Radisich scores Top Ten placing for Queensland's V8 Supercar event
4/7/2004 12:03 (Press Release) -
Racing got underway at the Queensland Raceway on Friday with both Team Betta Electrical cars looking for a good results driven weekend. During Friday’s practice, the team used the time to fine tune the cars’ set-up following the successful practice day they had at Queensland Raceway recently.
Both cars were running well in early practice and showed promise of perhaps a podium finish this weekend, in round six of this years V8 Supercar Series on the teams home track.
Saturday saw the cars go out for a warm up under perfect racing conditions with both drivers working on their respective cars set up.
Max Wilson in car #888 experienced some problems about half - way through the session when the car began to fill with smoke. Returning to pit lane to have the team work on the car and correct the problem of a faulty power steering pump.
Unfortunately the problem was not easily rectified, Wilson battled with the car for a further two laps without success.
The team set to work replacing the power steering pump in time for the up coming qualifying session of the event program.
Radisich in car #88 had experienced no such problems. He had an impressive practice session. “The Rat” managing to post the 16th fastest time of 1:11.3384 for the session, whilst using the time to further work on the cars handling characteristics.
Radisich was happy with the car’s performance, saying, “I am confident the bugs we have experienced in the last couple of rounds have now been ironed out and we are really looking good for a podium finish this weekend”.
Wilson was first team car out to qualify in the lower 50%, registering a very impressive time of 1:10.89, placing him 3rd fastest in the first group of qualifying entrants, behind Simon Wills in car #44 and Mark Winterbottom in car # 20.
Next came the top qualifying group lead by Craig Baird in car #021, this group posting excellent times with only one entrant Simon Wills remaining in the top ten from the previous group of qualifiers.
Paul Radisich in the Team Betta Electrical Ford car #88 had the bit between his teeth to place the second team entry in a secure top position for Sunday’s 280 klm. Race.
Radisich split time was very promising until an error coming out of turn four saw him loose time and as a result dropped him back into 6th position.
An obviously disappointed Radisich commented – “ I just pushed it a little too hard into that corner and messed up the exit which cost me tenths of a second and I just couldn’t make that up before crossing the line, however I’m not too disappointed with that starting position for tomorrows race”.
‘It’s a long race and anything can happen during a 280 klm. Race and probably will, I recall this event in 2001 which I won and I look forward to repeating that result again tomorrow”. – Radisich concluded.
Top 10 Shootout
1: Marcos Ambrose (Ford) 1:10.5335
2: Mark Skaife (Holden) 1:10.5856
3: Todd Kelly (Holden) 1:10.6907
4: Steven Richards (Holden) 1:10.7264
5: Jason Bright (Holden) 1:10.7353
6: Russell Ingall (Ford) 1:10.8140
7: Simon Wills (Holden) 1:11.0678
8: John Bowe (Ford) 1:11.1677
9: Paul Radisich (Ford) 1:11.7223
10: Craig Baird (Holden) 1:12.5381
QUALIFYING
1: Jason Bright (Holden) 1:10.2957
2: Marcos Ambrose (Ford) 1:10.3583
3: Russell Ingall (Ford) 1:10.6130
4: Mark Skaife (Holden) 1:10.6450
5: Steve Richards (Holden) 1:10.6847
6: Paul Radisich (Ford) 1:10.6900
7: John Bowe (Ford) 1:10.6910
8: Simon Wills (Holden) 1:10.6970
9: Todd Kelly (Holden) 1:10.699! 4
10: Craig Baird (Holden) 1:10.7756
11: Paul Weel (Holden) 1:10.8383
12: Garth Tander (Holden) 1:10.8547
13: Steve Ellery (Ford) 1:10.8614
14: Mark Winterbottom (Ford) 1:10.8738
15: Max Wilson (Ford) 1:10:8952
16: Warren Luff (Ford) 1:10:9035
17: Paul Dumbrell (Holden) 1:10:9058
18: Steven Johnson (Ford) 1:10.9489
19: Jason Bargwanna (Ford) 1:10.9896
20: Mark Noske (Ford) 1:10.9982
21: David Besnard (Ford) 1:11.0146
22: Paul Morris (Holden) 1:11.0715
23: Greg Murphy (Holden) 1:11.0732
24: Rick Kelly (Holden) 1:11.1354
25: Brad Jones (Ford) 1:11.1867
26: Glenn Seton (Ford) 1:11.2684
27: Craig Lowndes (Ford) 1:11.3623
28: Cameron McConville (Holden) 1:11.3895
29: Jason Richards (Holden) 1:11.5053
30: Anthony Tratt (Holden) 1:11.5177
31: Neil McFadyen (Holden) 1:11.6369
32: Dale Brede (Holden) 1:11.657! 6
33: Tony Longhurst (Holden) 1:12.1773
34: Garth Walden (Ford) 1:13.2630
35: David Krause (Holden) 1:15.9429
Venue: Queensland Raceway, Willowbank, Qld
2004 Race format: 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
Sunday July 4
10:00am – 10:20am Warm Up
1:45pm - Race (90 laps)
TELEVISION TELECAST - Network Ten
Sunday
2:30pm - 5:00pm
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