Top ten finish for PCR/Actron Air Racing
5/9/2004 23:07 (Press Release) -
PCR/Actron Air Racing drivers Kevin Mundy and Marcus Zukanovic have come away from the final round of the 2004 Konica Minolta Series at Adelaide’s Mallala Raceway with their best results for the season.
For the first time this year Kevin Mundy finished the round inside the top ten while his team mate Marcus Zukanovic qualified eighth and finished the first race of the day in fourth place.
It was a hard fought top ten finish for Mundy after an overnight engine change saw him start the first race today from the rear of the grid and fight his way through from twenty fourth to finish eleventh.
In the controversial reverse grid race, Mundy endured a spectacular battle to finish in thirteenth place which combined with his first race result saw him start race three from position fourteen on the grid.
Mundy got away well off the start in race three and kept pace with the race leaders strategically challenging for position throughout the race. Mundy manoeuvred his way up to tenth and finished the round ninth overall.
“It was great to finish all three races today and not be the casualty of someone else’s incident,” Mundy said.
“I had a battle on my hands starting from the rear of the grid but I was really pleased with performance of the car with the new engine in.
“Today’s result was my best all year and a good prelude to the Bathurst thirty lap race.
Marcus Zukanovic also recorded a best result for the year after coming from eighth to finish the opening race in fourth place.
Zukanovic passed seasoned campaigners such as Cameron McLean and Matthew White to move into fourth place early in the race.
Zukanovic had fought his way through from twenty second to tenth but a small off in the second race cost the rookie driver a top four starting position in race three.
Coming off grid position eight Zukanovic had moved up to seventh but contact with other cars along the way caused steering damage to his Ford Falcon AU forcing him to retire on lap twenty of the thirty three lap race.
“Today was going great until the third race everything seemed to be coming together for me.” Zukanovic said.
“I really felt I had got on top of the car this weekend and it was great experience for me to be running at the front of the field.
“It couldn’t have come at a better time the goal this weekend was to prepare for the one hour race at Bathurst and I think we have successfully done that.
The Paul Cruickshank Racing team can take some heart from Greg Ritter’s win after loaning his team one of their spare gear boxes so the Stone Brothers Racing co-driver could finish today’s races.
Top Ten Round Results
1. Greg Ritter Ford Falcon AU 184pts
2. Andrew Jones Ford Falcon AU 184pts.
3. Luke Youlden Ford Falcon AU 174pts
4. Jose Fernandez Ford Falcon AU 162pts
5. Mark Porter Holden Commodore VX 160pts
6. Alan Gurr Holden Commodore VX 146pts
7. Tony D’Alberto Holden Commodore VX 138pts
8. Kurt Wimmer Holden Commodore VX 134pts
9. Kevin Mundy PCR/Actron Air Racing Ford Falcon AU 130pts
10. Gary MacDonald Ford Falcon AU 128pts
13. Marcus Zukanovic PCR/Actron Air Racing Ford Falcon AU 94pts
Top Ten Championship Placing’s
1. Andrew Jones Ford Falcon AU 945pts
2. Luke Youlden Ford Falcon AU 945pts
3. Mark Porter Holden Commodore VX 877pts
4. Jose Fernandez Ford Falcon AU 857pts
5. Owen Kelly Ford Falcon AU 830pts
6. Mathew White Ford Falcon AU 827pts
7. Cameron McLean Ford Falcon AU 725pts
8. Tony D’Alberto Holden Commodore VX 714pts
9. Grant Elliott Holden Commodore VX 706pts
10. Gary MacDonald Ford Falcon AU 660pts
11. Marcus Zukanovic PCR/Actron Air Racing Ford Falcon AU 629pts
15. Kevin Mundy PCR/Actron Air Racing Ford Falcon AU 538pts
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