MIRROR IMAGE RESULT IN AUSTRALIAN CARRERA CUP
20/3/2004 20:16 (Press Release) -
It was almost a case of déjà vu in today’s race two of the Carrera Cup at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide, with a repeat of yesterday’s top four placings and another spectacular exit at the Gillette Sweeper.
Race one winner Alex Davison (Greg Murphy Racing / Glenfords Tool Centre) made it two from two, but runner-up Jim Richards (Jim Richards Racing / OAMPS Insurance Brokers) made up enough ground on the 24-year-old Melbournian to suggest that he will be hard to hold out in tomorrow’s final 12-lap all-Porsche race.
The stage was set on turn four of the first lap after Richards hit the lead at the start. Davison made a move on the inside of Richards with fast-starter Fabian Coulthard (Greg Murphy Racing / Team Braun) attempting to go around the outside of both cars.
As all drivers stated post-race “three-into-one doesn’t go”, side contact forced Richards and Coulthard wide with both dropping a couple of places in the process. This incident gave Davison some breathing space out front but the ever-determined Richards didn’t let that last long.
By the finish, Davison held on by half a second from Richards with Coulthard also making up numerous places to claim third, including a nice passing manoeuvre on the experienced Peter Fitzgerald (Fitzgerald Racing / Acer, SEW Eurodrive) with three laps to go.
“I was struggling a bit towards the end of the race,” said Davison. “I was purposely cautious under the yellow flag, and Jim made up a bit of ground there, but I just haven’t hit the sweet spot yet especially with my shock absorbers.”
Fitzgerald stayed on Coulthard’s tail for fourth with a nine second gap back to another Kiwi star-in-the-making James Cressey (Team VIP Petfoods). Cressey, the world’s youngest ever Formula Ford national champion at 14, improved two places on yesterday’s result but had to work hard to fend off team-mate Tony Quinn (Team VIP Petfoods) with Dean Grant (Becks Racing) holding onto seventh.
“I didn’t pass as many people today,” said Cressey. “It’s all a bit of a learning curve at the moment, and I got a bit unsettled during the race. What I was happy with was the fact that my lap times are becoming more consistent.”
Today’s Fuchs Hard Charger was Gold Coast 21-year-old Klark Quinn (Team VIP Petfoods) who made up eight places from the rear of the grid to place eighth.
New Zealand’s Ross Rutherford (International Motorsport NZ / Woodstock Bourbon) was another to improve in his first Adelaide street circuit outing, with ninth place followed by Melbourne’s Peter Hill (Greg Murphy Racing / Team Braun).
The only casualty from today’s race was Rodney Jane (Rodney Jane Racing / Bob Jane T-Marts) who was another victim of the wall at the Gillette Sweeper – the same spot of yesterday’s Matt Coleman crash.
Race three of the Carrera Cup at the Clipsal 500 (Round One) will be held tomorrow, Sunday March 21 at 11.35am, over 12 laps of the 3.22km street circuit. ‘Trackside’ on Network Ten will telecast round one of the Carrera Cup on Sunday March 28 at 2pm (check local guides).
The Carrera Cup is the most successful ‘one make’ championship in the world with close-to-identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars built by Porsche’ racing arm in Weissach, Germany racing at the Clipsal 500. All cars have a top speed in excess of 300 kilometres per hour with a 400-horsepower, 6 cylinder Boxer engine which revs to 8000 RPM.
RESULTS
Race 2, Saturday March 20
1. Alex Davison (Greg Murphy Racing / Glenfords Tool Centre) 12 laps
2. Jim Richards (Jim Richards Racing / OAMPS Insurance Brokers) 12 laps
3. Fabian Coulthard (Greg Murphy Racing / Team Braun) 12 laps
4. Peter Fitzgerald (Fitzgerald Racing / Acer, SEW Eurodrive) 12 laps
5. James Cressey (Team VIP Petfoods) 12 laps
6. Tony Quinn (Team VIP Petfoods) 12 laps
7. Dean Grant (Becks Racing) 12 laps
8. Klark Quinn (Team VIP Petfoods) 12 laps
9. Ross Rutherford (International Motorsport NZ / Woodstock Bourbon) 12 laps
10. Peter Hill (Greg Murphy Racing / Team Braun) 12 laps
11. Peter Bradbury (Team MPS Security) 12 laps
12. Marc Cini (Adamco) 12 laps
13. Roger Oakeshott (Greg Murphy Racing / Team Braun) 12 laps
14. Ash Samadi (Globe Racing) 12 laps
15. Stephen Borness (Celerity Racing / Logiadd) 12 laps
DNF Rodney Jane (Rodney Jane Racing / Bob Jane T-Marts) 3 laps
Ammended Race 1, Friday March 19
1. Alex Davison (Greg Murphy Racing / Glenfords Tool Centre) 12 laps
2. Jim Richards (Jim Richards Racing / OAMPS Insurance Brokers) 12 laps
3. Fabian Coulthard (Greg Murphy Racing / Team Braun) 12 laps
4. Peter Fitzgerald (Fitzgerald Racing / Acer, SEW Eurodrive) 12 laps
5. Dean Grant (Becks Racing) 12 laps
6. Rodney Jane (Rodney Jane Racing / Bob Jane T-Marts) 12 laps
7. James Cressey (Team VIP Petfoods) 12 laps
8. Stephen Borness (Celerity Racing / Logiadd) 12 laps
9. Tony Quinn (Team VIP Petfoods) 12 laps
10. Peter Bradbury (Team MPS Security) 12 laps
11. Ross Rutherford (International Motorsport NZ / Woodstock Bourbon) 12 laps
12. Roger Oakeshott (Greg Murphy Racing / Team Braun) 12 laps
13. Peter Hill (Greg Murphy Racing / Team Braun) 12 laps
14. Marc Cini (Adamco) 12 laps
15. Ash Samadi (Globe Racing) 12 laps
16. Klark Quinn (Team VIP Petfoods) 12 laps
DNF Matt Coleman (Matt Coleman Racing / City Commercial Property, Donald Group) 4 laps
Release Date: 20/03/2004
Carrera Cup
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