Second For Frosty But Disappointment For Richo

7 December 2008

Frosty salvages 2nd after cueing up in the pit stop

Mark Winterbottom has secured second place in the V8 Supercar Championship Series despite some dramatic twists and turns for Ford Performance Racing at Oran Park today.

The Orrcon Steel Ford Credit FPR Falcon driver started from P23 in the first race of the day after yesterday's pit lane penalty cost him a top ten finish. He battled to 12thbut Garth Tander, who was snapping at Frosty's heels for second in the championship, took victory piling the pressure on for the final race of the year.

Frosty surged off the start and made good progress but an untimely safety car period saw him parked behind team-mate Steve Richards as the Castrol FPR Falcon stopped for tyres and a ten-second jump-start penalty. Frosty eventually finished 18th, securing second in the championship by 31 points.

Richo, meanwhile, seemed to be heading for fifth in the championship after a podium finish in the day's first race, when he was just edged out of second by Russell Ingall in the dying laps. He leapt off the start and into the lead of race three but was judged to have moved too early and received a ten-second penalty. That saw him finish the race in 17th and relegated to eighth in the championship.

The V8 Supercar Championship Series will return next March for the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide.

Mark Winterbottom Orrcon Steel Ford Credit FPR Falcon
'Starting from the back is always a worry; when you put yourself with those guys there's a fair risk you'll get crashed off so I had to drive cautiously. We made a lot of spots off the start but I just fought to the end and got enough points to secure second, which is nice.

'Jamie Whincup had a dreadful day today, only scoring 24 points from two races; if he'd had that kind of luck yesterday we might have been in with a chance. Having said that, we had the same sort of day. We weren't good enough, it's that simple; no ifs, no buts, he's just been too good. We've got three months to up our game and that's what we're going to do. We'll come back with two shiny new cars and be as hungry as ever.'

Steve Richards Castrol FPR Falcon
'At the end of the day we didn't get the result we wanted and I'm disappointed with the way this season finished.

'Russell Ingall gave me a punt in race two and that's how he gained the second place position; that's the fact of the matter. Of course rubbing is part of racing but the difference is he deliberately punted me wide and gained a position. There's rubbing and there's punting and he punted me.

'In the third race I just hooked up and took off the start line and into the lead. I'm sure I didn't jump the start; I'm positive, but that sealed the deal. That call cost us fifth place and a potential podium; it changed our whole weekend.

'I'm looking forward to next year; I can see so much promise in what we've got so I can't wait.'

NRMA Motoring + Services Grand Finale - V8 Supercars Rnd 14
ORAN PARK MOTORSPORT CIRCUIT
RACE TWO
1. Garth Tander, HRT
2. Russell Ingall, PMM
3. Steve Richards, Castrol FPR Falcon
4. Rick Kelly, HSVDT
5. Craig Lowndes, 888
6. James Courtney, SBR
12. Mark Winterbottom, Orrcon Steel Ford Credit FPR Falcon, + 0:00.5058

NRMA Motoring + Services Grand Finale - V8 Supercars Rnd 14
ORAN PARK MOTORSPORT CIRCUIT
RACE THREE
1. Rick Kelly, HSVDT
2. Garth Tander, HRT
3. Craig Lowndes, 888
4. James Courtney, SBR
5. Shane Van Gisbergen, SBR
6. Lee Holdsworth, GRM
17. Steve Richards, Castrol FPR Falcon
18. Mark Winterbottom, Orrcon Steel Ford Credit FPR Falcon, + 0:00.5058

SERIES DRIVER POINTS REPORT
1. Jamie Whincup (3332)
2. Mark Winterbottom (3079)
3. Garth Tander (3048)
4. Craig Lowndes (2871)
5. Will Davison (2495)
6. James Courtney (2446)
7. Rick Kelly (2430)
8. Steve Richards (2416)

SERIES TEAM POINTS REPORT
1. 888 (5867)
2. FPR (5308)
3. DJR (4478)
4. HRT (4432)

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