Morris' top 10 shootout sequence comes to an end
9/11/2004 18:32 (Press Release) -
Sirromet Wines Holden Commodore driver Paul Morris was today unable to repeat his superb qualifying form of the past three V8 Supercar Championship rounds and will start near the rear of the grid in tomorrow's first race at Surfers Paradise.
The 36-year-old Gold Coast driver qualified for the Top 10 Shoot Out in the past three championship rounds at Sydney's Oran Park circuit, Sandown in Melbourne, and Mount Panorama at Bathurst.
However, Morris finished 27th in today's qualifying for round 11 of the championship, the Gillette V8 Supercar Challenge, which comprises races tomorrow and on Sunday. The Surfers Paradise championship round is part of the Lexmark Indy 300 event.
Morris clocked a quickest lap time of 1-min 53.098-secs around the 4.5km street circuit in his VY Commodore in qualifying. He drove eight laps in the session. Mark Skaife was fastest in a Holden Racing Team Commodore, followed by Russell Ingall in a Caltex Havoline Ford Falcon.
In the past two weeks Morris' team has spent considerable time repairing the car that was crashed during the Bob Jane T-Marts 1000 at Bathurst. The team did not have sufficient time to test the Commodore after it was repaired before the start of the Surfers Paradise round.
There were two practice sessions at Surfers Paradise today before qualifying. Morris was 29th in the first practice, and 26th in the second session.
PAUL MORRIS QUOTES: "In the second practice we lost track-time with a cracked exhaust header. We replaced the whole exhaust system before qualifying. I'm going as fast as I can, but the (lap) times aren't as competitive as I've been in the last few races. On my second (qualifying) lap with new tyres I started running out of brakes and the car wanted to go straight on. I can't be as precise with it as I'd like. The grip improved during the day as more rubber went down on the track. Since they decided to drop the pit-stops here it's going to be interesting tomorrow to see how many teams get into tyre and brake trouble. My game plan is to try and come through the field and make up as many places as I can to get a better grid position for Sunday's race."
RESULTS – QUALIFYING:
POS DRIVERS CAR TIME
1. Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Commodore 1:50.376
2. Russell Ingall Caltex Havoline Ford Falcon 1:50.578
3. Craig Lowndes Ford Performance Racing Falcon 1:50.587
4. Marcos Ambrose Pirtek Ford Falcon 1:50.623
5. Rick Kelly Kmart Holden Commodore 1:50.782
6. Todd Kelly Holden Racing Team Commodore 1:51.006
7. Steven Richards Castrol Perkins Holden Commodore 1:51.030
8. Jason Bargwanna Orrcon Ford Falcon 1:51.255
9. Steve Ellery SER Ford Falcon 1:51.296
10. Greg Murphy Kmart Holden Commodore 1:51.296
OTHER:
27. Paul Morris Sirromet Wines Holden Commodore 1:53.098
CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (after round 10): Ambrose 1,667; Bright 1,612; R. Kelly 1,565; Ingall 1,519; S. Richards 1,509; Murphy 1,476; T. Kelly 1,303; J. Bowe 1,188; Tander 1,155; Bargwanna 1,138. Other: Morris 861
Release Date: 22/10/2004
Paul Morris Motorsports/Sirromet
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