BARGWANNA WANTS TO KEEP TASMANIAN PODIUM RECORD IN TACT
26/11/2004 21:14 (Press Release) -
When the V8 Supercar Championship heads to Tasmania’s Symmons Plains Raceway next weekend Orrcon Racing’s Jason Bargwanna wants to continue his perfect run of podium results in Tasmania.
In his previous two visits to the Symmons Plains circuit Bargwanna has finished on the podium on both occasions, the first coming in only his second start in the V8 Supercar Championship.
After finishing third in 1998 Bargwanna continued this form into the following year, the last time that the V8 Championship visited the Apple Isle, to claim second behind Mark Skaife on the rain soaked 2.41km circuit.
Since joining the Gold Coast based Orrcon Racing team at the start of 2003 Bargwanna and the hard working crew at Larkham Motor Sport have the big improvers in the Championship.
The team’s performance this year has been outstanding, forging themselves as the second highest placed Ford team behind the Championship winning Stone Brothers Racing outfit.
Over the past three rounds Bargwanna has recorded a sixth, fifth and a fourth place at Sandown, Bathurst and the Gold Coast respectively. His fourth place on the streets of Surfers Paradise was the 32-year-old’s best finish in the Championship since winning the corresponding round two years ago.
“I’ve had a sixth, fifth and fourth, now I think it’s time I got back on the podium,” said Bargwanna.
“A podium result would a perfect reward for the work put in by the guys in the crew all year to get the team to be competitive as we have been. We have made six shootouts and finished 11 races inside the top ten so far this year which is a superb effort.
“We are now the second Ford team in the Championship standings and heading to two tracks that I really enjoy to finish the year. I have had success at both Symmons Plains and Eastern Creek which gives me a good feeling for the remainder of the year.
“I have some of my fondest memories involved in V8’s from Tassie, in ’98 I finished on the podium for the first time in only my second start in the Championship. The next year I finished second to (Mark) Skaife in the wet, now it is time to move up another step on the podium.
“The confidence within the team is great, we are all on a roll and I hope to keep it that way by being on the podium next weekend.”
While Bargwanna has competed at Symmons Plains on a couple of occasions his Orrcon Racing team mate Mark Winterbottom is at the other end of the scale making his circuit racing debut in Tasmania next weekend.
The only time that 23-year-old Winterbottom has previously visited Tasmania was in 1996 to compete in the Australian Karting Championships at Smithton where he took the victory in the Junior National Light class. This victory was one of the nine Australian Titles he claimed throughout his illustrious karting career.
“Once again there is be another new track for me to learn, but that is all part of my rookie year. Symmons Plains will make the eighth new track to me in a V8 for the year,” said Winterbottom.
“I’ve watched a fair few videos of races at Symmons Plains from the nineties over the last few months but it won’t be until I get behind the wheel that I will be able to get a good feel for the track.”
Entering next weekend’s penultimate round Bargwanna is eighth in the Championship standings with fellow Ford driver Marcos Ambrose leading the way. Winterbottom is fifteenth, and the leading rookie in the Championship.
ORRCON RACING DRIVER HISTORY AT SYMMONS PLAINS
Jason Bargwanna
Best Finish – 2nd (1999)
Best qualifying position – 6th (1999)
Podium Finishes – Two – 2nd (1999), 3rd (1998)
Debut - 1998
1999 results Qualifying 6th, Race One 4th, Race Two 2nd, Race Three 3rd, Overall 2nd
Mark Winterbottom
Best Finish – N/A (Debut 2004)
Best qualifying position – N/A (Debut 2004)
Debut - 2004
1999 results – N/A (Debut 2004)
TRACK FACTS
Symmons Plains
Launceston, TAS
Track Length: 2.41km
Round Format: 3 X 100km races
V8 Supercar Lap Record: Craig Lowndes (1999) 54.5805
1999* Result – 1st Mark Skaife, 2nd Jason Bargwanna, 3rd Russell Ingall
*This round marks the return of the V8 Supercars to Tasmania for the fist time since 1999
EVENT SCHEDULE
Friday November 12
2:30pm – 3:05am - Practice 1
Saturday November 13
9:20am – 9:55am - Practice 2
11:35am – 11:50am - Qualifying Lower 50%
12:00pm - 12:20pm - Qualifying Upper 50%
2:00pm - 2:30pm – Top Ten Shoot Out
4:00pm - Race 1 (42 laps)
Sunday November 14
10:00am – 10:20am - Warm Up
12:05pm - Race 2 (42 laps)
3:00pm - Race 3 (42 laps)
TELECAST TIMES
Network Ten
Saturday November 13
3:00pm – 5:00pm
Sunday November 14
1:30pm – 5:00pm
CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (After 11 of 13 rounds)
Top 40 drivers
1: Marcos Ambrose 1856
2: Jason Bright 1690
3: Greg Murphy 1665
4: Rick Kelly 1622
5: Russell Ingall 1609
6: Steven Richards 1509
7: Todd Kelly 1483
8: Jason Bargwanna 1309
9: John Bowe 1293
10: Garth Tander 1251
11: Steven Johnson 1135
12: Paul Weel 1101
13: Mark Skaife 1087
14: Glenn Seton 1064
15: Mark Winterbottom 1051
16: Jason Richards 1048
17: Brad Jones 1033
18: Cameron McConville 1007
19: Paul Morris 954
20: Anthony Tratt 928
21: Warren Luff 922
22: Craig Lowndes 912
23: Paul Radisich 901
24: Paul Dumbrell 889
25: Tony Longhurst 856
26: Craig Baird 844
27: Simon Wills 808
28: Steve Ellery 800
29: Max Wilson 660
30: David Besnard 560
31: Greg Ritter 372
32: Cameron McLean 360
33: Fabian Coulthard 330
34: Dale Brede 316
35: Mark Noske 304
36: Alex Yoong 275
37: Thomas Mezera 272
38: Jim Richards 248
39: Luke Youlden 240
40: Christian D'Agostin 236
Release Date: 03/11/2004
Larkham Orrcon Racing
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