Asian Motor Sports

Ford’s Craig Lowndes has claimed third spot in the final race of the Bahrain Desert 400 to take the V8 Supercar Championship right down to the wire.

Rival and overall championship leader Rick Kelly could only manage fifth which means his advantage in the overall standings has been slashed to just seven points heading into the final round.

Kelly’s brother and Holden team-mate Todd won the final race in the Middle East but it wasn’t enough to stop Ford from claiming the 2006 constructor’s title. The team now holds an insurmountable 7-5 lead going in to the final round at Phillip Island.

Jason Bright, the overall winner in Bahrain, had a strong drive to finish second in the final race ahead of Lowndes and Holden’s Mark Skaife came fourth.

But all eyes were on Rick Kelly and Lowndes as their battle for the championship intensified.

Rick Kelly was disappointed at letting his big lead in the championship evaporate but is looking forward to the challenge ahead at Phillip Island.

“It’s not as good as the 90-point lead we had at the start of the day but it’s going to be a fair dinkum battle at Phillip Island which is great for the spectators and the sport but tough on us,” he told the V8 website.

Despite his lead, Kelly is anxious about the challenge he expects Lowndes to mount.

“He is going to be very difficult to beat,” the 23-year-old said.

“He was very fast there last year and I finished on the podium. Hopefully we will have a good car and sail away into the sunset but I don’t think it’s going to be that easy.”

“It’s been tough up to here and this has been an awakening. It wasn’t in the bag and that’s exactly what I said. We are going to have to work hard to win it.”

Lowndes is also looking forward to Phillip Island with anticipation.

“We had good cars last year so it’s going to be an exciting finish, probably no different to Bathurst where we had a good battle right to the end,” he said.

Lowndes also began the mind games, suggesting all the pressure was on the championship leader.

“There is going to be a lot of pressure on him knowing that Holden hasn’t won it (the Championship) for four years and it will all go down to him.”

The final round of the 2006 V8 Supercar Championship begins at Phillip Island, Victoria on December 8.

Results from Race 3 of the Desert 400 in Bahrain:

1. Todd Kelly (Holden) 54:15.8752
2. Jason Bright (Ford) 54:17.1559
3. Craig Lowndes (Ford) 54:24.8715
4. Mark Skaife (Holden) 54:37.8844
5. Rick Kelly (Holden) 54:41.9815
6. Steve Johnson (Holden) 54:43.5960
7. James Courtney (Ford) 54:48.8941
8. Garth Tander (Holden) 54:51.7602
9. Cameron McConville (Holden) 54:54.8590
10. Russell Ingall (Ford) 54:58.9954