PUKEKOHE, NEW ZEALAND - FACTS, FIGURES AND TRACK DESCRIPTION
13/4/2005 23:28 (Press Release) -
The following is a detailed lap of the Pukekohe Park Raceway to be used as the venue for the second round of the 2005 V8 Supercar Championship Series this weekend. Also find following thoughts, results and memorable moments relating to this venue from both Marcos Ambrose and Russell Ingall.
PUKEKOHE PARK RACEWAY A LAP WITH MARCOS AMBROSE
In 2005 with the resurfacing of the Pukekohe track it really is an unknown quantity. But I feel the changes should really play in our favour providing a lot quicker surface that well be sure to take full advantage of.
As you cross the start-finish line you only have eyes for the first turn.
This area in front of the main grandstand is not really a straight, but a sweeping right-hander into turn one which has a very, very fast entry and really is blind because of all the armco around you.
It is made a little extra difficult because of the bumps this corner really reminds you of Paddock Hill Bend at Brands Hatch, but once you get through it you realise you are somewhere else.
Turn one is so long it really turns into turn two.
You need to make sure you are on the right line for the quick left-right chicane at the end of it Jason Richards found out you can get into trouble here quite easily a couple of years ago.
With new bitumen being laid at turn two and three well be adjusting things a little to adapt to the higher level of grip.
This part of the track really flows well and you can make up a lot of time if you can get a good run out of turn three.
You are in second gear as you aim up the back straight there is a bit of camber in the road here and you can get a bit of wheel spin as you move into third.
Once you are on the back straight it is a long ride down to the hairpin.
You can watch the trains go by on the left or check out the horse racing track on the right.
It is then on to the brakes HARD for the first-gear hairpin. You really need to be committed to brake as late as possible here.
The middle of the corner is not that important, but the exit is and you need to be slow enough to get a good run out.
You then go up through the gears as you race into the flowing left hander.
This part of the circuit is extremely bumpy and you are doing some serious speeds by the time you hit third gear.
At the end of the left-hander is where there used to be a big bump that had become quite famous at the track. Apparently this has been levelled quite significantly so it really is an unknown quantity. Im waiting in anticipation to see how this impacts on the way we approach what has traditionally been a difficult part of the track.
With the modifications I think well be able to carry more corner speed through the final turn as we come onto the main straight.
There is actually quite a rise in the track as you head into the right-hander back on to the straight with armco on both sides of you.
It is great on Sunday afternoon with a massive crowd cheering for you on the outside of the track.
There is no curbing at this part of the circuit, so again you need to be careful that you dont touch the grass and get spat into the wall.
It is then back over the start-finish line for another lap.
All in all, this is a pretty short, but terrifically exciting lap if you get it right.
The track is flowing and you tend to get into a rhythm here and you can find yourself doing eight or 10 solid laps in a row during qualifying if you get into the zone.
THOUGHTS ON PUKEKOHE CIRCUIT
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MARCOS AMBROSE PIRTEK RACING
This is a track where you will spend the best 57-odd seconds of your life. Unfortunately the track is so short, but great to drive on nevertheless. The smoothing of the bump is a critical change and as I mentioned will make for an even quicker ride up the main straight. The grandstand and the amount of fans make the place similar to Brands Hatch.
MOST MEMOR ABLE MOMENT
Winning race one in the rain last year was certainly a highlight, but unfortunately we couldnt go on with the job, which soured the success a little. No doubt my tyre blowing while I was in the lead in 2003 was also memorable for all the wrong reasons and something I would rather forget. The track was like a war zone with oil and bits of car all over the place. I managed to limp it home on three wheels and we picked up third place. I really want to win this race for Ross and Jimmy Stone, who only grew up 15km from the track. Theyve provided me with so much in the past four years and this would be the ideal way to repay their faith in me.
MARCOS AMBROSE DETAILS & CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS (After round 1 of 13)
Current Points: 192 (1st)
Born: September 1, 1976
Car: Pirtek BA Falcon
Number: 1
V8 Supercar debut: 2001
2004 Championship: 1st
V8 Championship Results: 1st (2004); 1st (2003); 3rd (2002); 7th (2001)
Other Major V8 Supercar Results: 1st Sandown 500 (2004); V8 Supercar Rookie of the Year (2001)
Career highlights: 1st European Formula Ford championship (2000); 2nd Australian Formula Ford Championship (1997); 1999 British Formula Ford Championship (3rd)
Starts: 53
Poles: 16 Eastern Creek (Rd 13), Queensland 300, Eastern Creek (2004); Sandown, Oran Park, Queensland Raceway, Winton, Eastern Creek (2003); Phillip Island, Oran Park, Winton, Qld 500, Sandown (2002); Eastern Creek, Qld 500, Bathurst (2001)
Race wins: 23 (Last win Race 2 Adelaide Clipsal 500 -Round 1, 2005)
Round wins: 14 Adelaide Clipsal 500 (2005), Eastern Creek (Rd 13), Sandown 500, Oran Park, Queensland 300, Adelaide Clipsal 500 (2004); Eastern Creek, Oran Park, Hidden Valley, Barbagallo, Winton, Eastern Creek (2003), Sandown (2002); Hidden Valley (2001)
PUKEKOHE RECORD
2004 Qualified 2nd;Race 1: 1st ; Race 2: 3rd ; Race 3: 3rd ; Overall: 2nd
2003 Qualified 6th; Race 1: 6th; Race 2: 23rd; Race 3: 9th; Overall: 11th
2002 Qualified 4th; Race 1: 3rd; Race 2: 3rd; Race 3: 10th; Overall: 3rd
2001 Qualified 3rd; Race 1: 2nd; Race 2: 3rd; Race 3: 4th; Overall: 3rd
THOUGHTS ON PUKEKOHE CIRCUIT
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RUSSELL INGALL CALTEX RACING
I guess this place means a little more now that I am driving for Ross and Jimmy Stone who grew up only a few miles from Pukekohe. I have to reframe from the sheep jokes. I am looking forward to heading there for a third time in a Ford. It would be great to give the Stone Brothers their first V8 Supercar win on their old home track.
MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT
We are sure this is where my daughter Sasha was conceived That does not mean she is a Kiwi!
RUSSELL INGALL DETAILS & CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS (After round 1 of 13)
Current Points: 138 (6th)
Born: February 2, 1964
Car: Caltex BA Falcon
Number: 9
V8 Supercar debut: 1996
2004 Championship: 2nd
V8 Championship Results: 2nd (2004); 7th (2003); 2nd (2001); 9th (2000); 2nd (1999); 2nd (1998); 3rd; (1997); 6th (1996)
Other Major V8 Supercar Results: 1st Bathurst 1000 (1995, 1997); 1st Sandown 500 (1998); 2nd Bathurst 1000 (2002); 2nd Sandown 500 (1997, 2004)
Career Highlights: 1st Australian Formula Ford championship (1990); 2nd British Formula Ford 1600 Championship (1991)
Starts: 109
Poles: 1 Winton (2001)
Race wins: 24 (Last Win Race 1, Hidden Valley, Darwin, 2004)
Round wins: 11 Symmons Plains (2004); Surfers Paradise (2003) Queensland Raceway (2003), Winton (2001); Qld 500 (1999); Lakeside, Mallala, Hidden Valley (1998); Phillip Island, Winton (1997); Calder (1996)
PUKEKOHE RECORD
2004 Qualified 11th; Race 1 : 12th; Race 2: 7th; Race 3 : 7th; Overall 7th
2003 Qualified 17th; Race 1: 19th; Race 2: 26th; Race 3: 10th; Overall 16th
2002 Qualified 17th; Race 1: 10th; Race 2: 11th, Race 3: 11th; Overall 9th
2001 Qualified 10th; Race 1: 5th; Race 2: 27th; Race 3: 11th; Overall 11th
TRACK FACTS PUKEKOHE PARK RACEWAY
Venue: Pukekohe Park Raceway, 40km south of Auckland
2005 Race format: Practice Session (Friday); Qualifying, Top 10 Shootout and Race 1 (36 Laps) (Saturday); Races 2 & 3 (50 laps) (Sunday) All races have compulsory tyre changes.
Circuit Distance: 2.82km
Circuit Direction: Clockwise
Maximum Speed: 240 km/h (Front Straight)
Qualifying Record Greg Murphy (VX Commodore) 56.9053 (2001)
Lap Record Mark Skaife (VX Commodore) 57.4545 (2002)
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS (NZ local time)
Friday April 15
1.10pm - 3.10pm Practice Session
Saturday April 16
11.30pm 12.15pm Qualifying
12.30pm 1.00pm Top Ten Shootout
3.00pm 3.50pm RACE 1 (36 laps)
Sunday April 17
12.10pm 1.15pm RACE 2 (50 laps)
4.35pm 5.40pm RACE 3 (50 laps)
TV TELECAST - Network Ten
Sunday - 12:00pm - 5:00pm (AEST)
2005 CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (After round 1 of 13)
1: Marcos Ambrose (Ford) - 192
2: Craig Lowndes (Ford) - 183
3: Todd Kelly (Holden) - 162
4: Paul Weel (Holden) - 141
5: Steven Johnson (Ford) - 141
6: Russell Ingall (Ford) - 138
7: Paul Dumbrell (Holden) - 135
8: Cameron McConville (Holden) - 129
9: Rick Kelly (Holden) - 126
10: Jason Bright (Ford) 108
Release Date: 13/04/2005
Stone Brothers Racing
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