Frosty Wins

Frosty pits for slicks on the roll around lap and wins

Mark Winterbottom took a dominant victory at the final race of 2011, the Sydney Telstra 500 in the #5 Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon, delighting the crowd and surviving another drama packed Sydney street race. 

It was a magnificent way of rounding out Orrcon Steel's 10th consecutive year as a V8 Supercars sponsor - one that has had it's ups and downs from the very beginning. 

Winterbottom's Orrcon Steel-backed team-mate, Will Davison in the #6 Trading Post FPR Falcon was less fortunate, despite continually setting the quickest lap times, took a late race lunge on Shane van Gisbergen and nosed into one of the Sydney tyre walls, his race done. 

KEY POINTS FROM THE RACE: 

- Will Davison set the pole time, with Mark Winterbottom qualifying third. 

- Inclement weather blanketed the venue ahead of the race, however a dry line appeared – Winterbottom pitted for slick tyres on the warmup lap which proved decisive. 

-Davison stayed on his pole position and the race looked to be coming back to him, when a few laps in rain started falling once again. 

-Winterbottom controlled the pace at the front and once in the lead, never relinquished it. 

-The Orrcon Steel driver was able to withstand a potential challenge from Craig Lowndes with two laps to go – following a Safety Car to remove Davison’s stricken car. 

-Davison’s crash not only cost him the chance to have finished fifth in the Championship (which he almost certainly would have secured with trouble that befell Garth Tander today), he dropped to seventh behind Rick Kelly. 

-Overall, the team was ecstatic to earn it’s second win of the year, securing Winterbottom a decisive third in the Championship. 

-The Orrcon Steel backed Ford Performance Racing team have secured second in the Team’s Championship. 

QUOTES FROM THE DRIVERS: 
Mark Winterbottom - #5 Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon: 

“I fired into the pits on the warmup lap to get slick tyres – but I was a little worried – I know about this place when it’s wet on slicks! 

“It was pretty hairy for the first couple of laps trying to assess the grip levels. I questioned the decision about lap 10 when it started raining a little but the team told me to stay out. 

“The boys did a fantastic job in calling the race all day and have really turned it around since mid-season. We were really struggling there for a while, but everyone’s stuck by us and we have got the results towards the end of the year.

“It really gives us some momentum into next year and we go in very confident of picking up where we left off come Adelaide in March.” 

Will Davison - #6 Trading Post FPR Falcon: 
“I’m gutted to be honest, we grabbed two pole positions but walked away with nothing from the weekend. 

“Starting on the wets – we really needed slicks – so were on the backfoot pretty much from the start of the race. 

“We had the fastest car out there and was able to pull off some really great moves. Traffic was pretty full on but I bided my time and pulled off a few gret moves. 

“Toward the end, I was behind Van Giz and could have stood on the podium, so I had to take the opportunity. I got caught on the marbles and speared into the wall. 

“I was really in an attacking mood today and it’s unfortunate that we couldn’t have nailed a result, especially here.” 

RESULTS – RACE 28: 
1 #5 Mark Winterbottom 
2 #888 Craig Lowndes 
3 #9 Shane van Gisbergen 
4 #19 Jonathon Webb 
5 #39 Russell Ingall 
6 #34 Michael Caruso 
7 #1 James Courtney 
8 #88 Jamie Whincup 
9 #8 Jason Bright 
10 #47 Tim Slade 
DNF #6 Will Davison 

CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS 
1 #88 Jamie Whincup 3168 
2 #888 Craig Lowndes 3133 
3 #5 Mark Winterbottom 2710 
4 #9 Shane van Gisbergen 2672 
5 #2 Garth Tander 2574 
6 #15 Rick Kelly 2358 
7 #6 Will Davison 2345 
8 #33 Lee Holdsworth 1920 
9 #47 Tim Slade 1904 
10 #1 James Courtney 1869