High-level talks organised by Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale appear to have brought peace to the feud between V8 Supercars and Queensland Raceway. Announcing the deal, Cr Pisasale said the event would be staged at Queensland Raceway between April 30 and May 2. V8 Supercars Australia is likely to go ahead and sign the contract, which will provide Queensland Raceway with a one-year lifeline. V8 Supercars acting chief executive Shane Howard has voiced concerns about the ageing circuit at Queensland Raceway. He said if the deal was to be agreed it would only provide a one-year lifeline and ‘some breathing space’ for track management to properly address concerns with the facility.

“Mayor Pisasale has done a great job in getting discussions to this point with his great passion for the region and understanding of the importance this event has for the Ipswich and greater area,” Mr Howard said.

“We stress that this is a short-term fix, not a guarantee that V8 Supercars will host events at Queensland Raceway post-2010.”

Already one of the most economical and low emission vehicles on the road, the Fiat 500 BEV goes one step further and turns the chic Fiat 500 into a zero emission vehicle, but one that with its four seats and clever controls is as practical as it is easy to use.

Fiat says that the 500 BEV is technology test bed for future models and is keeping as quiet as an electric car about what exactly that advanced technology is but, save to say, the 500 BEV provides a clear indication of Fiat’s commitment to environmentally sustainable transport now and in the future.

RACQ members have named safety and the cost of motoring as their top worries in a recent survey. In the wake of the scrapping of the state’s fuel subsidy last year, the cost of fuel was the single biggest concern among more than 1000 RACQ members who participated in the club’s 2009 motoring issues monitor survey. Almost 200 respondents nominated the cost of filling the tank as the motoring issue of most concern – closely followed by 193 nominating road safety.

The scrapping of Queensland’s fuel subsidy by the State Government last year added more than nine cents a litre to fuel taxes and increased car registration fees by up to 22 percent. Drink driving was the number one road safety concern of RACQ members in 2009, with 97 percent indicating it was an important or very important issue.

Running a close second with 93 percent was unsafe road conditions, followed by excessive speed and hooning (each 90 percent). Concerns over the impact of cars on the environment has slipped down the list since the survey was done in 2008. Environmental issues received only eight nominations as the most pressing issue for drivers.  The drop in concern over climate change went from 54 percent in 2008 to 38 percent last year. But more than three-quarters of RACQ member respondents to the survey want their club to play a role in tackling the impact of motoring on the environment. The survey was done by members in December, find out more at www.racq.com.au