Can Craig Make it Six Wins In a Row? Ipswich 360

Will Craig make it Six in a Row at Ipswich?

CRAIG Lowndes is the hot favourite for a podium finish at this weekend's Coates Hire Ipswich 360. 
The three-time V8 Supercars champion has won the past five races straight in Ipswich, clean-sweeping three races in 2011 and another two last year. 

He's finished in the top two in seven of the past eight races at Queensland Raceway since 2009 and has 11 career race wins at the circuit - more than any other driver. 

The showdown for the 2013 Australian V8 Supercar Championships continues when the Coates Hire Ipswich 360 fires up at Queensland Raceway tomorrow through to Sunday. 

It's shaping up to be an unforgettable weekend of high-octane action as the V8 Supercar stars line up to gain serious points in the championship. 

Petrol heads turned out in their thousands to welcome the V8 Supercar teams as they made a spectacular entrance into town yesterday in the Transporter Parade. 

Fans met their favourite drivers when they made a pit stop at Coates Hire Ipswich store at Churchill. 
But the big event Holden and Ford fans are eagerly awaiting is race 22-24 of the Australian V8 Supercar Championships, which green-lights on Saturday at 3.40pm. 

The next generation of V8 Supercars will take on the new sprint format at the Queensland Raceway, dubbed the Paperclip, for the first time in Queensland. 

Ford flyer Will Davison, who won at Ipswich for the Holden Racing Team in 2009, will be among 26 other drivers vying to defeat Craig Lowndes in his Triple Eight Commodore who has taken five victories in a row at the circuit. 

Davison said the unpredictable performance variations brought to the category by Car of the Future, the all soft-tyre sprint-race format of the Coates Hire Ipswich 360 and a limited 20-tyre bank were signs that Lowndes may be beatable. 

"I am expecting quite a lot of competitive cars there," he said. 

"Having a car that is good on the tyres in the 100km races on the Sunday is crucial. I think it will be really interesting to see whether we pit or not. 

"We have obviously gone through a lot of different strategy options … and we have a very limited tyre bank so how you manage those tyres will be interesting." 

Davison has scored 1376 points in the 2013 championship. He trails leader Jamie Whincup (Red Bull Racing Australia Holden Commodore VF) by 215 points and Lowndes (Red Bull) by 104. 

After a strong 2-4 Townsville result, Davison's teammate, Mark Winterbottom, has jumped into fourth in the championship on 1337 after earning the most points of anyone in the field at the Sucrogen Townsville 400. 
There are 300 points up for grabs this weekend across the three races. Support races will include the Dunlop Series, Touring Car Masters, Formula Ford and Aussie Racing Cars. 

There will be entertainment for the whole family with aerial displays by Australia's top gun, Matt Hall, Team Army shows, Air Force Super Hornet flyover, Shannons auto show, car club displays, Team Bray Racing with their supercharged burn-out machines and the University of Queensland's Formula SAE team. 

Treat the kids to plenty of action on track and off with the new Disney-Pixar Fun Zone, including Mack the transporter, Finding Nemo, Toy Story and Monsters University. Kids 12 and under receive free general admission with a paying adult.

Find and Booking Ipswich Hotel Accommodation at Metro Hotel Ipswich International

Oktoberfest Coming to Ipswich - Postponed till 2014!

Update: Unfortunately due to venue issues, the event has been postponed till 2014!

Oktoberfest began in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of the Bavarian royals King Ludwig I and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Citizens of Munich were invited to join in the festivities and the celebration became an annual event. The city began allowing beer to be served from makeshift stands and by 1896 Oktoberfest had tens of thousands of guests descending upon the event in Munich each year.

It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world's largest fair, with more than 6 million people from around the world attending the event every year. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations, modeled after the original Munich event.

Today, Oktoberfest is the largest, most well known festival in the world and it has finally arrived in Ipswich!
There will be entertainment, music, rides, German dance, drinks and more!

Beer

Beer is a major aspect of Germany's history and culture. Germany is widely recognised as one of the world's greatest beer centres, producing the largest variety of beer styles in the world. Bavaria is Germany's leading beer producing region, and Dortmund, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen), is Germany's largest beer-producing city (producing over 4 million barrels of beer annually).

Now, you have the facts and you know how awesome German beer is, we want to bring the best selection to you at Ipswich Oktoberfest. After all... Oktoberfest wouldn't be the same without it!

Food

Oktoberfest is not just about the beer, it is also about food! The team will bring you a wide range of German food, including the authentic Ochsenbraterei (Oxgrill) cooked in the traditional way, as well as your favourites like pork knuckle and schnitzel. So there really will be something on our menu for everyone, or if you are anything like us you'll want to try a bit of everything.

Where: Limestone Park (Oval D) Griffith Road, Ipswich
When: From 4th to 7th October 2013

• Friday 4th Oct - 4pm to Midnight
• Saturday 5th Oct - 11am to Midnight
• Sunday 6th Oct - 11am to Midnight
• Monday 7th (Public Holiday) Oct - 11am to 6pm

How To Get There: http://www.ipswichoktoberfest.com.au/info.html#.Ud5KdDtHLE0
Official website: http://www.ipswichoktoberfest.com.au/
Entertainment: http://www.ipswichoktoberfest.com.au/entertainment.html#.Ud5GjztHLE0
Tickets: http://www.ipswichoktoberfest.com.au/tickets.html#.Ud5GmjtHLE0

Coming to Ipswich for Oktoberfest? 
Need hotel accommodation in Ipswich?

Metro Hotels Ipswich International offers a convenient location in Ipswich for Oktoberfest. The hotel is only a 4 minute drive or 16 walk to Limestone Park Griffith Road, Ipswich!

Hotel Features: 

• Free on-site car parking
• 100% non-smoking
• 4 ½ star hotel
• Beautifully decorated with state-of-the-art appliances
• Platform 9" a-la-carte Restaurant/Bar 
• Lift access to all floors from Reception 
• Disabled access and facilities
• Minibar

Hotel Location: 43 South Street (Cnr Foote Lane) Ipswich Qld 4305
Website: Metro Hotels Ipswich International


Hotel room discount package:

Sunday / Monday Madness @ Metro Hotels Ipswich International
Metro Hotel Ipswich International is offering this Sunday / Monday Madness accommodation package for $110.00 including:

• One Nights accommodation
• Late check-out of 1.00 pm
• Free Internet
• Details and To Book: http://www.metrohotels.com.au/special/241

Kick-start Financial Year With A Meeting @ Metro Hotel Ipswich International Qld

Metro Hotel Ipswich International is making it simple and affordable for businesses to plan for the new financial year with a competitively priced, all-inclusive conference package.

Priced at just $50 per person per day (normally $59 per person), the new Daily Delegate Special is available for all new bookings made for meetings held between 1 July and 30 September, 2013 (minimum 20 people). 

Complimentary room hire is included in the package ($250 per day for less than 20 people) along with AV equipment – a whiteboard, flip-chart and lectern.

Continuous tea and coffee are included in the package, as well as morning tea with scones, pastries or a fruit selection, a light and healthy working lunch, and homemade cookies, cake or scones for afternoon tea. Hot lunch boxes can be included for an additional fee of $10 per person.

Rated four and a half stars and holding the Green Star Accreditation for environmental sustainability, Metro Hotel Ipswich International is a well-established and highly regarded conference and accommodation venue experienced in dealing with a wide range of events, from small business meetings to large overnight conferences.

With 97 rooms, seven conference rooms of different sizes and styles and an exclusive fine-dining restaurant, Metro Hotel Ipswich International provides everything necessary to host the perfect corporate event. Catering is provided through the hotel’s signature restaurant Platform 9, which can cater for any number of guests, budgets and specific dietary requirements.

For team-building activities, Ipswich provides the ideal location outside of the busy high-rise areas of Brisbane and the Gold Coast, with its surrounding hinterland offering endless opportunities to push and develop a team. Options range from a gentle exploration of Queensland’s oldest provincial city with architecture dating back to the early 1800's to local high-adrenalin events.

For those who like to combine business with leisure pursuits, try teeing off on the Greg Norman-designed Brookwater Golf Club or touring the spectacular local vineyards and cellar doors. For the more adventurous, there is bushwalking, canoeing, hot air ballooning, fishing or sky diving – staff at the hotel can help advise which local tourism options most suit your needs.

To enquire about the new Daily Delegate Special or to discuss your next meeting requirements, contact Metro Hotel Ipswich International Functions Coordinator Kimberley Gent on (07) 3812 8077 or email eventsipswich@metrohg.com

Metro Hotel Ipswich International location: 43 South Street (Cnr Foote Lane) Ipswich Qld 4305