Pole and strong race result for Richards
26/11/2004 23:36 (Press Release) -
Steven Richards has opened his account in the Tasmania Triple Challenge with a strong fourth position in today’s first of three 42-lappers. The Castrol Commodore driver featured in a pacy dice with HRT’s Todd Kelly and SBR’s Marcos Ambrose, running second behind Rick Kelly once all the front-runners had completed their compulsory pit stops.
On lap 20 he ran slightly wide at the second last corner, allowing Todd to get by. But Richo struck back in the same spot a lap later, only to overcook it slightly and rub doors with Kelly.
The delay for the Holden duo allowed Ambrose to take second spot, and Richards spent the rest of the race in fourth spot behind Kelly.
Richards began the day strongly, firmly putting the #11 Commodore in the Top 10 Shootout with the fifth fastest time in qualifying.
In fact, qualifying had some issues of its own for the drivers, with the red flag waving to stop the session due to the track surface breaking up on the exit of the final corner.
Richards had set the third fastest time behind HRT duo Todd Kelly and Mark Skaife, but was bumped back to fifth late in the session by Rick Kelly and Max Wilson.
Making his 99th championship start, Richards then pieced together a brilliant 52.9461s lap in the Shootout to snatch pole position – his third of the season and of his V8 Supercar career.
Things were tougher for his younger partner Paul Dumbrell. Dumbrell put the #8 car into 15th spot in qualifying but his race was in trouble from the first lap.
He copped a hit from behind at the first hairpin that pushed him into Paul Morris, severely bending the bonnet of his Castrol Commodore. From there his engine lost power as a result of the hit and he struggled around to at least finish, albeit in 24th spot.
“The (engine) temperatures were OK, but the bonnet was smashed in at 90 degrees,” he said.
“It was hit so hard in the back that the fuel tank was actually touching the ground! But we finished, so that wasn’t too bad.”
Making his solo championship debut, Alex Davison kept his nose clean in the team’s #7 Castrol Commodore VX. After qualifying 29th, the 25-year-old was able to pass a few cars on the opening corner by staying to the outside as the rest bottled themselves up.
From there he lost a few spots by playing things a tad too conservatively entering pit lane and entering his pit box. After re-joining he diced with Mark Winterbottom before finishing the race in 20th spot.
“I pulled up a bit short in the pits and played it a bit careful,” said Davison.
“Our speed was good compared to some of the cars around me after the pit stop, and I was happy to keep up with drivers who have been racing all season.”
Races two and three will be held tomorrow at 12.05pm and 3.00pm to complete the penultimate round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series.
Tasmania Triple Challenge, Rd 12 – V8 Supercar Championship Series
Race 1 Results (42 laps)
Pos No Driver Car Points
1 15 Rick Kelly Kmart Commodore VY 64
2 1 Marcos Ambrose Pirtek Falcon BA 62
3 22 Todd Kelly HRT Commodore VY 60
4 11 Steven Richards Castrol Commodore VY 58
5 34 Garth Tander Valvoline Commodore VY 56
6 6 Craig Lowndes CAT Falcon BA 54
7 9 Russell Ingall Caltex Falcon BA 52
8 23 David Besnard WPS Falcon BA 50
9 88 Paul Radisich Betta Falcon BA 48
10 50 Jason Bright PWR Commodore VY 46
20 7 Alex Davison Castrol Commodore VX 26
24 8 Paul Dumbrell Castrol Commodore VY 18
Top 10 Shootout/Qualifying
Pos No Driver Car Time
1 11 Steven Richards Castrol Commodore VY 52.9461
2 22 Todd Kelly HRT Commodore VY 52.9538
3 2 Mark Skaife HRT Commodore VY 52.9838
4 1 Marcos Ambrose Pirtek Falcon BA 53.1813
5 15 Rick Kelly Kmart Commodore VY 53.2054
6 34 Garth Tander Valvoline Commodore VY 53.2422
7 6 Craig Lowndes CAT Falcon BA 53.4483
8 51 Greg Murphy Kmart Commodore VY 53.6866
9 50 Jason Bright PWR Commodore VY 53.6905
10 888 Max Wilson Betta Falcon BA 54.3146
15 8 Paul Dumbrell Castrol Commodore VY 52.7379
29 7 Alex Davison Castrol Commodore VX 53.3399
Release Date: 13/11/2004
Castrol Perkins Motorsport
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