WPS Racing was an Australian motor racing team that competed in Australian

V8 Supercar The Supercars Championship, also known as the Repco Supercars Championship under sponsorship and historically as V8 Supercars, is a touring car racing category in Australia and New Zealand, running as an International Series under Fédération I ...

racing between

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...

and

2007 2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year. Events January * January 1 **Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...

. It was owned by

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

businessman

Craig Gore Craig Gore is an entrepreneur from Sydney, Australia. Biography Craig Kirrin Gore was born in Fairfield, New South Wales on 7 January 1967. He is the son of Sanctuary Cove Developer Mike Gore. Gore spent his early life in the western suburb ...

and sponsored by his Wright Patton Shakespeare company.

History

In 2003, Wright Patton Shakespeare entered

V8 Supercars The Supercars Championship, also known as the Repco Supercars Championship under sponsorship and historically as V8 Supercars, is a touring car racing category in Australia and New Zealand, running as an International Series under Fédération I ...

as a sponsor of

Mark Noske Mark Anthony Noske (born 25 July 1975) is a former Australian racing car driver. He has scored round wins in various Australian championships including the Australian Drivers' Championship, the Australian Formula Ford Championship and the Au ...

’s Ford Falcon AU for the last three events of the season. In 2004, Gore purchased two Ford Falcon BAs, a transporter and associated equipment from the defunct 00 Motorsport team as well as the car and equipment (which was also ex 00 Motorsport) that Noske had used in 2003. The team initially ran one car with Noske and

David Besnard David John Besnard (born 21 January 1977 in Sydney, Australia) is a retired professional racing driver. Career history Starting in karts in 1991, he quickly proceeded into Formula Ford in 1995. After initial success, he had a major accident at ...

sharing the driving duties under a Level 2 franchise leased from Lansvale Racing Team. The second car was entered from Round 4 following the purchase of a Level 2 franchise from David Thexton. It also raced the ex Noske AU in the non-championship Konica race at Bathurst for Neil McFadyen. Noske left the team before the end of the year with

Craig Baird Craig George Baird (born 22 July 1970) is a New Zealand former racing driver who now is the driving standards observer for the Australians, Australian Supercars Championship. Honours In the 2010 New Year Honours (New Zealand), 2010 New Year ...

joining in

2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...

, WPS also purchased two Level 1 licences from

Perkins Engineering Perkins Engineering was a team contesting the Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series, operating as an active racing team between 1986 and 2008. From 2009 onwards, the involvement of Perkins Engineering in the championship was wound back i ...

. In

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

, WPS Racing 'merged' with Larkham Motor Sport, with

Mark Larkham Mark Andrew "Larko" Larkham (born 29 December 1963 in Griffith) is a retired Australian racing driver, former racing team owner and television commentator. Open wheelers Mark Larkham's first impressions on the national racing spotlight was fin ...

joining as team manager, Jason Bargwanna and Orrcon Steel also transferring. Max Wilson drove the second car. In October 2007, Craig Gore was involved in a helicopter accident which caused considerable damage to his inner ear. On medical advice he had been told to avoid any sources of loud noises, thus stopping him from attending V8 Supercar events. Attempts were made to sell the team as a going concern in late 2007 and early 2008 were not successful and it closed in February 2008.

Controversy

In the 2004 Tasmanian Round warm-up session, both cars were black-flagged for having the slogan "No money from Ford" on top of the windscreen. This slogan was deemed unsportsmanlike in the V8 Supercar series. The slogan was to highlight Craig Gore dissatisfaction with Ford, who refused to provide financial assistance.Plains-talking Gore complains of cover-up
''Sydney Morning Herald'' 16 November 2004 Craig Gore's team went on to win a race in the first year at this event, the race win was objected by a number of teams but later granted to Besnard.

Drivers

References

{{Reflist, 2 Australian auto racing teams Sports clubs and teams in Queensland Auto racing teams established in 2004 Supercars Championship teams 2004 establishments in Australia Auto racing teams disestablished in 2008 2008 disestablishments in Australia