Richo Back To The Front

Fine tuning has given Steve Richards the tools he needed to get back to the front of the V8 Supercar Championship Series at Queensland Raceway today.

Only once in his career has Richo finished the V8 Supercar season outside the top ten but this year has seen the Castrol FPR Falcon driver battle team, car and race-related problems, leaving him in unfamiliar territory.

This afternoon, however, he was third fastest during practice and joined his first Friday press conference of 2009.

"I think I've finally started to get the monkey off my back! It's only Friday but it's the first Friday I've been up here this year so I'm smiling!

"The team recognises that we've been off the pace this year and we're improving with lots of little things. We have to have every aspect of our act together and I think that's something we've been a bit guilty of recently but that's changed."

Team-mate Mark Winterbottom says he will be looking to imitate Richo's set-up after finishing seventh-fastest in the Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon.

"Obviously Richo's car is a bit better than mine at the moment so we'll have a read into that tonight. That's why you practice though; to try different things and work out which is best. Both the cars are different so we'll have to compare the strengths and weaknesses and put it together to have two good cars tomorrow."

Ford Performance Racing will be back on track tomorrow (Saturday) for qualifying at 11am.

QueenslandHouseandLand.com 300
2009 V8Supercars Races 15&16
QUEENSLANDRACEWAY IPSWICH
Practice
1. James Courtney, DJR, 1:10.8146
2. Lee Holdsworth, GRM, +0.1487
3. Steven Richards, Castrol FPR Falcon, +0.2203
4. Russell Ingall, PMM, +0.2483
5. Garth Tander, HRT, +0.4633
6. Will Davison, HRT, +0.4927
7. Mark Winterbottom, Orrcon Steel FPR Falco n, +0.5184