Virgin Australia Supercars Championship - Archive

[Andrew R]

Well, the V8's hit Hidden Valley this weekend. So far, Skaife has been quickest, .44 seconds faster than Rick Kelly, followed by the surprising young gun, Mark Winterbottom.

Qualifying finished half an hour ago and the Top 10 shootout has been going for about 15 minutes now but the V8 Supercars website sucks and won't update.

Who's everyone's tips for this weekend? Remembering HRT typically run well here, and Skaife's recent good form, I'm going with Skaifey for the win.

EDIT: Qualifying times are in...seems like I forgot about time differences.

1. 2 Holden Racing Team Mark Skaife Holden Commodore VZ :1:09.2209
2. 6 Ford Performance Racing Jason Bright Ford Falcon BA :1:09.3268
3. 15 Toll HSV Dealer Team Rick Kelly Holden Commodore V :1:09.3892
4. 16 Toll HSV Dealer Team Garth Tander Holden Commodore :VZ 1:09.40235
5. 888 Team Betta Electrical Craig Lowndes Ford Falcon BA :1:09.4228
6. 7 Jack Daniel's Racing Steven Richards Holden Commodore VZ :1:09.4873
7. 5 Ford Performance Racing Mark Winterbottom Ford Falcon BA :1:09.5426
8. 88 Team Betta Electrical Jamie Whincup Ford Falcon BA :1:09.5714
9. 3 Tasman Motorsport Jason Richards Holden Commodore VZ 1:09.6211
10. 11 Jack Daniel's Racing Paul Dumbrell Holden Commodore VZ :1:09.7223

There's the top 10. It didn't work out quite how I'd like so sorry for the mess.

Two noticable names that aren't in the top ten; Todd Kelly and Russel Ingall. What happened there?

TOP TEN SHOOTOUT TIMES
1. 6 Ford Performance Racing Jason Bright Ford Falcon BA 1:09.0322
2. 2 Holden Racing Team Mark Skaife Holden Commodore VZ 1:09.2255
3. 16 Toll HSV Dealer Team Garth Tander Holden Commodore VZ 1:09.3750
4. 15 Toll HSV Dealer Team Rick Kelly Holden Commodore VZ 1:09.4923
5. 5 Ford Performance Racing Mark Winterbottom Ford Falcon BA 1:09.8443
6. 888 Team Betta Electrical Craig Lowndes Ford Falcon BA 1:09.8839
7. 7 Jack Daniel's Racing Steven Richards Holden Commodore VZ 1:09.9313
8. 3 Tasman Motorsport Jason Richards Holden Commodore VZ 1:10.2676
9. 11 Jack Daniel's Racing Paul Dumbrell Holden Commodore VZ 1:10.3310
10. 88 Team Betta Electrical Jamie Whincup Ford Falcon BA 1:10.9154.

Race one has also finished but I don't want to spoil it for anyone, let alone me. It will be televised at 11pm tonight on Channel 10, depending on your time zone.

 

[LewyMan]

Jeez, this thread is dying in the arse! The championship is just hotting up!! Come on, revive this thread. V8 Supercars rock 👍

 

[Thiele]

yeah, but Holden still kicks @$$

i might be able to go to the Adelaide races, and the next time we go to the Gold Coast, we're thinking about going at a time when this is on

 

[TheBigMan045]

One more Round at Pukekohe (trying to go to that) and then the streets of Hamilton, It will be the first time that a street race will count towards the championship in NZ (V8 Supercars came over in 1996 racing at Pukekohe and the Wellington Street Race with Greg Mmurphy dominating both of these 👍) Definatly going to that one 👍

 

[stinger061]

Championship is going to go right down to probably the last race this time around. Good to see a nice hard battle between Holden and Ford for the title to. My support is usually behind the Holden Racing Team but right now its with Rick Kelly would be good to see a Holden finally on top again.

 

[TheBigMan045]

It did last year as well

 

[DRIFT4EVA]

I caught a glimpse of the simmons plains round on the weekend, on the TV at work, while I was on break. I heard that Murph didn't start race 2 due to a prior accident. Are there any pics of this accident??? It must've been big

 

[LewyMan]

I watched all three races at Tassie on the weekend. It was rubbish, Lowndes lost a heap of points to Kelly, through no fault of his own
Ridiculous.

I think Lowndes, considering how he has gone this season, fully deserves this championship, he has fought so hard. He also deserved the Bathurst win. 👍 👍

Also, I completely support Fords, but if a Holden driver must win (god forbid), then I don't really mind it being Tander, he's ok.

Well done to Team FPR, great drive from the boys 👍

Oh yeah, and the Kelly brothers can get stuffed

 

[Cap'n Jack]

People losing points for no reason of their own is a normal part of motorsports, or any sports for that matter. Its not rubbish or ridiculous at all.

 

[somebody]

I heard that Murph didn't start race 2 due to a prior accident. Are there any pics of this accident??? It must've been big

Damn right there are, and yes it was fairly big (and dusty).

Go to this video link - race 1 highlights

 

[Schrodes]

I think Lowndes, considering how he has gone this season, fully deserves this championship, he has fought so hard.

With the new points system next year drivers who have a season like Lowndes has had this year will be rewarded with the championship. Last year we saw a driver win the series after winning only one round all year. This year we may well see a driver win the championship not winning a single round all year and winning only one race!
The points system is long overdue for an overhaul, it's about time.

 

[fyfee]

Off to Bahrain.

What does everyone think about this new adeventure, and the million+ dollars it took to transport everything overseas.

 

[Thiele]

People losing points for no reason of their own is a normal part of motorsports, or any sports for that matter. Its not rubbish or ridiculous at all.

i totally agree, Mark Skaife crashed at Bathurst, and he might've beat Lowndes, how about that?

 

[mwoodski]

Off to Bahrain.

What does everyone think about this new adeventure, and the million+ dollars it took to transport everything overseas.

Send em to the USA instead, they would put on a much better show 'round Laguna or Sears Point.



GO RICK!

 

[amp88]

The only race I was more excited waiting to see this year than Bahrain was Bathurst. I'm really looking forward to see which driver can make the best job out of an unseen track. I missed the Chinese round last year so I never got the chance then.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

Yes, I'm excited about Bahrain too. Only bad thing I see about it is that it seems they'll be running the short circuit. C'mon! Bahrain isn't that long of a track. We need something slightly longer than usual after Symonds Plains, just to balance everything out!

 

[TheBigMan045]

Jason Bright 1st
Todd Kelly 2nd
Garth Tander 3rd

Rick Kelly was taken out of the 2nd race but finished in 28th. Third race came from grid 28 and finished 5th. This means that with one round to go, The Bigpond Grand Finale, Lowndes and R.Kelly are seperated by 7 points

Can't wait for this as it will be a winner take all race 👍

 

[somebody]

I watch a few minutes of the last 2 races. Where was the crowd? There was about 100 people in the grandstand at most!

...and they were probably just the Aussie journalists!

 

[Sharky.]

Phillip Island is going to be a cracker round.

7 points of separation. It could go either way.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

Yeah, I can't wait. Either way, I'll be happy for either of the two to win. Though, being more of a Holden guy I'll be rootin' for Rick.

 

[Sharky.]

Being a Ford man, I'm cheering for Lowndesy

 

[Schrodes]

Being someone who likes someone who tries their hardest to win and puts in the effort for their fans, I'm going for Lowndes.

 

[Thiele]

too many Ford fans

 

[LewyMan]

Like someone mentioned earlier (sorry, forgot your name), the amount of people who drive Commodores and are absolute bleepheads, to put it lightly, is much larger than Ford drivers (or any car for that matter). I'm sorry, I just had to reiterate that fact. Absolutely no offence to Commodore drivers who are not like this, I'm not stereotyping here, I'm sure there's people out there who are great and do drive Commode-doores

Anyway, there's too many Holden supporters, as the poll suggests.

FORD'S FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO LOWNDESY

 

[Schrodes]

Like someone mentioned earlier (sorry, forgot your name), the amount of people who drive Commodores and are absolute bleepheads, to put it lightly, is much larger than Ford drivers (or any car for that matter). I'm sorry, I just had to reiterate that fact. Absolutely no offence to Commodore drivers who are not like this, I'm not stereotyping here, I'm sure there's people out there who are great and do drive Commode-doores

You do of course have some way of proving this "fact", don't you?

 

[Thiele]

my Dad drives a Commodore thank you very very much

 

[LewyMan]

You do of course have some way of proving this "fact", don't you?

Well, if by 'prove' you mean asking any (reasonable) motorsports or driving fan about it, then yeah, I do.

my Dad drives a Commodore thank you very very much

Like I said, not every single Commodore driver is like that, I'm sure your dad's a top bloke.

 

[Schrodes]

Well, if by 'prove' you mean asking any (reasonable) motorsports or driving fan about it, then yeah, I do.

Well, where is it?

 

[m.piedgros]

There is no evidence. Let's all just give him a break. We all say stupid things. Whether this is just an exaggeration or complete bull spit, it doesn't matter. Let's just all drop it. He is allowed to believe what he wants, and we most definitely don't have to.

m.piedgros

 

[LewyMan]

There is no evidence. Let's all just give him a break. We all say stupid things. Whether this is just an exaggeration or complete bull spit, it doesn't matter. Let's just all drop it. He is allowed to believe what he wants, and we most definitely don't have to.

m.piedgros

Okay, it might seem that I'm making this whole claim all because I'm a Ford man. Untrue. What I'm claiming though, is clearly visible, even if only in Australia. I am not saying this under "blue" influence. People do not have to believe me if they choose not to, but I can tell you I'm not the only one who can see this. Besides, I'd rather not take this any further than need be, otherwise it might just have to have it's own thread.


Anyway, moving right along to the more important thing of the championship, I just watched the first of three races of the Grand Finale. It was actually rather short and not that interesting, save for a hairy moment for Lowndes.
Can't wait for tomorrow's races
Lowndes trails Kelly in the championship by just 3 points. A mistake by either could pretty much cost them the title.

Let's hope it's Kelly