Kiwi drivers in the hunt for season opener
18/3/2004 19:54 (Press Release) -
The Kiwi contingent face a daunting baptism when the 2004 V8 Supercar season roars into life around the streets of Adelaide this weekend.
The annual Clipsal 500 street race attracts the biggest spectator numbers of the season with up to 200,000 spectators producing high octane atmosphere, while high temperatures and expectation present a significant test to drivers.
Defending champion Marcos Ambrose gave Ford their first championship since 1997, with the Kiwi owned Stone Brothers Racing the team to beat in 2004. They made their winning start at Adelaide last year with victory in the first of the 250km races.
They were also embroiled in controversy with their No 2 driver Russell Ingall was penalised after ending the hopes of New Zealand’s Greg Murphy when the Kmart Holden driver was in a strong position.
It was not Ingall’s only skirmish, and there is certainly no love lost between the Form man and 2002 series champion Mark Skaife after their much-publicised on-track incident in the season finale at Eastern Creek.
The Stone Brothers led the Ford charge last year with Craig Lowndes and Kiwi Paul Radisich the only other Ford drivers in the top 10.
Radisich is tipped to be a real contender this season in the Betta Electrical Ford, based by Triple Eight Racing Team. The Queensland based team took over during last season, but have won five British Touring Car titles with Vauxhall.
New Zealand’s most successful driver last season was Murphy, who finished runner-up to Ambrose despite several early season dramas including the ownership wrangles and resulting lack of testing days and also his controversial penalty at Winton which was not supported by the television evidence.
The Kmart team are a much happier bunch this season with two full days testing, the total for last season, already under their belts, as well as an excellent debut in the non-championship round at the Australian Grand Prix where Murphy picked up a win.
His Bathurst-winning teammate Rick Kelly faced a tougher time with a hefty repair and some long hours after an incident with nemesis Ingall in Melbourne.
Kiwi Steven Richards enjoyed a strong first half of the season for the Castrol Perkins Commodore team although faded, finally finishing sixth overall.
Perkins is running an ambitious four-car team in this year’s series, with Richards his designated No 1 driver, seeking a serious tilt at the title with a good start at Adelaide.
``There’s no doubt that the Clipsal 500 is the jewel in the V8 Supercar Series crown,’’ Richards said.
``The two 250km races format is the toughest on the calendar and with the traditional great weather in Adelaide, we all know how physically and mentally draining this event can be for drivers and teams alike. It is without question the toughest, most important way to kick start the season.’’
The Kiwi owned Team Dynamik are the only South Australian-based team in the series, and will be looking to build on an encouraging first year in the VY Commodore. While Simon Wills finished 22nd, he enjoyed a number of top-10 finishes. They have replaced fellow New Zealander Jason Richards with ……….. As the No 2 driver and will be looking for more consistency in year two.
Richards has moved to the new Tasman Motorsport team, partly owned by Murphy’s father. He finished 26th last season but earned one podium finish while an incident with Skaife in the rain at Winton cost a maiden victory.
It will also be a busy time for Team Kiwi Racing this weekend, splitting their resources between Craig Baird in the V8 Supercars, Mark Porter in the undercard Konica Minolta V8 series while Andy Booth leads the table for the final round of the New Zealand V8 championship in Taupo.
Five-time series champion Skaife will be looking for an improvement on his third placing last season where he was out of sorts early in the season before finishing strongly in the Holden Racing Team Commodore.
Aside from Australian domiciled Kiwi Jim Richards, the only Kiwi to win the series is Robbie Francevic in 1986 and remains the oldest champion at age 44 years.
There is encouragement that any one of a handful of New Zealanders could be title contenders this year.
There are two 250km races this weekend, one on Saturday and one Sunday.
New Zealand will feature early in the series, hosting the third round at the PlaceMakers V8 International at Pukekohe Park Raceway on April 31 to May 2.
Release Date: 18/03/2004
AVESCO
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