TRACK FACTS – SANDOWN INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

Venue: Sandown International Raceway, Melbourne, Vic
2003 Race format: Qualifying and Top 10 Shootout (Saturday); 161-lap Race (compulsory tyre and fuel stops) - Sunday
Circuit Length: 3.1km
Circuit Direction: Anti-Clockwise
Maximum Speed: 265 km/h (Front/Back Straight)
Qualifying Record – Marcos Ambrose 1:10.872 (2002)
Shootout Record – Marcos Ambrose 1:11.0674 (2002)
Lap Record- Craig Lowndes 1:11.6500 (1999)

THOUGHTS ON SANDOWN INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY…

MARCOS AMBROSE – PIRTEK RACING

"This is a very exciting track because it creates no shortage of action. There are no high-speed corners. It comes down to 90- degree corners and long straights. I think the return of the 500km race format at Sandown will give us back a little bit of history."

MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT

"There is no doubt that our performance at Sandown last year was one of the most dominating race weekends I have been a part of. SBR topped the time sheets in every session and we ran away with the races. It would be great if we could do the same this year in what would be the perfect Bathurst preparation."

CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS (After Round 8, 2003)

2003 Points standing: 1st (1351 points)
2003 Adjusted points after dropping worst round: 1st (1255)
Debut: 2001
Starts: 34
Poles: 12 – 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)

SANDOWN INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY - RECORD

2002 – Qualified 1st; Race 1: 1st; Race 2: 1st; Overall: 1st
2001 – Qualified 4th; Race1: 6th; Race 2: 6th; Race 3: 5th; Overall: 3rd

THOUGHTS ON SANDOWN INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY…

RUSSELL INGALL – CALTEX HAVOLINE RACING

"Commonly known as the Jon Davison 500, it is great to see a bit of tradition return to the championship. As the last winner of a Sandown 500 it will be good to contest a 500km race back in Melbourne as the lead-up to Bathurst. I am obviously keen to get back there after Marcos won the last race of last season in such impressive fashion."

MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT

"The year that we won the 500 (1998) I lapped (Mark) Skaife who was in third place. It would be nice to repeat that."

CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS (After Round 8, 2003)

2003 Points standing: 4th (1163 points)
2003 Adjusted points after dropping worst round: 5th (1081)
Debut: 1996
Starts: 90
Poles: 1 Winton (2001)
Race wins: 21 (Last Win – Queensland Raceway, 2003)
Round wins: 9 – Queensland Raceway (2003), Winton (2001); Qld 500 (1999); Lakeside, Mallala, Hidden Valley (1998); Phillip Island, Winton (1997); Calder (1996)

SANDOWN INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY - RECORD

2002 – Qualified 9th; Race 1: 25th; Race 2: 19th; Overall: 23rd
2001 – Qualified 6th; Race 1: 4th; Race 2: 23rd; Race 3: 6th; Overall: 7th
2000 – Qualified 6th; Race 1: DNF; Race 2: 13th; Race 3: 8th; Overall: 13th
1999 – Qualified 8th; Race 1: 18th; Race 2: 11th; Race 3: 6th; Overall: 10th
1998 – Qualified 4th; Race 1: 11th; Race 2: 4th; Race 3: 2nd; Overall: 5th
1998 – Qualified 7th; Race 1: 1st; Overall: 1st (500km)
1997 – Qualified 11th; Race 1: 6th; Race 2: 3rd; Race 3: 5th; Overall: 4th
1996 – Qualified 11th; Race 1: 7th; Race 2: 6th; Race 3: 4th; Overall: 5th
1996 – Qualified 5th; Race 1: 5h; Overall: 5th (500km)

DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDING (AFTER 7 OF 13 ROUNDS)

1: Marcos Ambrose (Ford) 1351
2: Jason Bright (Holden) 1279
3: Greg Murphy (Holden) 1233
4: Russell Ingall (Ford) 1163
5: Mark Skaife (Holden) 1145
6: Paul Weel (Holden) 1109
7: Craig Lowndes (Ford) 1094
8: Steve Richards (Holden) 1052
9: Garth Tander (Holden) 1002
10: Rick Kelly (Holden) 952

ADJUSTED CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (AFTER 7 OF 13 ROUNDS)

* After driver drops his worst round
1: Marcos Ambrose (Ford) 1255
2: Jason Bright (Holden) 1195
3: Greg Murphy (Holden) 1119
4: Mark Skaife (Holden) 1109
5: Russell Ingall (Ford) 1081
6: Steve Richards (Holden) 1052
7: Craig Lowndes (Ford) 1036
8: Paul Weel (Holden) 1007
9: Garth Tander (Holden) 966
10: Todd Kelly (Holden) 914

WEEKEND SCHEDULE

V8 SUPERCARS (All times Eastern Standard)

Friday
11.00-11.45am – Practice 1
1.45pm-2.30pm – Practice 2

Saturday
9.45am-10.30am – Practice session
12.40-1pm - Qualifying (Lower 50%)
1.05pm-1.25pm - Qualifying (Upper 50%)
3.00pm-3.30pm - Top Ten Shootout

Sunday
9.55am-10.15am – Warm-up
1.00pm – Race (161 Laps)

TV TELECAST – NETWORK TEN

Sunday – September 14, 2003 (Eastern Standard Time)
2.30pm-5pm – Round 9 V8 Supercar Championship Series