New Zealand - Facts, Figures & Track Description

PUKEKOHE, NEW ZEALAND - FACTS, FIGURES AND TRACK DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed lap of the Pukekohe Park Raceway to be used as the venue for the 11th round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series on November 7-9. Also find following thoughts, results and memorable moments relating to this venue from Bosch Motorsport's Marcos Ambrose and Russell Ingall.

PUKEKOHE PARK RACEWAY – A LAP WITH MARCOS AMBROSE

As you cross the start-finish line you only have eyes for the first turn.
This area in front of the main grandstand is not really a straight, but a sweeping right-hander into turn one which has a very, very fast entry and really is blind because of all the armco around you.

It is made a little extra difficult because of the bumps – this corner really reminds you of Paddock Hill Bend at Brands Hatch, but once you get through it you realise you are somewhere else.
Turn one is so long it really turns into turn two.
You need to make sure you are on the right line for the quick left-right chicane at the end of it.

This part of the track really flows well and you can make up a lot of time if you can get a good run out of turn three and stay away from the “star pickets” (there were the devices that were used to hold tyre markers in place last year, but ended up ripping up a heap of race tyres – including mine in the final race).
You are in second gear as you aim up the back straight – there is a bit of camber in the road here and you can get a bit of wheel spin as you move into third.

Once you are on the back straight it is a long ride down to the hairpin.
You can watch the trains go by on the left or check out the horse racing track on the right.
It is then on to the brakes HARD for the first-gear hairpin. You really need to be committed to brake as late as possible here.
The middle of the corner is not that important, but the exit is and you need to be slow enough to get a good run out.
You then go up through the gears as you race into the flowing left hander.

This part of the circuit is extremely bumpy and you are doing some serious speeds by the time you hit third gear.
At the end of the left-hander there is a big bump which has become quite famous at the track.
If you get this right it will set you up for a solid run down the front straight – get it wrong and you will be into the wall.
There is actually quite a rise in the track as you head into the right-hander back on to the straight with armco on both sides of you.

It is great on Sunday afternoon with a massive crowd cheering for you on the outside of the track.
There is no curbing at this part of the circuit, so again you need to be careful that you don’t touch the grass and get spat into the wall.

It is then back over the start-finish line for another lap.
All in all, this is a pretty short, but terrifically exciting lap if you get it right.

The track is flowing and you tend to get into a rhythm here and you can find yourself doing eight or 10 solid laps in a row during qualifying if you get into the “zone”.

THOUGHTS ON PUKEKOHE CIRCUIT…..

MARCOS AMBROSE – PIRTEK RACING
This is a track where you will spend the best 57-odd seconds of your life. Unfortunately the track is so short, but great to drive on nevertheless. The bump coming on to the front straight really grabs your attention. It is critical to get over it smoothly for a good lap time. The grandstand and the amount of fans make the place similar to Brands Hatch.

MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT
No doubt my tyre blowing while I was in the lead last year was something I would rather forget. The track was like a war zone with oil and bits of car all over the place. I managed to limp it home on three wheels and we picked up third place. I really want to win this race for Ross and Jimmy Stone, who only grew up 15km from the track. Maybe this year.

CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS (After Round 11, 2003)
2003 Points standing: 1st (1867 points)
2003 Adjusted points after dropping worst round: 1st (1771)
Debut: 2001
Starts: 37
Poles: 13 – Sandown, Oran Park, Queensland Raceway, Winton, Eastern Creek (2003); Phillip Island, Oran Park, Winton, Qld 500, Sandown (2002); Eastern Creek, Qld 500, Bathurst (2001)
Race wins: 9 (Last win – Oran Park (Round 8, 2003)
Round wins: 7 – Oran Park, Hidden Valley, Barbagallo, Winton, Eastern Creek (2003), Sandown (2002); Hidden Valley (2001)

PUKEKOHE RECORD
2002 – Qualified 4th; Race 1: 3rd; Race 2: 3rd; Race 3: 10th; Overall: 3rd
2001 – Qualified 3rd; Race 1: 2nd; Race 2: 3rd; Race 3: 4th; Overall 3rd

THOUGHTS ON PUKEKOHE CIRCUIT…..

RUSSELL INGALL – CALTEX HAVOLINE RACING
I guess this place will mean a little more now that I am driving for Ross and Jimmy Stone who grew up only a few miles from Pukekohe. I will have to reframe from the sheep jokes. I loved the people and place when I first went there in 2001, but I hated the circuit. Last year after they tided up a few of the corners and I had a bit better car, I actually really enjoyed the race. A circuit I am looking forward to returning to with a new Ford under my feet and it will suit the car right down to the ground. It would be great to give the Stone Brothers their first V8 Supercar win on their old home track.

MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT
We are sure this is where my daughter Sasha was conceived – That does not mean she is a Kiwi!

CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS (After Round 11, 2003)
2003 Points standing: 3rd (1703 points)
2003 Adjusted points after dropping worst round: 4th (1621)
Debut: 1996
Starts: 93
Poles: 1 Winton (2001)
Race wins: 23 (Last Win – Gillette V8 Supercar Challenge, Surfers Paradise (Race 2), 2003)
Round wins: 10 – Surfers Paradise (2003) Queensland Raceway (2003), Winton (2001); Qld 500 (1999); Lakeside, Mallala, Hidden Valley (1998); Phillip Island, Winton (1997); Calder (1996)

PUKEKOHE RECORD
2002 – Qualified 17th; Race 1: 10th; Race 2: 11th, Race 3: 11th; Overall 9th
2001 – Qualified 10th; Race 1: 5th; Race 2: 27th; Race 3: 11th; Overall 11th

TRACK FACTS – PUKEKOHE PARK RACEWAY
Venue: Pukekohe Park Raceway, 40km south of Auckland
2003 Race format: Qualifying (Friday); Top 10 Shootout and Race 1 (36 Laps) (Saturday); Races 2 & 3 (54 laps) (Sunday) – All races have compulsory tyres changes.
Circuit Distance: 2.82km
Circuit Direction: Clockwise
Maximum Speed: 240 km/h (Front Straight)
Qualifying Record – Greg Murphy (VX Commodore) 56.9053 (2001)
Lap Record – Mark Skaife (VX Commodore) 57.4545 (2002)

CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (After round 11)
1: Marcos Ambrose 1867
2: Greg Murphy 1795
3: Russell Ingall 1703
4: Mark Skaife 1681
5: Craig Lowndes 1540
6: Rick Kelly 1490
7: Jason Bright 1438
8: Steven Richards 1437
9: Tod Kelly 1360
10: Paul Radisich 1319

ADJUSTED CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (After dropping worst round)
1: Marcos Ambrose 1771
2: Greg Murphy 1681
3: Mark Skaife 1645
4: Russell Ingall 1621
5: Craig Lowndes 1482
6: Jason Bright 1438
7: Steven Richards 1437
8: Rick Kelly 1436
9: Todd Kelly 1360
10: Paul Radisich1319

V8 SUPERCARS (All times NZ Local)

Friday – November 7, 2003
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
10am-10.35am – Practice
12.15pm-12.50pm - Practice
2.30pm-2.50pm – Qualifying (Lower 50%)
2.55pm-3.15pm – Qualifying (Upper 50%)

Saturday – November 8, 2003
9.50am-10.10am – Warm-up
11.55pm – 12.25pm – Top 10 Shootout
2.35pm-3.25pm – Race 1 (36 Laps)

Sunday – November 9, 2003
9.55am-10.15am – Warm-up
12.30am - Race 2 (54 Laps)
4pm – Race 3 (54 Laps)