Frustration peaks desire at FPR

Front left wheel nut wouldn't do up, causing a long pit stop

Frustration will hopefully fuel a podium performance in tomorrow’s Tasmanian racing after a series of setbacks saw Ford Performance Racing finish 15th and 16th at Symmons Plains today.

Drama started in qualifying when Steve Richards clipped the Armco on his shoot-out hot lap, drawing a gasp from the FPR garage. Starting from ninth, the Castrol FPR Falcon’s potential was soon evident in the race, however, as he reached third spot by lap 28.

Despite that, a fierce battle with Steve Johnson’s DJR car proved a fruitless task when Richo was called back into the pits for a fuel top-up after stewards ruled the mandatory 50 litres of E85 had not been dispensed.

“Something went wrong with the fuel rig,” said Team Principal Tim Edwards. “It’s a timed system and although we put exactly the same amount of time in as we did with the other car, there’s no flow metre so we didn’t know only 48 litres had gone in.”

Richo eventually finished 15th. “It’s disappointing,” he said. “Not just for me but for everyone. That car had so much promise but unfortunately it’s just a bit of a bummer.”

FPR team-mate Mark Winterbottom was also hampered by a setback beyond his control, when a cross-threaded wheel-nut delayed his exit from the pits. He rejoined a lap down but the Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon was handling well and Frosty passed ten cars to unlap himself and finish 16th. 

“It cost me heaps of places but there’s not much you can do when something like that happens; just try and push on,” said Frosty. “The car was really quick so it’s a shame that we lost that time. We needed a safety car to come out and put us back in position."

The FPR cars will be back on track for V8 Supercar Championship Series qualifying at 10.35 tomorrow.

2009 V8 Supercar Championship Series - Races 7 & 8
SYMMONS PLAINS INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
Qualifying, Race 7
01. Garth Tander, HRT, 51.7043
02. Greg Murphy, Tasman, +0.0531
03. Steve Johnson, DJR, +0.1466
04. Russell Ingall, PMM, +0.1913
05. James Courtney, DJR, +0.2309
06. Rick Kelly, Kelly Racing, +0.3195
07. Shane Van Gisbergen, SBR, +0.3371
08. Jamie Whincup, 888, +0.3847
09. Steve Richards, Castrol FPR Falcon, +0.5037
10. Craig Lowndes, 888, (no time)
11. Tod Kelly, Kelly Racing, 51.6651
12. M.Winterbottom, Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon, 51.6909

2009 V8 Supercar Championship Series - Races 7 & 8
SYMMONS PLAINS INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
Result, Race 7
01. Garth Tander, HRT,
02. Russell Ingall, PMM
03. Steven Johnson, DJR
04. Will Davison, HRT
05. Todd Kelly, Kelly Racing
06. Shane Van Gisbergen, SBR
07. Craig Lowndes, 888
08. Jamie Whincup, 888
09. Greg Murphy, Tasman
10. Lee Holdsworth, GRM
11. Rick Kelly, Kelly Racing
12. Michael Caruso, GRM
13. Cameron McConville, BJR
14. Fabian Coulthard, PCR
15. Steve Richards, Castrol FPR Falcon
16. Mark Winterbottom, Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon