23/07/2006

INGALL FIFTH AND COURTNEY SHOWS PROMISE FOR BOSCH

Bosch-backed Caltex Racing driver Russell Ingall was a solid fifth in Round 6 of the V8 Supercar Championship series at Queensland Raceway today.

Ingall’s result meant he maintained fourth in the championship, keeping his title defence on track heading into the second half of the season.

Ingall was 10th in the reverse grid Race 2, but had his Bosch-backed Caltex Racing Falcon more to his liking in the third event. The defending V8 Supercar Champion was one of the last of the front-running cars to pit in Race 3, a strategy that saw the Bosch-backed driver finish right on the tail of Craig Lowndes, who was fourth.

James Courtney had a bittersweet day in the Bosch-backed Jeld-Wen Motorsport Falcon. The rookie showed that he is a force on the V8 Supercar scene by driving from near the rear of the grid to finish third in the reverse grid race, earning second on the grid for the start of Race 3.

Courtney was passed by Lowndes for second on the opening lap, but settled into a groove in third and the Bosch-backed driver then jumped back in front of Lowndes as the pit stop sequences played out.

However, Courtney’s run ended on lap 23 when the Bosch-backed Jeld-Wen Falcon pitted with engine problems, finishing his campaign at roughly half-race distance. Despite the DNF, Courtney’s superb efforts in the first two races put him 13th overall for the round.

Garth Tander won today’s round, with Ford drivers Jason Bright and Lowndes rounding out the podium. Tander maintains his championship lead over Lowndes, with Rick Kelly third and Bosch driver Ingall fourth.

Bosch-backed CAMS Rising Star John Martin finished fourth overall in Round 3 of the Australian Formula Ford Championship at Queensland Raceway.

Martin finished fourth and third in the two races today in his Australian-built Spectrum 011 and now sits second in the prestigious championship.

WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY …

RUSSELL INGALL – CALTEX RACING
“We are doing well for the car speed that we have; we have reliability, we have finished every lap of every race this year, we haven’t had any incidents,” said Ingall.

“So on that side of it, that’s what’s been keeping us on top of it. But sooner or later we have to find the pace to win races. On the positive side we’ve got the pace back to run with Triple Eight and FPR, who have been quicker than us this year.

“That’s the first part of the process; the next part is to get up to the HSV cars. We have to find that missing two or three tenths to keep with them. They have tons of power and that was very evident this weekend, it was a talking point around the pits.

“Ross Stone has said that we will step up the engine program and find more horsepower. While that’s happening we can develop the chassis even more.

“We have some pretty friendly tracks coming up, we won Oran Park last year, we set the lap record at Indy. But we are going to need fast engines when we get to the pure power tracks like Sandown and Bathurst.

“That’s the game plan and if we can do that there is every chance that we can fight pretty hard at the end of the championship.”

JAMES COURTNEY – JELD-WEN MOTORSPORT
“After two thirds in race one and two, we were looking at a podium finish,” said Courtney.

“Obviously we are pretty disappointed that we couldn’t finish it off but the team and myself are happier for the results this weekend.

“In race three I didn’t have to push too hard, I was keeping the guys behind me at bay relatively easily. To finish on the podium would have been a great present for the guys but it just didn’t quite come off.

“At first I thought that I had a flat in the left rear but that must have been oil on the tyre from the engine. For a minute the engine came right but then it let go.

“We are using the new D3 engine so I guess sometimes these things happen when you are developing new things.

“It was still a really positive weekend for us and I can’t wait to get to Oran Park now and have another crack at it.”