April for an appointment spanning the next three years,� Mr Cochrane said.

“V8 Supercars Australia is in a tremendous growth phase and I, along with the team owners and stakeholders, look forward to a very exciting period in the next phase of our great sport.�

picture courtesy of Mark Horsburgh

The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) confirmed V8 Supercar driver Ashley Cooper passed away in Royal Adelaide hospital today.

Cooper, 27, of Ulladulla in NSW, died following a crash in last Saturday's Fujitsu development series race at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide.

An experienced motor racing competitor, Cooper was critically injured when his vehicle impacted with a safety barrier at the exit of a corner at speeds of more than 200kph.

A spokeswoman from Royal Adelaide Hospital said Mr Cooper had died about 1pm surrounded by family members.

Cooper was quickly attended to trackside by the event's senior medical personnel and subsequently transported to the Royal Adelaide Hospital by ambulance.

CAMS President, Colin Osborne, said that Cooper's passing was something that would be felt by the entire Australian motor sport community.

"Firstly our thoughts and sympathies go to Ashley's family and friends, particularly his wife Casey and two children and parents Alan and Maree," said Osborne.

"It is always a very sad day when any member of the motor sport community is taken from us.

"The motor racing community involves a close knit group of competitors and officials and I know that everyone will be feeling the loss of Ashley.

"CAMS will conduct its own full independent investigation to determine the circumstances leading to the incident.

"In the mean time, CAMS and event officials are working with the relevant civil authorities to assist with their investigations."

CAMS chief executive Graham Fountain said the family had been offered counselling and support services.

V8 Supercars Australia chief executive Wayne Cattach is due to hold a press conference on the Gold Coast.

CAMS will provide further details on Cooper's funeral arrangements when they become available.

Media statement on Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series driver Ashley Cooper : -

Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series driver Ashley Cooper was critically injured after an accident at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide today.

Cooper’s vehicle left the racing line on lap 11 of the second and final race of the weekend and impacted a safety barrier on the left hand side. He was attended to trackside by the Chief Medical Officer of the event Dr Roger Capps and V8 Supercars Australia medical officer Dr Carl Lee.

Cooper was immediately transported to Royal Adelaide Hospital by ambulance. His father Alan and mother Marie (spelling not certain) mother were in attendance at the hospital. V8 Supercar chaplain Garry Coleman was with members of the family.

His injuries are believed to be severe internal injuries and severe head trauma. He is undergoing continued treatment at the Royal Adelaide hospital.

As a group we will do absolutely everything we can to support them at this time.

We ask that all members of the media respect the privacy of the family and do not contact them at this time.

We will advise the media of any change to this situation as it becomes known.

Regardless of the outcome of this unfortunate incident a full and thorough inquiry into the accident will be conducted and led by CAMS.

The Age has reported that Supercar boss Tony Cochrane has forecast a reduction in the number of cars in the V8 championship.

Cochrane believes the regular season fields should be cut by up to six cars.

But he says more vehicles could be added to the grid for the two endurance races, at Bathurst and Phillip Island.

"I think the time has come for us to once again seriously review trying to maintain 32 cars," Cochrane said.

"I don't know the magic number but I think probably 26, 28 cars should be in the main game.

"Then what we should do is have a system for the enduros where we can add the top six or top eight or top 10 development series cars and give them a financial incentive to be involved in those two events."

He said he had no preference for team composition.

"I don't mind how it's made up.

"From my personal point of view I don't care whether it's 14 two-car teams or whether it's 28 on-car teams.

"I have no issue with single car teams, I think some of them do a very good job."

However Cochrane believes teams should be limited to no more than four cars.

"I don't actually have a problem with somebody owning four cars, to be honest," he said.

"I wouldn't want any more than that - six or eight cars in 32 cars and you're starting to monopolise the business.

"The board may have a different opinion. I know some team owners have a very different opinion to me on that, some are like me, they really wouldn't mind."

The issue will be discussed at the Supercar board meeting in Adelaide on February 20.

Cochrane's position within the organisation is also likely to be clarified then.

There was speculation last year that Cochrane's job as chairman was under threat.

He was last month re-appointed as interim chairman until this month's meeting in Adelaide as the organisation has plans to streamline its structure, combining two bodies running the sport into one.

"We didn't want to make a permanent appointment - it doesn't matter who it was ... because we'll have a brand new structure in place by February 20," Cochrane said.

He said he would stand for the position of chairman of the new organisation but added: "I would doubt that I'd want to take it on for more than two or three years."