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TOUGH LUCK FOR SBR AT BATHURST

Topics: Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000

TOUGH LUCK FOR SBR AT BATHURST

Stone Brothers Racing
October 10, 2010

Today’s [Sunday] Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 was one of toughest weekends on the mountain for SBR with all three cars finishing the 161 lap race outside the top ten. With just 22 laps to go van Gisbergen was in 6th position and looking strong when on a restart the steering failed and a wheel came loose ruining the Kiwi’s chances of a solid Bathurst result. Delaminating tyres were a common issue across all three cars forcing the crew to adapt to a constant change in race strategy throughout the

The IRWIN Racing duo of Alex Davison and David Brabham managed to improve on their starting position of 18th to finish as the highest placed SBR Falcon in 13th place. The frustrating weekend continued for Tim Slade and Jack Perkins after struggling to find a satisfying setup in the Wilson Security Racing Falcon. Starting from 25th on the grid the pair made it as high as 12th before reoccurring tyre issues put them a lap down in the dying stages of the race.

Shane van Gisbergen – Driver, SP Tools Racing Car #9

“It was pretty tough the whole weekend really. Today we had a really good race car, probably not good enough to challenge for the win but the way we had positioned ourselves all day we were looking alright for a while there. We had a few tyre dramas but at the end we were in the fight and I thought we were sitting good before the restart with just 22 laps to go but something failed in the car going through The Chase which was pretty scary so we pulled in to fix it and managed to bring the car home.

“I am shattered over the whole thing, we were up against it all day but managed to be up there towards the end when it really mattered and to have that happen is devastating. I have never finished inside the top ten here so I would have settled for 6th although I know we were capable of a podium at the end.”

John McIntyre – Co-driver, SP Tools Racing Car #9

“It seemed like every time we were going good something would happen over the weekend whether it was practice or qualifying. In the race it was really tough, I seemed to have the knack of ruining or delaminating tyres but we managed it really well, although it did cause me to make contact with the wall early on at Forest Elbow. I also ended up getting forced off track by another car at the restart and we think that may have attributed to the bolt coming out on the steering arm at the end.

“It just felt like everything was against us all day but we climbed all the way back up the front there and were looking strong so it was hugely disappointing.

“I think Shane and I deserve a decent run at the Gold Coast event, we were quick at Phillip Island but had an engine problem and then had what happened today, I thought a two out of three ain’t bad scenario here but it’s all going to come down to the Gold Coast. We are going to be very switched on, we are getting stronger and stronger as a driver combination so we will do a good job there.”

Tim Slade – Driver, Wilson Security Racing Car #47

“Today just seemed to sum up the whole race weekend for us, we just never had the pace, the car in the race was probably the worst we had it all weekend so it was a long tough day.

“We just kept delaminating left rear tyres so I figured it was safer to come in when I started to feel something was wrong, we weren’t really in a good position anyway so we had nothing to lose. At one point we risked going a lap down but we had to stop and check because there is no point destroying the car for no reason.

“I was 50/50 as to whether the tyre was going or not but it did go and we had another two after that, it was lucky I could feel it happening and could come in before something major happened.”

Jack Perkins – Co-driver, Wilson Security Racing Car #47

“It’s obviously disappointing to finish where we did this weekend after such a strong showing at Phillip Island but we didn’t put a mark on the car all weekend and just struggled with overall speed. We really couldn’t go out there and challenge for a top five result because it just wasn’t realistic.

“Midway through my second stint I got a delaminated tyre and the car is very dangerous to drive like that, I didn’t really know until I came in what was going on but we had lost alot of time and then we were fighting going a lap down but then Tim had three or four tyres go after that so it just wasn’t meant to be for us today.

“My experience with SBR has been fantastic, joining one of the top level teams in the country I was honoured to be part of it all. We had such a good run at Phillip Island and I wish the car #47 boys and Tim all the best for the rest of the Championship.”

Alex Davison – Driver, IRWIN Racing Car #4

“It was a struggle this weekend, we came in with pretty high expectations based on how quick we were here last year but just struggled badly with the handling of the car all weekend, and it wasn’t just us it was all three SBR cars.

“We tried as hard as we could, we never gave up and went into the race today knowing we didn’t have the best car but just worked with what we had, towards the end there when the track gripped up the car handled the best it did all weekend.

“There is nothing to celebrate but at least we made it to the end.”

David Brabham – Co-Driver, IRWIN Racing Car #4

“It was not just a tough day for the car #4 crew today I think SBR really had a hard weekend here, we are disappointed by the end result but we have learnt alot, I know I certainly have. Results like these you just have to build on them and improve.

“There is so much for me to learn about these cars, the way the brakes fade and the way the grip goes off, when I walk away from one of these race weekends I really think about just how much I have learnt and what I can take from it to use at the next one which is the Gold Coast 600 event.”

The SBR team will now head back home to QLD to begin preparations for the Armor All Gold Coast 600 October 22 – 24.

Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 - RESULTS
1 888 TeamVodafone Craig Lowndes/Mark Skaife
2 1 TeamVodafone Jamie Whincup/Steve Owen
3 2 Toll Holden Racing Team Cameron McConville/Garth Tander
4 14 Trading Post Racing Jason Bright/Matthew Halliday
5 18 Jim Beam Racing James Courtney/Warren Luff
6 51 Castrol Edge Racing Greg Murphy/Allan Simonsen
7 33 Fujitsu Racing/GRM Lee Holdsworth/David Besnard
8 39 Supercheap Auto Racing Russell Ingall/Paul Morris
9 5 FPR - Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon Mark Winterbottom/Luke Youlden
10 34 Fujitsu Racing/GRM Michael Caruso/Greg Ritter1
13 4 IRWIN Racing Alex Davison/David Brabham
18 47 Wilson Security Racing Jack Perkins/Tim Slade
21 9 SP Tools Racing Shane van Gisbergen/John McIntyre