Asian Motor Sports

Mark Winterbottom led home a Ford Performance Racing 1-2 as he and his team dominated race one of the SkyCity Triple Crown at Hidden Valley.

Winterbottom led at the start and apart from a brief period during the compulsory pitstops, led the rest of the way, leading home teammate Steven Richards by just under four seconds for FPE’s first 1-2 of the season.

“I was worried at the start because he (Richards) is a great starter…I tried to make sure I got a good start and I got to Turn One first and the car was fantastic,” Winterbottom said.

“The team has obviously done a great job. When you have one car up there it is fantastic, but to have two cars up there is exceptional.”

Nearly fifteen seconds behind Richards, in third place, came Garth Tander, who took the place in turn one on lap one and then spent the rest of the race fighting off the two Team Vodafone cars of Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes, who finished just behind him in fourth and fifth, with Jason Richards right behind Lowndes in sixth.

Russell Ingall was just a little further back in seventh place, well clear of a close fight between Will Davison and Rick Kelly which Davison won to hold on to eighth place, with James Courtney completing the top ten.

Shane van Gisbergen turned around his day, finishing twelfth after starting 22nd, while Mark Skaife went the other way, starting tenth but finishing a lap down in 25th after flat-spotting a tyre into turn one mid-race and having to pit to replace it.

Both Winterbottom and Richards said that they took no notice of what has been a tumultuous weekend off the track for the Blue Oval after the manufacturer announced that it was withdrawing its financial support from all but two teams – FPR and Stone Brothers Racing – from 2009.

“What has gone on in the last week doesn’t make you appreciate a win any more or make you strive any harder to win; I don’t think it makes any difference at all,” Winterbottom said.

Pos Driver Make Time

1. Mark Winterbottom Ford 51:11.6729
2. Steven Richards Ford + 3.7436
3. Garth Tander Holden + 17.9186
4. Jamie Whincup Ford + 18.2676
5. Craig Lowndes Ford + 18.8398
6. Jason Richards Holden + 19.1730
7. Russell Ingall Holden + 22.9473
8. Will Davison Ford + 31.1523
9. Rick Kelly Holden + 31.7662
10. James Courtney Ford + 32.8592
11. Todd Kelly Holden + 33.4905
12. Shane Van Gisbergen Ford + 34.8954
13. Lee Holdsworth Holden + 36.4327
14. Fabian Coulthard Ford + 38.9204
15. Steven Johnson Ford + 44.5209
16. Michael Caruso Holden + 45.6569
17. Paul Dumbrell Holden + 47.2077
18. Greg Murphy Holden + 50.4537
19. Tony D’Alberto Holden + 51.0056
20. Paul Morris Holden + 54.2064
21. Marcus Marshall Ford + 57.0878
22. Shane Price Holden + 57.8281
23. Andrew Jones Holden +1:01.8281
24. Andrew Thompson Holden +1:03.2203
25. Mark Skaife Holden + 1 lap
26. Michael Patrizi Ford + 1 lap

Not classified/retirements:

Driver Make Laps
Jason Bright Ford 36
Kayne Scott Ford 30
Cameron McConville Holden 1

Technorati Tags: Mark Winterbottom, Mark Skaife, V8 Supercars, Hidden Valley, Asian Motor Sports, Steven Richards