BOTH SBR CARS IN THE TOP FOUR IN ADELAIDE
7/4/2005 19:09 (Press Release) -
Both Stone Brothers Racing Falcons will start in the top four for tomorrow’s opening race of the Clipsal 500 on the streets of Adelaide - the opening round of the 2005 V8 Supercar Championship Series.
Marcos Ambrose was second fastest in his Pirtek Falcon while Russell Ingall will start from fourth place in his Caltex Racing Ford.
Ambrose was quickest after official qualifying and was fifth on to the track for the top 10 shootout after a new random draw was introduced to select starting order.
Ingall was fourth on track and was third after his run, but had only dropped one more stop after the shootout had been completed.
Rick Kelly has taken pole for the opening race ahead of Ambrose, Steve Ellery, Ingall and Jason Bright.
Mark Skaife did not start in the shootout after damaging his car late in qualifying.
Ambrose, the two-time series and defending champion, was pleased with his efforts which will see him start from his best position in his four visits to the Clipsal 500.
“You get a bit greedy and always want the pole, but that cannot always be the case,” said Ambrose, who has started from third the last three years in Adelaide.
“We started third last year and managed to win both races, so I don’t think we are done just yet.
“It is great to see four of the five drivers at today’s media conference are from the Ford camp.
“There is no doubt that this is proof that the Ford program is really coming along.
“It would be great if we could have the top three places filled by the Blue Oval brigade tomorrow.
“Overall I think we have had a pretty successful day and we need to convert that tomorrow.”
Ingall, a two-time Bathurst winner, was obviously pleased to jump five places in the shootout after being ninth in qualifying, but was vocal about new rules which will severely limit track time for the V8 Supercars tomorrow.
The V8s no longer have their traditional morning warm-up and will be limited to just one form-up lap before tomorrow’s opening 78-lap race.
“Not having a warm-up is a joke – I don’t know who came up with that,” said Ingall.
“I can’t see the spectator value in that.
“I also think that the warm-up has been good for some of the struggling teams in the past. I think this will only mean a bigger gap between the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’.
“No warm-up means that we really have had to look at how we have utilised our time in practice and qualifying. We have really had to juggle qualifying and race set-ups.
“All that said, I think the Caltex team did a great job today and that we have a pretty
strong race package.
“78 laps is a long way around this place and you are going to have to be patient.”
Ingall has qualified in the top 10 six of his seven times at the Clipsal 500 and today’s result was his best since he qualified third in 2000.
QUALIFYING – TOP 10
1: Marcos Ambrose (Ford) 1:22.1776
2: Paul Radisich (Holden) 1:22.5300
3: Steve Ellery (Ford) 1:22.5446
4: Craig Lowndes (Ford) 1:22.5609
5: Jason Bright (Ford) 1:22.5692
6: Rick Kelly (Holden) 1:22.6948
7: Steve Richards (Holden) 1:22.7015
8: Greg Murphy (Holden) 1:22.7666
9: Russell Ingall (Ford) 1:22.8108
10: Mark Skaife (Holden) 1:22.8235
TOP 10 SHOOTOUT
1: Rick Kelly (Holden) 1:22.9438
2: Marcos Ambrose (Ford) 1:23.0490
3: Steve Ellery (Ford) 1:23.1918
4: Russell Ingall (Ford) 1:23.2425
5: Jason Bright (Ford) 1:23.1442
6: Greg Murphy (Holden) 1:23.4958
7: Steve Richards (Holden) 1:23.5888
8: Craig Lowndes (Ford) 1:23.7449
9: Paul Radisich (Holden) 1:24.0786
10: Mark Skaife (Holden) DNS
2005 CLIPSAL 500 SCHEDULE
Saturday, March 19, 2005
2pm – Race 1 (78 Laps)
Sunday, March 20, 2005
11.40am-12.15pm – Drivers Parade
2pm – Race 2 (78 Laps)
TELEVISION SCHEDULE
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Network Ten – 1pm-5pm (EDST)
Sunday, March 20, 2005
Network Ten – 1pm-5pm (EDST)
*Check your local guides
Release Date: 18/03/2005
Stone Brothers Racing
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