Grapevine: Power wins top Australian award

Power, who is still in the United States preparing for next season's Champ Car World Series, sent messages of thanks to the dinner, stating: "It is such an honour to receive this award with Sir Jack Brabham's name on it.

"I have to thank the CAMS Board for their nomination as well as my team, Team Australia, because without them earning this award would not be possible.

"As an Australian driver you are always aware of the absolutely amazing things Sir Jack accomplished in his career. He is a true legend of Australian sport and world motorsport.

"I really have to thank Craig Gore and Derrick Walker for the opportunity to race for such a great team in this fantastic open-wheel championship, the Champ Car World Series."

The Sir Jack Brabham Award is for outstanding achievement by an Australian in international competition. Last year the award went to Cody Crocker and Ben Atkinson for winning the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship.

For 2007, the Board of the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) selected Will Power to be the recipient of the Award in recognition of his year in the Champ Car World Series with Team Australia, in which he won two races and took five pole positions and finished fourth in the championship.

By winning the season opener in Las Vegas in April, he became the first Australian driver to win a Champ Car event.

Sir Jack Brabham was the first driver in history to be knighted for his services to motorsport and the first Australian to win the Formula One World Championship.

The triple F1 world champion is the only Formula One driver to have won a world title in a car of his own construction - the BT19 - which he drove to victory in 1966.

Craig Gore, who co-owns Team Australia with Derrick Walker said: "Will has come a long way as a driver this year, worked very hard and deserves a lot of credit for what he has achieved," said Gore.

"He is very honoured to receive this award that carries the name of the legendary Sir Jack Brabham, because there is no bigger name in Australian motorsport than Sir Jack.

"Will thoroughly deserves this award for all his hard work."