David Besnard Impresses in Eastern Creek Practice
4/4/2004 8:38 (Press Release) -
WPS Racing’s David Besnard turned more than a few heads when he put his Falcon into the top 10 in the opening practice session for the second round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series at Eastern Creek in Sydney today.
Besnard was constantly in the top 10 and sat in fourth place for sometime before finally being declared the seventh-fastest driver of the day.
Besnard, who was born and bred in Sydney, before making the Gold Coast his home, was delighted with today’s efforts considering the team is having only its second championship round start this weekend.
Besnard finished 13th outright in the opening round of the championship at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide last month and since that event has sign well-known race engineer Ian “Wally” Walburn.
“It is great to be in a nice car around here,” said Besnard.
“We did not have anything special in the tyre department today so the time we did is a genuine one.
“It is amazing how quickly this team has come together and the progress we are making.
“Wally (Ian Walburn) and I have already formed a strong relationship and I think we saw some results of that today, but it is just the beginning.
“Craig (Gore) has everyone motivated and there is a really good feeling about the whole project."
Besnard’s time today was 0.451 of a second quicker than the time he notched in the top 10 shootout in the final round of last year’s championship at the same circuit on new tyres.
WPS Racing team owner Craig Gore was delighted with his team’s effort.
“We saw a remarkable team effort here today,” said Gore.
“We are really looking forward to tomorrow and it would be remarkable if we managed to keep our place in the top 10.
“I think the ground we have made in such a short amount of time is impressive.”
FRIDAY PRACTICE TIMES
1: Russell Ingall (Ford) 1:32.5459
2: Mark Skaife (Holden) 1:32.9291
3: Jason Bright (Holden) 1:32.9527
4: Steve Richards (Holden) 1: 33.0607
5: John Bowe (Ford) 1:33.2793
6: Paul Morris (Holden) 1:33.3672
7: David Besnard (Ford) 1:33.3827
8: Marcos Ambrose (Ford) 1:33.3950
9: Paul Radisich (Ford) 1:33.4343
10: Simon Wills (Holden) 1:33.5040
TRACK FACTS – EASTERN CREEK
Venue: Eastern Creek Raceway, Sydney, NSW
2004 Race format: Top 10 Shootout (Saturday); 1 x 300km race with compulsory tyre and fuel stops (Sunday)
Circuit Length: 3.43km
Circuit Direction: Anti-clockwise
Average Speed: 154.2kph
Maximum Speed: 260-270kph
Qualifying Record: Mark Skaife (Holden Commodore, 1999) 1:30.6550
Lap Record: Mark Skaife (Holden Commodore, 1999) 1:31.7301
2003 Outright Results: Marcos Ambrose, Craig Lowndes, Russell Ingall
2003 Attendance: 39,800
WEEKEND SCHEDULE - ROUND 2, 2004
Saturday April 3
9:30am – 10:05am - Practice 2
11:35am – 12:10pm – Practice 3
1:40pm – 2:25pm – Qualifying
3:55pm – 4:25pm – Top 10 Shootout
Sunday April 4
1:30pm – 3:45pm – Race 1 300kms
TV TELECAST - NETWORK TEN
Sunday April 4
2:30pm-5pm (EST)
Release Date: 03/04/2004
WPS Racing
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