Both Shell Fords Qualify in Sandown Top 10
11/9/2004 18:20 (Press Release) -
Shell Helix Racing enjoyed one of its best days of the season so far qualifying both of its Ford's in the all-important top 10 for tomorrow's Sandown 500.
A very wet qualifying session levelled out the field and in a late flurry
for position both Steve Johnson and Owen Kelly produced their fastest laps
to guarantee shootout spots.
Johnson made the top 10 for the second time this season and Kelly drove
his first shootout lap.
“I was happy with what I got out of the Ford for eight of the nine corners,”
Steve Johnson said.
“I really screwed up on the back straight going into the fast left hander,
I braked way too early misjudging how dry it was.
“I pulled up way short, which I did in qualifying as well, so I was a bit
disappointed.
“It was just a lottery, the track was drying out, the guys after me were
able to go a lot quicker.
“I am glad we held our position in the shootout, it would have been good
to get into the top three but I certainly can't be too disappointed.”
Johnson was pleased with the performance of his brand new Ford.
“It's a new car and I feel like it's not quite there yet, but to have this
result on it debut is pleasing,” Johnson said.
“We're up the front which is really gratifying.
“We are not far off (from seeing its best), we'll see how good this car
actually is at Bathurst.”
Shootout debutant Owen Kelly decided to keep out of trouble and bring the
team's number 18 Ford home in one piece.
“I was way over cautious, but I was more interested in keeping the Falcon
straight,” Owen Kelly said.
“The worst I could do was tenth, so I just cruised around basically, I
didn't want to fire the car into the fence.”
Kelly wasn't overawed to be driving a V8 championship shootout.
“It (the shootout) wasn't really any big deal to be honest,” Kelly said.
“I was always only going to go eight-tenths, it's a five-hundred kilometre
race, there's no point crashing in the shootout when the worst you can
do in tenth.
“I don't know why but I haven't felt the pressure this weekend, I have
just tried to do the job as best I can and hope everything looks after
itself.”
Shell Helix Racing has shown again that it has one of the paddock's best
wet weather set-ups,
“The cars have always been good in the wet and I think the team has drivers
that are good in the wet,” Warren Luff said.
“Steve (Johnson) is a proven star when it's raining and I did well yesterday.
“Rain is a great leveller in terms of driver performance, it takes away
some of the mechanical advantages and puts the onus on the driver.
“We are certainly hoping that it will be raining tomorrow, the forecast
is suggesting it will be, but having said that our car is not far off in
the dry either.
“The whole team believes that, barring unforseen circumstances, both of
its cars can be right up there tomorrow.”
The Sandown 500 start at 1pm.
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