PRESS ROOM

Courtney’S Fourth Sets JELD-WEN Motorsport for Podium Assault

19 April 2008

JELD-WEN Motorsport’s James Courtney finished today’s opening race at the Hamilton street circuit in a solid fourth position, setting the JELD-WEN Motorsport team up for a red hot go at a podium finish at the inaugural Hamilton 400 tomorrow.

Courtney qualified fourth for this afternoon’s 36-lap race but a slow start saw him slip to fifth on the opening lap.

The JELD-WEN Motorsport driver stayed clear of the first-lap carnage and passed Lee Holdsworth to claim back fourth position.

A clean compulsory pit stop on lap six saw Courtney maintain his position which he held on to until the chequered flag.

SP Tools Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen saw all his hard work during race one slip away just four laps from the end when a flat tyre forced him to make a late stop, dropping him from ninth to 21st position.

The young Kiwi produced an impressive drive, starting from 12th and settling into a rhythm after the early race mayhem to pick off numerous positions. The 18-year old moved from16th to challenge for eighth place by lap 21.

On lap 32, while hustling Todd Kelly, the SP Tools Racing driver suffered a flat front tyre after nudging the tyre bundle in the chicane. The ensuing stop dropped him back to 21st position.

Courtney and van Gisbergen will be on track at 11:30am tomorrow for race two, followed by the third and final race at 3:25pm.

James Courtney, #4, JELD-WEN Motorsport

“I didn’t have a great start to today’s race; I got a little too much wheel spin off the line.

“Once we got past the safety car periods at the start, the JELD-WEN Falcon was very good. We had a good clean stop and got back out there in the same position we came in.

“The JELD-WEN Falcon was probably quicker than the two cars ahead of me at the end but I couldn’t use the advantage because this track is quite hard to pass on and the braking is difficult.

“We settled for the solid result to set us up to have a red hot got at it tomorrow.”

Shane van Gisbergen, #9, SP Tools Racing Falcon

“I was lucky to get away without damage at the start when Winterbottom pushed me into the wall.

“We also had to wait during the pit stop as the crew did a double stop; that dropped us a few spots.

“Once we got back out there the SP Tools Falcon felt good. I was learning more and more about the circuit and we made some good gains through the race.

“We were picking them off until I nudged the tyre bundles in the chicane and later in the lap found myself heading towards the wall with a flat tyre.

“It was a shame to do all the hard work then drop back at the end of the race but we will get out there tomorrow and pass some cars and have another go at it.”

Ross Stone, Team Principal, Stone Brothers Racing

“Jimmy and I are really pleased with James’ result today.

“We probably had a better car than the position we finished but James drove the smart race and set us up for a good go at it tomorrow.

“I’m also pleased with Shane’s progress. The SP Tools Racing Falcon had good speed out there.

“He was unlucky to have a flat tyre with only four laps to go when he was hounding Todd Kelly for eighth place.”

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Courtney’S Fourth Sets JELD-WEN Motorsport for Podium Assault

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