FORD V8'S SHOW GREAT FORM AT GRAND PRIX
7/4/2005 15:06 (Press Release) -
Ford's V8 Supercar teams have shown they will be a force in 2005 following
an outstanding weekend in the non-championship Australian Formula One Grand
Prix support races.
The highlight of the weekend came in the second race, the 19-lap GP 100,
when Team BOC's John Bowe and Brad Jones outsmarted 30 other drivers when
they ran with slick tyres in drying conditions.
Despite being at the back of the field for the opening portion of the race,
they charged through the pack setting lap times some eight seconds quicker
than their rivals, to claim the top two spots with three laps remaining.
It was the team's first V8 Supercar success and making it a one-two result
was even better.
“It felt like winning Bathurst. Everybody was waving at me and I got swamped
when I got out of the car,” said Bowe.
“We initially made the decision for Brad (Jones) to go out on slicks and
I was going to use wet weather tyres. In a twist of fate, at the last minute
I changed my mind and look what's happened - we won!”
“I guess part of the decision was luck but there were 30 other cars out
there that could have made the same choice of tyres as us, so there's also
an element of good management. Fortune favours the brave, so they say,”
Bowe added.
Jones' second place result equalled his best ever V8 Supercar performance.
“It's just a fantastic result for the team and I'd especially like to thank
our new sponsor BOC and Ford. This is the perfect start for our partnership
and hopefully our result goes a small way to repay their faith in us,”
said Jones.
“Ironically, on the warm-up lap I was screaming at my crew to see if I
could come into the pits and swap my slicks for wets (tyres) but the rules
stated that once a tyre was fitted there was no changing. The track was
very, very wet for the first few laps but once it dried we were six or
so seconds a lap quicker than the rest of the field,” Jones concluded.
Defending two-time V8 Supercar Champion Marcos Ambrose (Pirtek Racing)
finished fourth in that race, as well as runner-up in the other two races,
to show he'll again be a driver to watch in 2005.
“We did not clinch a win this weekend, but we obviously had some pace and
came away with three top-four finishes,” said Ambrose.
“It is always pleasing to come away from this race with some good results
and without any major work to do on the car with the opening round of the
year only two weeks away in Adelaide.”
The weekend proved that Ford has strength across its teams, with five drivers
in the top ten in the first race, followed by seven in the second and third
races.
Stone Brothers Racing teammate Russell Ingall (Caltex Racing) collected
three top fives, including third in the final race.
It won't just be the Stone Brothers Racing team to watch in 2005, with
other Blue Oval teams enjoying strong performances.
CAT Ford Performance Racing's Jason Bright showed plenty of promise. Qualifying
second before backing up with results of fifth and seventh.
Despite not finishing the opening race, Craig Lowndes (Team Betta Electrical)
hit back with sixth and fourth.
Other Ford drivers to score top-ten results over the weekend were Greg
Ritter (Ford Credit / FPV Ford Performance Racing), Steven Johnson (Westpoint
Racing), Steve Ellery (Team Betta Electrical) and the Orrcon Racing duo
of Jason Bargwanna and Mark Winterbottom.
The championship proper gets underway in two weeks time on the streets
of Adelaide with the Clipsal 500.
Race #1 Top-10 Results - Friday
1. Todd Kelly - Holden Race Team - Holden Commodore
2. Marcos Ambrose - Pirtek Racing - Ford Falcon BA
3. Mark Skaife - Holden Race Team - Holden Commodore
4. Russell Ingall - Caltex Racing - Ford Falcon BA
5. Jason Bright - CAT Ford Performance Racing - Ford Falcon BA
6. Cameron McConville - Valvoline Racing - Holden Commodore
7. Paul Radisich - Team Kiwi - Holden Commodore
8. Steven Richards - Castrol Racing - Holden Commodore
9. Greg Ritter - Ford Credit / FPV Ford Performance Racing - Ford Falcon
BA
10. Steven Johnson - Westpoint Racing - Ford Falcon BA
Race #2 Top-10 Results - Saturday
1. John Bowe - Team BOC - Ford Falcon BA
2. Brad Jones - Team BOC - Ford Falcon BA
3. Mark Skaife - Holden Race Team - Holden Commodore
4. Marcos Ambrose - Pirtek Racing - Ford Falcon BA
5. Russell Ingall - Caltex Racing - Ford Falcon BA
6. Craig Lowndes - Team Betta Electrical - Ford Falcon BA
7. Jason Bright - CAT Ford Performance Racing - Ford Falcon BA
8. Jamie Whincup - Tasman Motorsport - Holden Commodore
9. Steve Ellery - Team Betta Electrical - Ford Falcon BA
10. Rick Kelly - Kelly Racing - Holden Commodore
Race #3 Top-10 Results - Sunday
1. Mark Skaife - Holden Race Team - Holden Commodore
2. Marcos Ambrose - Pirtek Racing - Ford Falcon BA
3. Russell Ingall - Caltex Racing - Ford Falcon BA
4. Craig Lowndes - Team Betta Electrical - Ford Falcon BA
5. John Bowe - Team BOC - Ford Falcon BA
6. Brad Jones - Team BOC - Ford Falcon BA
7. Jamie Whincup - Tasman Motorsport - Holden Commodore
8. Jason Bargwanna - Orrcon Racing - Ford Falcon BA
9. Mark Winterbottom - Orrcon Racing - Ford Falcon BA
10. Jason Richards - Tasman Motorsport - Holden Commodore
Release Date: 06/03/2005
Ford Racing Australia
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