Round 3 PlaceMakers NZ V8 International - Part 6 Race 1
2/5/2004 11:18 (Mark Jones) -
Rain continues to blight the PlaceMakers NZ V8 International, but Race One went ahead and Pirtek Stone Brothers Racing driver Marcos Ambrose handled the treacherous conditions best to win by ten seconds.
Jason Bright finished second in the PWR Performance Products Commodore, who in turn had a ten second gap on third place which was taken home the first of the New Zealand drivers, the Bette Electrical Ford of Paul Radisich.
In Triple 8 Engineering's best result of the season thus far, Radisich's Brazilian team mate Max Wilson has finished fifth, providing much encouragement for the Anglo-Australian team.
Between the blue and yellow Falcons, the crowds hero Greg Murphy has finished fourth in the Kmart Racing Team Commodore, with team mate and last start winner also firmly encamped in the top ten in seventh position.
All 32 cars finished the race, with 21 cars finishing on the same lap as Ambrose and only three cars, Castrol Perkins driver Paul Dumbrell, Team Dynamiks Dale Brede, and Imrie Motor Sports local driver Mark Porter, losing two laps in the soggy conditions.
Series points leader, Castrol Perkins Motorsport lead driver Steven Richards finished in sixth position, but has had his championship lead cut down to a mere two points by Ambrose. The Tasmanian trails the New Zealander 412 points to 414.
Rick Kelly now sits in third place in the championship on 388 points, three ahead of team mate Murphy with a gap of well over 50 points to fifth placed Jason Bright.
There are two 36 lap, 126 kilometre races left to be held this afternoon at Pukekohe Park, with 128 points still on offer.
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