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	AGP QUALIFYING - Skaife's Hot Wheels Stand Out 9/3/2000 23:04 (Jason Whittaker) - Mark Skaife called it a "mongrel lap", but it was more than enough for the Holden Racing Team ace to storm on to pole position for the first of the Hot Wheels V8 Supercar Showdown races at the 2000 Qantas Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. Skaife's best lap came halfway through the afternoon qualifying session and was a full second faster than his nearest rival, Valvoline Cummins Holden's Garth Tander. "It was a bit of a mongrel lap as I threw the car about but it worked okay and I managed to keep it on the black stuff," said Skaife. Tander is being touted as the next big thing in V8 Supercar racing after his win in the Shell series opener at Phillip Island, and he again showed he has what it takes to take on the HRT duo of Skaife and Craig Lowndes. "We are running right with HRT now so it's good to get out there and scrap at the right end of the field," said Tander. Lowndes put his Holden in third place on the grid while, Paul Radisich's Shell Helix AU Falcon was the fastest Ford on the day in fourth. Russell Ingall was next quickest in his Castrol Holden, while the CAT Ford of John Bowe and Steven Johnson in the second Shell Helix car were sixth and seventh respectively. The s lippery surface of the track, being used for its first real hit out of the Grand Prix meeting, saw several spins. Steven Richards, Larry Perkins and Steven Johnson were among those who visited the sand, but the most noticeable gaffs for the session came from V8 Supercar debutante, Sam Newman. Driving his Hot Wheels Holden, Newman had a couple of spins prompting suspicion that he was headed for the corporate entertainment areas. "I am on first name terms with the people in corporate suite 15. We were having drinks," said Newman. "It was a frightening experience out there, it really makes you appreciate how good these V8 drivers are. As far as I am concerned, it has been a successful day if I am not in casualty." The first of three races will be held at 3.40pm tomorrow with two more to follow on Saturday and Sunday. **TOP 10** 1st MARK SKAIFE (Mobil-Holden Racing) - VT Commodore 2nd GARTH TANDER (Team Valvoline-Cummins) - VT Commodore 3rd CRAIG LOWNDE S (Mobil-Holden Racing) - VT Commodore 4th PAUL RADISICH (Shell Helix Racing) - AU Falcon 5th RUSSELL INGALL (Castrol Perkins Racing) - VT Commodore 6th JOHN BOWE (CAT Racing) - AU Falcon 7th STEVEN JOHNSON (Shell Helix Racing) - AU Falcon 8th LARRY PERKINS (Castrol Perkins Racing) - VT Commodore 9th JASON BARGWANNA (Team Valvoline-Cummins) - VT Commodore 10th MARK LARKHAM (Mitre 10 Racing) - AU Falcon 29th SAM NEWMAN (Hot Wheels Racing) - VT Commodore Full Grid...