INGALL WINS IN TASMANIA - AMBROSE HAS TO WAIT FOR FINAL ROUND TO SECURE TITLE
29/11/2004 18:45 (Press Release) -
Caltex Havoline Racing's Russell Ingall has won the Tasmania Triple Challenge,
the 12th round of the V8 Supercar Championship at Symmons Plains.
For Stone Brothers Racing teammate and defending V8 Supercar Champion, Marcos
Ambrose (Pirtek Racing), the weekend ended in disappointment after an engine
failure in the final of three races to place him ninth for the round. This was
after he finished second in the first race and won the second 42-lap race.
The three 42-lap races each included plenty of drama, but it was the final event
of the weekend that provided all the highlights. Engine dramas weren't limited
to Ambrose with Todd and Rick Kelly both failing to reach the chequered flag
for the same reason.
The benefactors were Ingall, Greg Murphy and Steven Richards who took the podium
results. Ingall finished the weekend with race results of seventh, fifth and
second to claim overall victory.
“A crazy weekend really, but outstanding to win overall,” said Ingall.
“In those types of situations you just leave it all up to the boys in the pits,
but I still have to say I'm thrilled and surprised at the same time.
“I would have been very disappointed to go through the year without winning.
Especially as we've had a strong car, but things just haven't gone our way.
“I've got Greg Murphy in my sights. Going to Eastern Creek where we've been strong
in the past has us all very excited.
“Certainly not the ideal result for Marcos, but we're now in with a good shot
at getting a 1-2 for the Stone Brothers Racing team. I've been second in this
championship three times, but I'll be happy to do that again behind Marcos in
three weeks time at Eastern Creek.”
It was a philosophical Ambrose after the final race.
“It's the first engine drama my car has had since the Gold Coast Indy event in
2003, so we've had outstanding reliability,” said Ambrose.
“It really underlines that this game is about man and machine. Sometimes you
let the team down and sometimes it's the car.
“It didn't feel right on the warm-up lap and not long after the start it dropped
to seven cylinders. We tried to keep it in the race just to score points, but
it was not to be.
“You know this weekend started so good with the results in the first two races,
but as they say that's racing.
“We still have a 151-point lead over Greg Murphy and like last year we'll aim
to seal the deal at the final round at Eastern Creek.”
Eastern Creek has a maximum of 192-points on offer. A 12th place finish in any
of the three races at Eastern Creek will earn Ambrose the championship.
There was plenty of confusion in the final race when a safety car was called
onto the track after Paul Weel smashed into a wall. It was during this time that
David Besnard (WPS Racing), Mark Skaife and Jason Bright all made their compulsory
stops. This was many laps after their rivals and appeared to be a stroke of genius
as all three had effectively gained a full lap on the field. Officials later
adjusted the lap scoring and placed Besnard and co in 18th position and back.
Teams have called for the lap scoring to be investigated to sort the final results.
This would not have affected the overall result, with Ingall still clear at the
top.
Ford finished with six cars in the first ten, included Craig Lowndes (CAT Ford
Performance Racing) in fourth, Steven Johnson (Shell Helix Racing) in sixth,
Steve Ellery (Steve Ellery Racing) in seventh, Warren Luff (Shell Helix Racing)
in eighth and Ambrose in ninth.
The final round of the V8 Supercar Series will be the Big Pond Grand Finale at
Sydney's Eastern Creek over the weekend of December 3-5.
Overall results - Tasmania Triple Challenge
1. Russell Ingall - Caltex Havoline Racing - Ford Falcon BA
2. Greg Murphy - KMart Racing - Holden Commodore
3. Steven Richards - Castrol Perkins Motorsport - Holden Commodore
4. Craig Lowndes - CAT Ford Performance Racing - Ford Falcon BA
5. Cameron McConville - Valvoline Racing - Holden Commodore
6. Steven Johnson - Shell Helix Racing - Ford Falcon BA
7. Steve Ellery - Steve Ellery Racing - Ford Falcon BA
8. Warren Luff - Shell Helix Racing - Ford Falcon BA
9. Marcos Ambrose - Pirtek Racing - Ford Falcon BA
10 Rick Kelly - KMart Racing - Holden Commodore
V8 Supercar Championship after 12 of 13 rounds
1. Marcos Ambrose - Pirtek Racing - Ford Falcon BA 1982pts
2. Greg Murphy - KMart Racing - Holden Commodore -151pts
3. Russell Ingall - Caltex Havoline Racing - Ford Falcon BA -200pts
4. Jason Bright - PWR - Holden Commodore -202pts
5. Rick Kelly - KMart Racing - Holden Commodore -281pts
6. Steven Richards - Castrol Perkins Motorsport - Holden Commodore -315pts
7. Todd Kelly - Holden Race Team - Holden Commodore -469pts
8=. John Bowe - OzEmail Racing - Ford Falcon BA -576pts
8=. Jason Bargwanna - Orrcon Steel Racing - Ford Falcon BA -576pts
10. Garth Tander - Valvoline Racing - Holden Commodore -662pts
Release Date: 14/11/2004
Ford Racing Australia
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