Queensland Raceway - Facts And Figures
29/6/2004 19:12 (Press Release) -
The following is a detailed lap of Queensland Raceway to be used as the venue for the sixth round of the 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.
INTERESTING POINTS ROUND 6, QUEENSLAND RACEWAY
This was the venue for Stone Brothers Racings first 1-2 championship round finish in 2003
This was the venue for Russell Ingalls first championship round win for Ford and Caltex Havoline in 2003
Russell Ingall had his 100th round start at Barbagallo Raceway near Perth last month
Marcos Ambrose is chasing his fourth consecutive pole at QR He has never started from any other position than first.
Marcos Ambrose played in the Queensland Masters Pro-AM golf tournament in Townsville last week with friend and Goulburn Golf Club professional, Chris Travers The pair finished mid-field.
Marcos Ambrose was on target to win his fifth consecutive round at Queensland Raceway last year when a coming together with Steve Ellery in the pit lane saw him receive a drive-through penalty. He fought back to finish second behind Ingall.
QUEENSLAND RACEWAY A LAP WITH MARCOS AMBROSE
The Queensland Raceway may look like an easy track to drive, but it is actually one of the most technical tracks of the V8 Supercar Championship Series.
You need to extract everything possible from your car to ensure a lap that will get you somewhere towards the front of the field.
We managed to get it right the last three years and grab pole position, but thats now history and we have all the work ahead of us.
At the start-finish line at Queensland Raceway you are in fifth gear and travelling at around 220kph.
Turn one is the foundation of a really good lap and the secret is getting over a bump at the breaking point at about the 120m mark. You then drop to fourth gear and try to get your car as settled as possible.
You carry around 155kph through the corner and remain in fourth gear and get up to 195kph before dabbing the brakes for the next right-hander.
Your speed drops to around 145kph as you try and stick to the inside of the corner.
It is vital to get a good run in and out of this corner in qualifying and it is also a good place to pass if everything goes right during the race.
You jam it into fifth just after the exit and into sixth for a split second and a top speed of around 250kph down the back straight.
You brake at round the 170m mark for turn three, but you need to be careful because the track falls away a little and can easily grab you unawares.
You drop down to second gear for the slowest corner on the track and a speed of around 78kph.
It is then quickly back into third at the exit and up to fifth and a top speed of around 225kph.
The brakes get another workout at the 150m marker which is right next to the in-field flag points.
I maintain third through the complete corner, while I know some guys get down to second.
Speeds vary from 80km through to 135kph through this section of the track.
You jump into fourth and then fifth as quickly as possible and a top speed around 220pkh before lining up for the sixth and final corner.
Similar to turn three, turn six is a second-gear affair with a speed of around 80kph.
Again, it is imperative to get this section right so you can get a nice clean run on to the main straight.
If you get the power down early you can move back up to fifth gear and cross the start-finish line again at around 220kph.
Like anywhere, the trick to this place is being smooth and consistent. That is even more vital during the race because the Queensland Raceway can be extremely hard on brakes and tyres.
THOUGHTS ON QUEENSLAND RACEWAY
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MARCOS AMBROSE PIRTEK RACING
I could race this track with my eyes closed. This is obviously the testing track for Stone Brothers Racing and I have done more miles around here than any other track in the world. The track actually looks quite simple, but it is quite technical and is hard to extract a great time from.
MOST MEMOR ABLE MOMENT
Clipping Steve Ellery in the pit lane last year is something that I remember, but probably something I would prefer to forget. At the 2002 Queensland 500 I was coming towards the end of my stint and the rain clouds were coming over. I then realised that in all the miles I had done at the circuit I had never turned one in the rain. So I came in and threw Paul Weel in at the deep end.
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS (After round 5 of 13)
Current Points: 872 (1st)
Debut: 2001
Starts: 44
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: 13 (Last win Race 1, Pukekohe, New Zealand, 2004)
Round wins: 9 Adelaide Clipsal 500 (2004); Eastern Creek, Oran Park, Hidden Valley, Barbagallo, Winton, Eastern Creek (2003), Sandown (2002); Hidden Valley (2001)
QUEENSLAND RACEWAY - RECORD
2003 Qualified 1st; Overall: 2nd
2002 Qualified 1st; Overall: 5th
2001 Qualified 1st; Overall: DNF
THOUGHTS ON QUEENSLAND RACEWAY
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RUSSELL INGALL CALTEX HAVOLINE RACING
I have had some pretty good results at QR over the years and that always helps when talking about whether you like or dislike a circuit. It is not the most excitingly designed circuit in the world.
MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT
Certainly winning my first round for Ford at Queensland Raceway last year will always be a pretty special moment for me. It was also pretty cool that we were able to give Ross and Jimmy Stone their first 1-2 finish in a round.
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS (After 5of 13 rounds)
Current Points: 634 (7th)
Debut: 1996
Starts: 100
Poles: 1 Winton (2001)
Race wins: 24 (Last Win Race 1, Hidden Valley, Darwin, 2004)
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)
QUEENSLAND RACEWAY - RECORD
2003 Qualified 4th; Overall: 1st
2002 Qualified 8th; Overall: 2nd
2001 Qualified 4th; Overall: 2nd
2000 Qualified 3rd; Race 1: 4th; Race 2: 3rd; Race 3: 3rd; Overall: 5th (Sprint round)
2000 Qualified 2nd; Overall: 4th (Queensland 500)
1999 Qualified 2nd; Race 1: 1st; Race 2: 2nd; Race 3: DNF; Overall: 8th (Sprint round)
1999 Qualified 6th; Overall: 1st (Queensland 500)
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
After 5 of 13 rounds
1 Marcos Ambrose (Ford) - 872
2 Rick Kelly (Holden) - 822
3 Steven Richards (Holden) - 820
4 Greg Murphy (Holden) - 811
5 Jason Bright (Holden) - 783
6 John Bowe (Ford) - 638
7 Russell Ingall (Ford) - 634
8 Garth Tander (Holden) - 600
9 Todd Kelly (Holden) - 597
10 Paul Weel (Holden) - 569
ROUND 6, 2004
Venue: Queensland Raceway, Willowbank, Qld
2003 Race format: Qualifying and Shootout - Saturday; 90-lap Race (compulsory tyre and fuel stops) - Sunday
Circuit Length: 3.121km
Circuit Direction: Clockwise
Maximum Speed: 260 km/h (Back Straight)
Qualifying Record: John Bowe (1999) 1:09.2594
Lap Record: Garth Tander (1999) 1:11.0033
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday July 2
2:30pm - 3:05pm - Practice 1
Saturday July 3
10:35am 11:10am - Practice 2
1:35pm - 1:55pm - Qualifying (Lower 50%)
2:00am - 2:20pm - Qualifying (Upper 50%)
4:15pm - 4:45pm - Top 10 Shoot Out
Sunday July 4
10:00am 10:20am Warm Up
1:45pm - Race (90 laps)
TV TELECAST - Network Ten
Sunday
2:30pm - 5:00pm
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