Smiths Trucks Racing on the podium at Bathurst
10/10/2004 7:27 (Press Release) -
Smiths Trucks Racing’s Alan Gurr has finished second behind Matthew White in the twenty-five lap Konica Minolta V8 Supercar Challenge at the Bob Jane Tmarts 1000 in Bathurst today.
The Konica Minolta driver is doing double stint this weekend, also taking up the role of co-driver with Sirromet Wines driver Paul Morris in tomorrow’s 1000 kilometre race.
Gurr got a clean start and settled comfortably in fifth early in the race with tyre preservation weighing heavily on his mind.
Patience prevailed for Gurr as slowly one-by-one the leaders started to retire, most with punctured tyres.
By lap twenty Gurr was sitting in third place with Matthew White and Greg Ritter out in front battling for the lead. With one lap to go Ritter’s front right hand side tyre blew opening the door for Gurr to move into second place.
Ford driver Matthew White won the race with Gurr second and Holden driver Tony D’Alberto third.
The Queensland based driver said he thought if he preserved his tyres he was a chance of a podium.
“They were pretty aggressive out in front so I thought consolidate and try and preserve my tyres as much as possible as there had to be one or two in front of me go out.
“The whole idea was to get more miles and I think today’s race really helped me prepare for tomorrow.
“To know I can comfortably do twenty-five laps around here really helps relieve the pressure.
Mark Noske and Lee Holdsworth were also on track today in the Smiths Trucks Racing VY Commodore they will complete in tomorrow’s 1000 kilometre race.
Both drivers agreed the changes made by the team overnight did improve the cars handling over the top of the mountain.
“The car felt great in practice,” Noske said. “Both Lee and I were happy with the changes that were made overnight and it was a lot more comfortable to drive this morning.
“Lee put together some good laps in the second half of practice today and really started to improve his times.
“Out main aim tomorrow is to finish the race on the lead lap,” Noske said.
The Bob Jane Tmarts 1000 will consist of 161 laps of the 6.2 kilometre Mount Panorama circuit with the race starting at 10.00am tomorrow.
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