Frustrating Weekend

Mark qualifies 5th and finishes 6th in the Race

Small improvements saw Ford Performance Racing gain more ground today in the Dunlop Townsville 400 but the team is impatient to get back to testing and regain its 2008 form.

From fifth on the grid Mark Winterbottom had a battle as his brakes and then the track itself started to deteriorate during the 72-lap race. That cost him two places in the dying laps but he held off yesterday's pole sitter to finish sixth.

"Once the track broke up you couldn't slow it up enough to get in so I'd skid wide," said Frosty. "The car was definitely more competitive; if the brakes had hung in it would have been alright but they're too fragile. Once the brakes are shot you're just trying to hold on. Our car's strength today was the brakes so once you've lost them it really hurts.

"It's not all black arm bands but we'll have to fast-track the brake improvements for the next round."

Team-mate Steve Richards got through turn one safely and blasted from 24th up to 18th by the halfway point on lap one. Just a couple of corners later, however, he found himself facing the wrong way as a PMM car spun him around. A distant last, he was quickly back on the power and making his way back up the order before another incident on lap 24, which saw him finish 20th.

"I just filled the gaps off the start line and I've got no idea what happened when I spun; I'm going to have to look at the replay," said Richo. "In the second incident, on lap 24, I just went down the inside of Bargs and he moved to cover. I was already committed and locked a brake. Then I hit Russell Ingall and spun off."

FPR will be back on track at Sandown in three weeks' time.

Dunlop Townsville 400 - V8 Supercars
TOWNSVILLE STREET CIRCUIT
RACE 12 QUALIFYING
1. Garth Tander, HRT, 1:12.4700R
2. Will Davison, HRT, +0.2238
3. Jamie Whincup, 888, +0.2546
4. James Courtney, DJR, +0.2720
5. Mark Winterbottom, Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon, +0.3484
6. Michael Caruso, GRM, +0.3731

24. Steve Richards, Castrol FPR Falcon, +0.9548

Dunlop Townsville 400 - V8 Supercars
TOWNSVILLE STREET CIRCUIT
RACE 12
1. James Courtney, DJR
2. Jamie Whincup, 888
3. Garth Tander, HRT
4. Will Davison, HRT
5. Steven Johnson, DJR
6. Mark Winterbottom, Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon

20. Steve Richards, Castrol FPR Falcon