Stig Lands Down Under

The Age

Saturday October 11, 2008

Barry Park

Some say his heart beats with the same rumble as a V8 Supercars engine.

Others say he's packed on a bit of weight since jumping off the plane from Britain. All we know is he's called the Stig's Australian cousin.

Speculation is rife over the identity of the unnamed white-suited driver who doesn't speak, never removes his helmet and whose single purpose is to drive Top Gear

Australia's cars on a timed power lap around the Camden airfield, about 70 kilometres south-west of Sydney.

Australian Stig faces a few more challenges than his British counterpart.

Unlike the abandoned airfield used in the British series, Camden is a working air hub.

Both Australian episodes shown so far have had moving light aircraft in the background during the Stig's power lap, a distraction absent from the old country's version.

In Britain, the "star in a reasonably priced car" segment in the last series to air took to the track in a Chevrolet Lacetti, sold in Australia as the Holden Viva.

Here, the "star in a bog standard car" segment involves celebrities, including actor Vince Colosimo, steering around in a Proton Satria Neo.

And where the British version uses a 2.8-kilometre track, the Australian version is a much shorter, tighter and more technically challenging 2.05 kilometres.

But it's the name behind the lap times that has online chat rooms buzzing.

Various suggestions include former V8 Supercars driver Jim Richards, one-time MotoGP rider Wayne Gardner and rally car specialists Rick and Neal Bates.

However, most speculation seems to favour Holden Racing Team driver Mark Skaife.

In all likelihood, the identity of Australian Stig will remain as obscure as the British version's. -- BARRY PARK

© 2008 The Age

Back to News Index | Back to Home