Orrcon Racing to start inside the top 10 at Bathurst
10/10/2004 7:24 (Press Release) -
Orrcon Racing driver Jason Bargwanna will start from tenth position in tomorrow’s Bob Jane T-Marts 1000 at the Mount Panorama circuit in Bathurst, NSW.
Bargwanna’s qualifying position continues the strength of the Larkham Motor Sport team at Mount Panorama with Mark Larkham previously starting from pole in 1999 and inside the top ten on three other occasions. It will be the first time the team has started inside the top ten with the Orrcon livery and the sixth occasion in seven years Bargwanna has been a part of a team that will start inside the top ten.
After qualifying for his fifth top ten shootout of the year yesterday Bargwanna, a former Bathurst Champion, was the fourth car on the circuit during the one-lap shootout.
Throughout the practice and qualifying sessions Bargwanna had been fast on his first and second flying laps, however he was unable to match his qualifying pace in the one lap flyer in the shootout to be tenth fastest and will start tomorrow’s 161-lap race from the fifth row on the grid.
“The result of the shootout is a slightly disappointing result but realistically it will mean very little come tomorrow’s race,” said Bargwanna.
“I think the lap overall was a little too clean and tidy to be an exceptionally quick lap. I lost a fair bit of time in the first sector and then carried the same loss over the top of the Mountain.
“Our first aim of the weekend was to ensure that we were in the shootout, and we have achieved that, now we will focus on the race and I think we have got a very fast and reliable race car.”
Bargwanna will share the driving duties in tomorrow’s race with regular Orrcon Racing team mate, 2003 Konica V8 Supercar Champion Mark Winterbottom.
In last year’s event Winterbottom was running very strong and well inside the event before enduring engine problems sidelined him while running inside the top five.
“Bargs has done a great job to get the car in a very competitive position and with his experience he will start the race and I will get in for the middle stint,” said Winterbottom.
“I was in the car for the majority this morning’s final practice session where we tried our race set ups and the car had some very good pace on board, our main aim will be to keep out of trouble for the first three quarters of the race and then be there to challenge at the end.”
Mark Larkham will start the Number 20 Orrcon Racing Falcon from 28th on the grid.
“We have basically been following the set up of the Number 10 car and it has been good to drive, it is just a case of myself and Matt (Halliday) “getting our eye in” and improving within ourselves,” said team owner Larkham.
“I realized this weekend how much of a real team owner I am today when each time I get our of the car I am looking at the screen finding how not only my times are but more so how the Number 10 car is sitting.”
There will be a warm up session tomorrow morning at 7:15am with the 1000km race beginning at 10:00am.
Network Ten’s coverage of the event will begin at 7:00am EST.
Bob Jane T-Marts 1000
Top Ten Shootout
1: Steven Richards/Jim Richards (Holden) 2:07.9611
2: Jason Bright/Paul Weel (Holden) 2:07.9632
3: Paul Dumbrell/Tony Longhurst (Holden) 2:08.0360
4: Greg Murphy/Rick Kelly (Holden) 2:07.9623
5: Marcos Ambrose/Greg Ritter (Ford) 2:08.4490
6: John Bowe/Brad Jones (Ford) 2:08.5537
7: Paul Morris/Alan Gurr (Holden) 2:08.6920
8: Russell Ingall/Cameron McLean (Ford) 2:08.0360
9: Craig Lowndes/Glenn McLean (Ford) 2:09.4096
10: Jason Bargwanna/Mark Winterbottom (Ford) 2:09.4531
ORRCON RACING V8 SUPERCAR DRIVER HISTORY AT THE BOB JANE T-MARTS 1000
Jason Bargwanna
Best Finish – 1st (2000)
Best qualifying position – 7th (1998)
Debut - 1997
2003 results – Qualifying 21st, Race DNF
Drivers previously paired with – Mark Noske (1997), Jim Richards (1998), Garth Tander (1999, 2000, 01, 02)
Mark Winterbottom
Best Finish – DNF (2003)
Best qualifying position – (2003)
Debut - 2003
2003 results – Qualifying 18th, Race DNF
Drivers previously paired with – Mark Noske (2003)
Mark Larkham
Best Finish – 3rd (1997)
Best qualifying position – 1st (1999)
Debut - 1995
2003 results – Qualifying 21st, Race DNF
Drivers previously paired with – Warwick Rooklyn (1995), Cameron McConville (96), Andrew Miedecke (97), Brad Jones (98, 99), Alain Menu (2000), Wayne Gardner (01), Will Power (02), Jason Bargwanna (03)
Matt Halliday
Best Finish – N/A debut 2004
Best qualifying position – N/A debut 2004
Debut - N/A debut 2004
2003 results – N/A debut 2004
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