21/07/2005

INGALL PUTS RUMOURS BEHIND HIM

Bosch Motoesport's Russell Ingall has slammed recent rumour and innuendo about him leaving his current employers next season and is a focused as ever on winning his first V8 Supercar title.

Ingall has come out with all guns blazing on the eve of this weekend’s seventh round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series at Queensland Raceway near Ipswich.

Ingall currently sits third in the championship in his Caltex Falcon behind his Stone Brothers Racing team mate Marcos Ambrose and Holden’s Steve Richards and knows that he needs another solid result to ensure he stays in the championship hunt.

In the eight events at Queensland Raceway since 1999 Ingall has only finished outside the top five once and won there twice (1999 and 2003).

“It is true that I have not re-signed with SBR as yet, but we are confident of finalising an agreement in the next couple of weeks,” said Ingall.

“This whole thing has been blown out of proportion because of an article which was taken way out of context

“I am a contracted Ford driver until the end of 2007 and I want to remain with the best Ford team which is Stone Brothers Racing with the sponsorship of Caltex.

“Ford has treated me tremendously well since my move three seasons ago and I see myself being a part of the Blue Oval Brigade for a long time to come.

“There are plenty of blokes out there who like to stir this stuff up and try and unsettle us, but let me tell you, everyone at Caltex Racing is as focused as ever on trying to win this year’s championship.

“I want to take the number one off Marcos’ door and race with it in 2006 on the Caltex Ford.”

Ingall will have a new team mate at SBR next season with Ambrose announcing earlier this year that he will be heading to the US at the end of this season to chase success in NASCAR.

Ingall has been runner-up in the championship four times, including last season to Ambrose, and knows that this weekend’s one-race (280km) format will be vital to his and the rest of the front-runners’ chances in this year’s title chase.

“A DNF this weekend would be disastrous for anyone with a shot at this stage of the season,” said Ingall.

“We are going into the weekend very well prepared after an encouraging test at Queensland Raceway last Friday.

“SBR has won the last four events at the circuit and I can see no reason why we can not continue that streak this weekend.”