PRESS ROOM

End of an era for SBR and Ingall

28 November 2007

Stone Brothers Racing and Russell Ingall will part ways at the end of the 2007 V8 Supercar Championship Series, bringing to an end a five year partnership that yielded 11 round podium finishes and a V8 Supercar Championship title.

The Ford Motor Company announced today that the 2005 V8 Supercar Champion will be released from his Ford contract one year early to allow him to pursue other opportunities.

“I have to thank everyone at Ford Australia and Stone Brothers Racing for their support over the past five years,” said Ingall.

“I have to thank Ross and Jimmy Stone and everyone at SBR for giving me competitive race cars during our five-year relationship, especially in 2005 when obviously we managed to win the championship.

“I also have to thank the Ford fans for their tremendous support over the past five years and hope they will understand my reasons for moving on.”

SBR Team Manager Ross Stone said that he, Jimmy Stone and Ingall had come to an amicable decision to part ways and he wishes Ingall all the best for the future.

“Nothing stays the same in V8 racing,” said Stone.

“Sometimes a change and a fresh start can make all the difference.

“Russell and SBR have enjoyed a successful partnership and I am sure that we will remain friends in the future.

“I wish him well in his new endeavors, but of course not too well; I’m sure that we will be great competitors in the coming years.”

Ironically, Ingall’s last start for SBR will be at the same track where he wrapped up his 2005 title.

“Phillip Island has many special memories for me, especially that Sunday in 2005 when we finally got the job done after being runner-up four times,” said Ingall.

“This weekend will be another emotional one for other reasons, but, as they say, nothing lasts forever.

“We are just outside the top 10 of the championship and hopefully we can punch our way back in this weekend.

“I will be wanting to win this weekend as much as I wanted to win my first race for Ford back in 2005.”

Ingall joined SBR in 2003 when he was contracted to drive the Caltex Racing Falcon.

At his first ever race weekend with Ford, Ingall won the non-championship support event at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

A few months later he won his first championship round for SBR at the Queensland 300 and then backed that up with a round win at the Lexmark Indy 300 on the Gold Coast.

In 2004 he finished second in the championship to his teammate Marcos Ambrose and then in 2005 he finally clinched his first title after having been runner-up four times previously.

He currently sits 11th in the championship and is looking to maintain his record of being the only driver to have finished in the top 10 of the championship in everyone of its 11 years.

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End of an era for SBR and Ingall

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