Impressive Drives By Radisich And Wilson
10/5/2004 0:19 (Press Release) -
Race One - The weather still looked threatening here today with extremely heavy rain continuing to fall over night. Race one of 36 laps getting under way at the rescheduled time of 10am.
Team Better Electrical got off to a great start today at PlaceMakers V8 International at Pukekohe Park Raceway.
The start could not have suited “The Rat” better, particularly here on his home circuit.
Skaife missed the start and allowed Radisich to make up three positions before the first corner, slotting into third position and out smarting the other front-runners with some very careful steering indeed.
Greg Murphy had slotted in behind Radisich from the beginning, maintaining this position and at lap 30 seriously challenged ‘The Rat’.
He continued to harass Radisich for the next six laps but to no avail, Murphy just couldn’t match the pace of the Team Betta Electrical Ford, dropping back and holding his fourth placing throughout the race.
“It was a good race, the track dried out fairly quickly, so then saw the concern to keep the tyres cool” – said Radisich.
“The team presented me with a well prepared car today and I went on to prove that we are not too far away from a winning position”.
“It is pleasing to get a podium finish here at Pukekohe as this is where my racing career started and it does hold a special place in my memory” – Radisich concluded.
Wilson drove well for the entire race making the most of his chance on lap 20, when Steven Richards and Mark Skaife had a coming together.
Wilson was able to make up 2 spots to take up fifth position, a position he was able to maintain for the remainder of the race.
This was the break he had needed and he was able to advance on Murphy while Murphy was busy duelling with ‘The Rat’.
“It was a good race for me, I got the break I wanted and took advantage of it, managing to gain ground on Greg Murphy in the closing stages of the race” – commented Wilson.
Tyres played a large part in the race with only one team choosing to start the race on dry weather tyres, Craig Baird in the Team Kiwi Racing’s Holden Commodore started from pit lane and after ten laps the circuit had dried sufficiently for Baird to start to attack the field, finally finishing in 9th position.
RACE TWO - LADY LUCK DEPARTS RADISICH IN RACE TWO
Race two got off at a fast pace with Radisich well positioned in 4th position at the first corner with Wilson a little further back in 6th spot.
Completing the first lap saw Radisich drift off the edge of the circuit when entering the main straight, sending him sideways along the grass for almost the full length of the main straight, demolishing signage along the side of the circuit.
Radisich finally regained control of the car and re entered the circuit at the rear of the field.
Wilson in car #888 continued on in 6th position until lap 11 when his car experienced electrical problems causing the engine to cut out when entering pit lane.
The safety car entered the circuit on lap 12 after oil was dropped, causing several cars to spin off the track.
Wilson rejoined the field on lap 18 in last position with the job ahead of him.
By lap 34 Radisich, showing grit and determination had passed half the field again, working his way back up to 16th position, a position he maintained for the remainder of the race.
Wilson battled through to finish the race in 28th position.
Race Three - Race three got underway on a dry circuit with threatening sky’s and all cars getting away to a clean start.
Jason Bright stamping his authority by leading the field into the first corner with Murphy in second position in hot pursuit.
Team Betta Electrical Paul Radisich in car #88 starting in 16th position, quickly climbing to 11th position by lap 14, at the same time Max Wilson in the second Team Betta Electrical car #888 was improving his position by 8 places to settle into 20th spot.
By lap 25, Radisich was still holding his position of 16th, with Wilson improving his standing by passing Craig Baird to take over 17th spot whilst continuing to keep Mark Skaife at bay behind him.
With the rain still holding off, the race pace didn’t let up, Jason Bright in the PWR car #51 still maintaining the lead as Ambrose and Murphy continued to do battle for second and third positions.
Team Betta Electrical cars of Paul Radisich finishing the third race in 11th position and Max Wilson finally crossing the line 17th place.
“It’s very hard to come up through the field from such a long way back, particularly after my bad luck in race two and having to start from grid position 16” – said Radisich.
“Thirty six laps goes very quickly at those speeds and there aren’t a lot of opportunities to pass around here, so you just have to hope that someone makes a mistake and allows you to gain positions”.
“It is a tall ask of drivers to campaign in three 36 lap races on the day, however it is understandable under the circumstances, this weather situation probably won’t happen again for another one hundred years I guess” – Radisich concluded.
“Two difficult races today, I did my best under the conditions and the electrical problem I had in race two put me in an unenviable position for race three by having to start so far back in the field, as Paul has said there are very few places you can pass here so you just have to be patient and wait an opportunity” said Wilson.
CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDING AFTER ROUND THREE
Pos Pos Driver Name R
R 1 R 2 R3 TOTAL
PenaltyMarcos Ambrose 192 156 184 532 532532
2 Steven Richards 186 174 168 528 528
3 Greg Murphy 159 168 182 50955095509509
4 Rick Kelly 144 192 166 502 502
5 Jason Bright 147 120 190 457 457
6 Craig Baird 114 144 106 364 364
7 Russell Ingall 90 114 146 350 350
8 Paul Weel 171 24 152 347 347
9 Steven Johnson 39 162 140 341 341
10 John Bowe 126 90 110 326 326
11 Paul Morris 132 132 60 324 324
12 Garth Tander 42 180 100 322 322
13 Jason Bargwanna 120 150 36 306 306
14 Paul Radisich 78 78 138 294 294
15 Todd Kelly 69 84 116 269 269
16 Mark Skaife 126 66 62 254 254
17 David Besnard 102 96 56 254 254
18 Craig Lowndes 0 186 58 244 244
19 Max Wilson 0 138 98 236 236
20 Mark Winterbottom 54 126 54 234 234
21 Glenn Seton 69 108 54 231 231
22 Simon Wills 0 102 114 216 216
23 Jason Richards 75 0 134 209 209
24 Brad Jones 60 60 82 202 202
25 Paul Dumbrell 141 18 36 195 195195195
26 Warren Luff 66 72 50 188 188
27 Anthony Tratt 60 42 84 186 186
28 Cameron McConville 48 48 72 168 168
29 Tony Longhurst 0 54 94 1481448148
30 Steve Ellery 0 0 62 62 62
31 Mark Porter - 30 28 58 58
32 Dale Brede 0 36 12 48 48
33 David Krause 0 - - 0 0
34 Phillip Scifleet 0 - - 0 0
35 David Thexton 0 - - 0 0
36 Terry Wyhoon 0 - - 0 0
Release Date: 02/05/2004
Team Betta Electrical - Triple Eight Engineering
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