Tough weekend rounds out year for Kmart Racing
11/1/2005 16:09 (Press Release) -
A difficult weekend for Kmart Racing has rounded out an otherwise strong V8 Supercar Championship Series season in the final round at Eastern Creek Raceway in Sydney.
At a circuit that has proven to be something of a bogey track for the Melbourne-based Holden team, both Greg Murphy and Rick Kelly struggled to find the sort of pace required to finish in the top three in the championship, rounding out the weekend fourth and sixth in the series respectively.
It also brings down the curtain on Murphy’s time with Kmart Racing, after four seasons and two Bathurst wins with the outfit. Today was also the last weekend for team manager Rob Crawford, making it a disappointing way to end the season.
“For sure, we knew this weekend would be tough,” surmised Murphy.
“There were plenty of other teams out there who were really on form for the final race and we just couldn’t get our car setup the way required. That shows on the scoreboard and we slipped back from fighting for second in the title to ending up fourth.
“That’s disappointing but there are positives to take away from the year. Bathurst and Indy were two wins that were very special and the way the crew has worked all year has been a real credit to each and every one of them.”
Both drivers struggled in qualifying, with Kelly and Murphy only able to muster enough speed from the Kmart Commodores to qualify 21st and 22nd respectively.
But a ‘never say die’ approach from Kelly turned the opening race into something of a success story. The 21-year-old, aided by a lightning-fast pit stop by the Kmart Racing crew, vaulted himself up the order to finish fifth, while Murphy struggled and could only manage 13th spot.
It turned around for Kelly in race two, another great pit stop helping him into second spot behind Marcos Ambrose. Paul Radisich got by the two-time Bathurst champion, before Craig Lowndes attacked and made a move on Kelly at turn two on lap 17.
An understeering Lowndes touched Kelly’s car, breaking the steering on the #15 machine and putting Rick into retirement.
Another strong fight back resulted in Kelly passing half of the field to take 15th in the final race from 34th on the grid. Murphy could only manage 24th and 18th place finishes in the last two races, delayed by a drive-through penalty in the first for driving through the SBR pit bay on exiting his compulsory pit stop.
“After being in with a shot at the championship a few rounds ago, it definitely is a bit of a kick in the stomach to end up sixth,” said Kelly.
“We have a lot of work to do during the off-season but, with a new team-mate in Garth Tander and a new year to get our teeth stuck into, there’s no doubt we’ll be back out there fighting hard.”
FINAL RESULTS – Round 13, BigPond Grand Finale, Eastern Creek, New South Wales, December 4-5 2004:
1. Marcos Ambrose, #1 Pirtek Falcon BA, 192 pts
2. Paul Radisich, #88 Betta Falcon BA, 174 pts
3. Russell Ingall, #98 Caltex Havoline Falcon BA, 160 pts
4. Steven Richards, #11 Castrol Commodore VY, 158 pts
5. Mark Skaife, #2 HRT Commodore VY, 144 pts
6. Cameron McConville, #33 Valvoline Commodore VY, 142 pts
7. Steven Johnson, #17 Shell Helix Falcon BA, 142 pts
8. Jason Richards, #3 Tasman Commodore VY, 136 pts
9. Jason Bargwanna, #10 Orrcon Falcon BA, 124 pts
10. Craig Lowndes, #6 CAT Falcon BA, 122 pts
19. Rick Kelly, #15 Kmart Commodore VY, 92 pts
20. Greg Murphy, #51 Kmart Commodore VY, 88 pts
FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS:
1. Marcos Ambrose, #1 Pirtek Falcon BA, 2174 pts
2. Russell Ingall, #9 Caltex Falcon BA, 1936 pts
3. Jason Bright, #50 PWR Commodore VY, 1920 pts
4. Greg Murphy, #51 Kmart Commodore VY, 1913 pts
5. Steven Richards, #11 Castrol Commodore VY, 1819 pts
6. Rick Kelly, #15 Kmart Commodore VY, 1793 pts
7. Todd Kelly, #22 HRT Commodore VY, 1623 pts
8. Jason Bargwanna, #10 Orrcon Falcon BA, 1526 pts
9. John Bowe, #12 Ozemail Falcon BA, 1502
10. Steven Johnson, #17 Shell Helix Falcon BA, 1416 pts
Release Date: 05/12/2004
K-Mart Racing
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