A door closes for Casey Stoner
TEAM owner Roland Dane yesterday squashed rumours Casey Stoner was joining the Vodafone V8 Supercars stable next year.
TEAM owner Roland Dane yesterday squashed rumours Casey Stoner was joining the Vodafone V8 Supercars stable next year.
Dane said he would be cheering the two-time world MotoGP champion on at Victoria's Phillip Island this weekend, but reports he would join his V8 team were "way off the mark", Dane told The Australian yesterday.
He had invited Stoner for a test drive in the lead-up to the Telstra 500 at Homebush last December, where he did well.
"But as regards to his future plans after announcing his retirement from MotoGP, only he can answer that," Dane said.
"Right now, I've got to prepare my drivers and team for the next round of the V8s at Abu Dhabi.
"As for him wanting a drive with some other V8 team, that would be up to Casey and his team to decide."
Dane said Stoner was young enough to make the switch to sedan driving.
"John Surtees made the switch to racing formula one, but that was in a different era," he said.
"Johnny Cecotto also successfully made the switch from racing motorbikes to F1 and back to touring cars in Europe.
"Closer to home, Wayne Gardner made a reasonable fist of a second career after he retired from racing motorbikes.
"I can't see why Casey couldn't do the same if someone gave him the opportunity."
But Dane yesterday closed the door on Stoner, 27, confirming he had no plans to add a third Commodore next year alongside series leader Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes as Nissan and Mercedes-Benz join the V8s on the grid.
"I can confirm there are no driver openings anywhere at Team Vodafone next year."