Bright powers to second win at Grand Prix
7/3/2004 14:44 (Press Release) -
PWR Racing’s Jason Bright won his second race of the non-championship race at today’s Australian Grand Prix in an early precursor to the V8 Supercar Championship Series which hits the streets of Adelaide in a fortnight’s time.
Bright was clearly the fastest at Albert Park in his Holden Commodore and led from start to finish today to beat Steven Richards and Garth Tander home in the 10-lap race. Kiwi flier Greg Murphy followed them in with Jason Bargwanna and defending V8 champion Marcos Ambrose the next in.
There is plenty of work ahead for all teams in the next 10 days or so before Adelaide, particularly for former champion Mak Skaife and young Kmart Racing team Rick Kelly who both sustained severe damage to their Holdens in accidents yesterday and today.
Skaife ran straight into the sideways Holden of Team Dymanik Simon Wills on the first lap today sustaining severe damage to the front of the car while Kelly had a coming together with Russell Ingall in the second race resulting in an estimated $50,000 in damage to the car.
Bright managed to steer clear of the spectacular racing by leading from start to finish. It was the second time he had won two races in the V8 Supercar warm-up events at the Grand Prix.
“I drove pretty hard all race without doing anything stupid,” Bright said.
“What we were looking at here wasn’t so much the tighter corners but how we perform through the faster corners. I’d like to think we’ve got more to come than we showed here.
“The car seems to be coming into its’ own over the long distances. We will take some things from here that will apply to circuits such as Eastern Creek, Bathurst and Phillip Island later in the year.”
Tander, who has teamed up with Cameron McConville for Garry Rodger’s Motorsport, is optimistic about the season opener in Adelaide when the racing will lift another notch.
“All weekend the car got better. We are focussed on doing a good job this year and there’s no reason we shouldn’t,” he said.
“I don’t want to make any bold predictions but we are getting through a lot of development work. We hope to have both cars in the top 10 at every race and at least one in the top five.”
Richards will be a man everyone is wary of this season. He has quietly been around the head of the field all this weekend and hopes it will carry through to the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide.
“These events are good to have to make the changes you need before a season. I’m sure some of the things we have done here will translate through to Adelaide.”
Jason Bargwanna and defending champion Marcos Ambrose led a Ford fightback in the final race. Bargwanna came in fifth while Ambrose worked his way from the back of the field into sixth place with the most impressive drive of the three races.
It had been all Holden until today when Ambrose, Russell Ingall and Craig Lowndes all made statements.
The top 10 finishers in race three:
1. Jason Bright PWR Racing Commodore
2. Steven Richards Castrol Perkins Racing Commodore
3. Garth Tander Garry Rodgers Motorsport Commodore
4. Greg Murphy Kmart Racing Commodore
5. Jason Bargwanna Larkham Motorsport Ford
6. Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford
7. Steven Johnson Shell Helix Racing Ford
8. Paul Weel PWR Racing Commodore
9. Steve Ellery Super Cheap Auto Racing Ford
10. Russell Ingall Stone Brothers Racing Ford
Release Date: 7/03/2004
AVESCO
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