PRESS ROOM

SBR Shooting for a Podium in Queensland

Round 6, Bigpond 400, Queensland Raceway

21 - 23 July 2006

Stone Brothers Racing is looking for a podium finish on home soil at Queensland Raceway this weekend following a strong two car test on the circuit last Thursday.

The team has been chipping away and gathering points throughout the year but aside from a third for Caltex Racing’s Russell Ingall in New Zealand, the team has yet to experience outright success.

SBR has had strong results at its home circuit in the past, claiming pole position every year since 2001 and winning the round three times in the last four years.

The Caltex Racing Falcon and JELD-WEN Motorsport Falcon both found pace during testing last week and the team is confident of a good performance at the Bigpond 400.

Points of interest…

Queensland Raceway was the venue for Russell Ingall’s first championship round win for Ford and Caltex in 2003. Ingall also won the round in 1999.
Queensland Raceway was the venue for Stone Brothers Racing’s first 1-2 championship round finish in 2003, with Russell Ingall and Marcos Ambrose.
With Queensland Raceway being SBR’s ‘home’ track, it will be the first time this year that James Courtney will be on an equal footing with the field, SBR’s testing program at the venue providing him with good knowledge of the circuit.
SBR will be looking to continue its streak of pole positions at Queensland Raceway; an SBR Falcon has been on pole every year for the last five years.
SBR has won the Queensland V8 Supercar round three times, in 2002 (Besnard/Wills), 2003 (Ingall) and 2004 (Ambrose).

Russell Ingall, Caltex Racing

“We are coming up to the half-way period of the season now. Generally in previous years, it’s one of the drivers in the top five or six positions at the half-way mark that goes on to win the championship. I don’t think too many outside of the top six have gone on to win.

“It’s important to be in the mix right now. We are sitting in forth and we are very much a contender, but you can almost start the championship again from this point. We have made it this far and it’s the coming rounds that will sift out who is going to come away with the silverware.”

James Courtney, JELD-WEN Motorsport

“There’s been a fair bit of talk about the fact that I know this track well and that will certainly make things easier. I won’t have to spend half of the practice session learning the circuit so we can be onto it a lot quicker than in past rounds.

“Queensland Raceway is a bit deceptive, it’s actually pretty easy to make small mistakes and loose time here and there and it really costs you.

“Obviously we are not in the hunt for the Championship so from now on we are shooting for race wins and podiums. I have driven on the majority of the tracks from now until the end of the season so we are pretty confident that the results will come.”

Ross Stone, Team Manager, Stone Brothers Racing

“Without doubt we have had a tough first-half to the season. Last year certain teams were in and out of the top 10 shootout. This year that has been us and it is a situation that we really want to change.

“Qualifying is such an important part of the weekend. A good performance in qualifying and the top 10 shootout sets you up for strong results. That was certainly the case for us in New Zealand where we went on to a podium finish with Russell.

“The Bigpond 400 is the second last reverse grid race and personally I am pleased to see the end of it. I have never been a supporter of reverse grids as it makes for a convoluted race weekend.

“Many people comment that Queensland Raceway is a simple circuit but it is also a circuit that rewards good car set up. Following SBR’s strong test last week, I am confident that we can be in the mix.”

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