CATEGORIES
- Ask ColCam
- Commercials
- Full Ford
- Going Ford
- Industry News
- My Wheels
- Racing
- Events
- Test Drive
- Ford Dealer List
SPECIAL
Ford Territory
SPECIAL
Ford Territory
2007 FOCUS
$25,888
2007 TERRITORY
$36,888
2008 FOCUS
$23,888
2008 MONDEO
$30,888
2008 FALCON
$29,888
2008 FALCON
$28,888
$25,888
2007 TERRITORY
$36,888
2008 FOCUS
$23,888
2008 MONDEO
$30,888
2008 FALCON
$29,888
2008 FALCON
$28,888
Front Page
Canberra Crucial to Ford's Championship Hopes
Staff, Thursday May 30, 2002.
Page 1 of 1
The ?400? in the STEGBAR Canberra 400 represents the kilometres competitors will travel in total over the event. However, with 400 championship points up for grabs, that will be the crucial number Ford Racing teams will be chasing on the streets of Australia?s capital city.
Only the showpiece rounds of the V8 Supercar Series; the STEGBAR Canberra 400, Clipsal 500 in Adelaide, the VIP Pet Foods 500 in Queensland and Bob Jane T-Marts Bathurst 1000 carry the maximum amount of championship points. However, Queensland and Bathurst are events where two drivers race per car, so the winning drivers earn 200 points each.
The final 50-lap race in Canberra earns the winning driver 240 points, making it the highest scoring individual race of the entire season. The recent round in Darwin earned 240 points for the three races combined.
Racing on the Canberra streets is a tough assignment for all teams, with any small error usually punished by the concrete barriers that line the 3.9km course.
Shell Helix Racing?s Steve Johnson broke through for his first round win of his career in Canberra last year. It was an event that also featured his first pole position and race win in the opening 25-lap race.
?I really want to win in Canberra, not just because we got the job done there last year, but more importantly to jump up the leaderboard from my current ninth position,? said Johnson.
?The Blue Oval desperately needs a win in Canberra. I know that a win for me will provide our team and the rest of the Ford runners with a massive lift going into the coming races.
?To be successful in Canberra you have to race hard, but keep your head. Cars that finish the event with bent panels don?t usually figure at the top of the results?.
Ford?s best challenger in 2002 has been Pirtek Racing?s Marcos Ambrose. A consistent runner in the top three during the races, the Falcon AUXR8 driver is one of the fastest qualifiers around. Ambrose heads to Canberra with the aim of turning that consistent qualifying speed into race wins.
?Starting up front is crucial anywhere, but on the very narrow streets of Canberra it?s a must,? said Ambrose.
?The top guys are very evenly matched, so passing can be difficult at the best of times. Picking the right time to make pit stops, as well as quick work from the crew will be vital to success.
?So far this season I along with the likes of Craig Lowndes (00 Motorsport) and my team mate David Besnard (Caltex Havoline Racing), have been able to show glimpses of taking the fight to the opposition.
?Hopefully in Canberra more Ford teams can join the party. That way we can cut down the opposition and give our fans something to cheer about?.
The STEGBAR Canberra 400 features three contrasting races. Race one is held over 25 laps with a compulsory pit stop. Race two also features a compulsory tyre stop, but is a reverse-grid format with the opening race winner starting off the back. Grid positions for the final 50-lapper are determined on the combined results of the first two races. This race also features compulsory fuel as well as tyre stops and carries a hefty 240 championship points.
Most of the Ford Racing teams will be in Canberra from Tuesday 4 June for the V8 Supercar Experience presented by John McGrath Ford at Exhibition Park from 6pm.
Details for Round Four of the 2002 V8 Supercar Series:
| Top-15 Shootout | Saturday 8 June |
-
|
11.10 am |
| Race 1 (25 laps - 97.5 km) | Saturday 8 June |
-
|
2:55 pm |
| Race 2 (25 laps - 97.5 km) Reverse Grid | Sunday 9 June |
-
|
11 am |
| Race 3 (50 laps - 195 km) | Sunday 9 June |
-
|
2.10 pm |
| Circuit: | Canberra Street Circuit, ACT | ||
| Length: | 3.9km | ||
| Lap Record: | Qualifying - 1m.43.2704s (Radisich 2001) | ||
| Shootout - 1m.43.8738s (Johnson 2001) | |||
| Race - 1m.43.8397s (Lowndes 2001) | |||
| Estimated top speed: | 260 km/h - State Circle | ||
| Estimated average speed: | 135 km/h | ||
Championship Standings after round four of 13
| 1. Mark Skaife | 1,044 pts | ||
| 2. Greg Murphy | 577 pts | ||
| 3. Marcos Ambrose | Pirtek Racing | Ford Falcon AUXR8 | 508 pts |
| 4. Todd Kelly | 459 pts | ||
| 5. Jason Bright | 427 pts | ||
| 6. Craig Lowndes | 00 Motorsport | Ford Falcon AUXR8 | 403 pts |
| 7. Garth Tander | 401 pts | ||
| 8. Steven Richards | 398 pts | ||
| 9. Steven Johnson | Shell Helix Racing | Ford Falcon AUXR8 | 273 pts |
| 10. Tony Longhurst | Team Betta Electrical | Ford Falcon AUXR8 | 257 pts |
Ford Racing Australia?s 2002 Hidden Valley V8 Line-Up
| #00 | Craig Lowndes | 00 Motorsport |
| #27 | Neil Crompton | 00 Motorsport |
| #7 | Rodney Forbes | 00 Motorsport |
| #4 | Marcos Ambrose | Pirtek Racing |
| #5 | Glenn Seton | Ford Credit Racing |
| #9 | David Besnard | Caltex Havoline Racing |
| #10 | Mark Larkham | Orrcon Racing |
| #17 | Steve Johnson | Shell Helix Racing |
| #18 | Paul Radisich | Shell Helix Racing |
| #21 | Brad Jones | OzEmail Internet Racing |
| #888 | John Bowe | OzEmail Internet Racing |
| #31 | Steve Ellery | Super Cheap Auto Racing |
| #40 | Cameron McLean | Paragon Motorsport |
| #43 | Paul Weel | K & J Thermal Products Racing |
| #65 | Max Wilson | Team Betta Electrical |
| #66 | Tony Longhurst | Team Betta Electrical |
| #600 | Simon Wills | Cat Racing |
For further information contact:
Ben Beazley
Media Coordinator
Ford Racing
Phone: (03) 9533 4455
Mobile: 0417-262 753
Email: ben@segalmedia.com.au
****2002 Ford Racing Australia Media Guides and up to date statistics on all Ford V8 drivers are available ? please contact Ben if you would like a copy****
