FACTS AND FIGURES - NEW ZEALAND
28/4/2004 0:10 (Press Release) -
The following is a detailed lap of the Pukekohe Park Raceway to be used as the venue for the 3rd round of the 2004 V8 Supercar Championship Series this weekend. Also find following thoughts, results and memorable moments relating to this venue from both Marcos Ambrose and Russell Ingall.
PUKEKOHE PARK RACEWAY A LAP WITH MARCOS AMBROSE
As you cross the start-finish line you only have eyes for the first turn.
This area in front of the main grandstand is not really a straight, but a sweeping right-hander into turn one which has a very, very fast entry and really is blind because of all the armco around you.
It is made a little extra difficult because of the bumps this corner really reminds you of Paddock Hill Bend at Brands Hatch, but once you get through it you realise you are somewhere else.
Turn one is so long it really turns into turn two.
You need to make sure you are on the right line for the quick left-right chicane at the end of it Jason Richards found out you can get into trouble here quite easily last year.
This part of the track really flows well and you can make up a lot of time if you can get a good run out of turn three.
You are in second gear as you aim up the back straight there is a bit of camber in the road here and you can get a bit of wheel spin as you move into third.
Once you are on the back straight it is a long ride down to the hairpin.
You can watch the trains go by on the left or check out the horse racing track on the right.
It is then on to the brakes HARD for the first-gear hairpin. You really need to be committed to brake as late as possible here.
The middle of the corner is not that important, but the exit is and you need to be slow enough to get a good run out.
You then go up through the gears as you race into the flowing left hander.
This part of the circuit is extremely bumpy and you are doing some serious speeds by the time you hit third gear.
At the end of the left-hander there is a big bump which has become quite famous at the track.
If you get this right it will set you up for a solid run down the front straight get it wrong and you will be into the wall.
There is actually quite a rise in the track as you head into the right-hander back on to the straight with armco on both sides of you.
It is great on Sunday afternoon with a massive crowd cheering for you on the outside of the track.
There is no curbing at this part of the circuit, so again you need to be careful that you dont touch the grass and get spat into the wall.
It is then back over the start-finish line for another lap.
All in all, this is a pretty short, but terrifically exciting lap if you get it right.
The track is flowing and you tend to get into a rhythm here and you can find yourself doing eight or 10 solid laps in a row during qualifying if you get into the zone.
THOUGHTS ON PUKEKOHE CIRCUIT
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MARCOS AMBROSE PIRTEK RACING
This is a track where you will spend the best 57-odd seconds of your life. Unfortunately the track is so short, but great to drive on nevertheless. The bump coming on to the front straight really grabs your attention. It is critical to get over it smoothly for a good lap time. The grandstand and the amount of fans make the place similar to Brands Hatch.
MOST MEMOR ABLE MOMENT
No doubt my tyre blowing while I was in the lead in 2003 was something I would rather forget. The track was like a war zone with oil and bits of car all over the place. I managed to limp it home on three wheels and we picked up third place. I really want to win this race for Ross and Jimmy Stone, who only grew up 15km from the track. Maybe this year.
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS (After round 2 of 13)
Current Points: 348 (2nd)
Debut: 2001
Starts: 41
Poles: 14 Eastern Creek (2004); Sandown, Oran Park, Queensland Raceway, Winton, Eastern Creek (2003); Phillip Island, Oran Park, Winton, Qld 500, Sandown (2002); Eastern Creek, Qld 500, Bathurst (2001)
Race wins: 12 (Last win Adelaide Clipsal 500, Round 1, 2004)
Round wins: 9 Adelaide Clipsal 500 (2004); Eastern Creek, Oran Park, Hidden Valley, Barbagallo, Winton, Eastern Creek (2003), Sandown (2002); Hidden Valley (2001)
PUKEKOHE RECORD
2003 Qualified 6th; Race 1: 6th; Race 2: 23rd; Race 3: 9th; Overall 11th
2002 Qualified 4th; Race 1: 3rd; Race 2: 3rd; Race 3: 10th; Overall: 3rd
2001 Qualified 3rd; Race 1: 2nd; Race 2: 3rd; Race 3: 4th; Overall 3rd
THOUGHTS ON PUKEKOHE CIRCUIT
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RUSSELL INGALL CALTEX HAVOLINE RACING
I guess this place means a little more now that I am driving for Ross and Jimmy Stone who grew up only a few miles from Pukekohe. I have to reframe from the sheep jokes. I am looking forward to heading there for a second time in a Ford. I think I will know my way around a little bit better this weekend. It would be great to give the Stone Brothers their first V8 Supercar win on their old home track.
MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT
We are sure this is where my daughter Sasha was conceived That does not mean she is a Kiwi!
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS (After 2 of 13 rounds)
Current Points: 204 (11th)
Debut: 1996
Starts: 97
Poles: 1 Winton (2001)
Race wins: 23 (Last Win Gillette V8 Supercar Challenge, Surfers Paradise (Race 2), 2003)
Round wins: 10 Surfers Paradise (2003) Queensland Raceway (2003), Winton (2001); Qld 500 (1999); Lakeside, Mallala, Hidden Valley (1998); Phillip Island, Winton (1997); Calder (1996)
PUKEKOHE RECORD
2003 Qualified 17th; Race 1: 19th; Race 2: 26th; Race 3: 10th; Overall 16th
2002 Qualified 17th; Race 1: 10th; Race 2: 11th, Race 3: 11th; Overall 9th
2001 Qualified 10th; Race 1: 5th; Race 2: 27th; Race 3: 11th; Overall 11th
TRACK FACTS PUKEKOHE PARK RACEWAY
Venue: Pukekohe Park Raceway, 40km south of Auckland
2004 Race format: Qualifying (Friday); Top 10 Shootout and Race 1 (36 Laps) (Saturday); Races 2 & 3 (54 laps) (Sunday) All races have compulsory tyres changes.
Circuit Distance: 2.82km
Circuit Direction: Clockwise
Maximum Speed: 240 km/h (Front Straight)
Qualifying Record Greg Murphy (VX Commodore) 56.9053 (2001)
Lap Record Mark Skaife (VX Commodore) 57.4545 (2002)
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS (NZ local time)
Friday
9:55am - 10:30am Practice 1
12:15pm - 12:50pm Practice 2
2:25pm - 15:10pm Qualifying
Saturday
11:45am - 12:15pm Top 10 Shootout
2:35pm - 3:25pm Race 1 100kms
Sunday
12:10pm - 1:20pm Race 2 150kms
3:40pm - 4:50pm Race 3 150kms
TV TELECAST - Network Ten
Sunday - 2:00pm - 5:00pm (AEST)
2004 CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (After round 2 of 13)
1: Steve Richards 360
2: Marcos Ambrose 348
3: Rick Kelly 336
4: Greg Murphy 327
5: Jason Bargwanna 270
6: Jason Bright 267
7: Paul Morris 264
8: Craig Baird 258
9: G! arth Tander 223
10: John Bowe 216
11: Russell Ingall 204
12: Steve Johnson 201
13: David Besnard 198
14: Paul Weel 195
15: Mark Skaife 192
Release Date: 27/04/2004
Stone Brothers Racing
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