R3 LITES QUAL - McLeod crash helps Harris to pole
17/6/2000 18:48 (Press Release) - Konica V8 Lites Series leader Ryan McLeod will face a long night to make the grid for race one tomorrow, for round three of the series, after a shunt during qualifying today.
McLeod’s VS Commodore was heavily damaged in the accident, however, the Sydneysider emerged unscathed.
Craig Harris claimed his first pole position in his EL Falcon for tomorrow’s race with a 1:09.7881sec lap. Harris will be joined by fellow Ford steerer Dean Canto, who lies second in the series.
Harris is seventh in the Konica series following a heavy shunt with Chris Butler at Eastern Creek, in round one, and mechanical problems at Phillip Island in round two.
"There’s a very emotional team back in the pits," said Harris, whose crew worked seven days a week to get the severely damaged carsales.com.au Falcon ready for round two. "I expect some very tight, clean racing tomorrow."
Canto, who was recently signed by Ford Tickford Racing for a co-drive in the Queensland 500, said he was on his fast lap when the red flag was shown for McLeod’s accident.
"When Ryan McLeod came off on the dog-leg I was fairly close behind him….and I had to get out of that lap, which was probably my quickest lap," said Canto.
Wayne Wakefield will start third and said he was also on his fast lap when the race was red-flagged. He will be joined on the second row by 1998 Bathurst Privateers’ champion Mal Rose.
Rose was quickest during practice but said he had to contend with the Bridgestone control tyre.
"I just didn’t get the best out of it (the tyres) in qualifying," said Rose. "I’m pretty wrapped to be involved in the Konica (V8) Lites Series."
Local driver Garry Holt will start in fifth after coming to terms with the power of V8 Supercars in the previous rounds.
"For the first few rounds the car was driving me, now I’m starting to drive the car," said Holt.
McLeod will start in eighth position and now leaves the round wide open for young gun Canto to reclaim the V8 Supercar’s development series’ lead.
McLeod will be looking to finish in the top six for race one to capitalise on the reverse grid format for race two, and the front-runners are wary of the Kmart Commodore driver.
"I think we’ll be looking for him (McLeod) in the mirrors tomorrow," predicted Harris.
Tomorrow’s race promises to be tight with a mere six-tenths of a second separating the top six drivers.
The first of the 20-lap races begins at 11.30am with the reversed-grid race at 1.30pm. The final race is at 3.30pm.
**TOP TEN**
1st CRAIG HARRIS (Carsales.com.au Racing) - EL Falcon [1:09.78min]
2nd DEAN CANTO (Dean Canto Racing) - EL Falcon [1:10.01]
3rd WAYNE WAKEFIELD (Graphic Skills Racing) - VS Commodore [1:10.03]
4th MAL ROSE (Mal Rose Racing) - VS Commodore [1:10.10]
5th GARRY HOLT (Eastern Creek Karts Racing) - EL Falcon [1:10.35]
6th MATTHEW WHITE (Terry Wyhoon Racing) - VS Commodore [1:10.37]
7th DANIEL MILLER (Miller Racing) - VS Commodore [1:10.72]
8th RYAN McLEOD (JFR K-Mart Racing) - VS Commodore [1:10.87]
9th NEIL SCHEMBRI (Gearbox Motorsport) - EL Falcon [1:11.08]
10th ROD SALMON (One World/The Race Centre Racing) - EL Falcon [1:11.27]
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