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SPECIAL

Ford Territory

SPECIAL

Ford Territory

Ford's Old Firm on the Pace in Darwin

Staff, Monday July 4, 2005.

Page 1 of 1

Westpoint Racing's Glenn Seton has finished fourth overall with teammate Steven Johnson just one place further back at the sixth round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series at Darwin's Hidden Valley.

For Seton it's his best individual result since Oran Park in 2000 when he finished third. It's a strong result for Dick Johnson's Westpoint Racing after some tough luck in recent rounds.

Overall for Ford, Marcos Ambrose (Pirtek Racing) extended his championship lead despite finishing ninth overall.

In a tough round at Hidden Valley, Todd Kelly won his second-straight round ahead of Garth Tander, with Rick Kelly in third.

Over the weekend's three races many of the championship challengers encountered dramas. Included on this list was Marcos Ambrose, who suffered a puncture in the second race to finish 31st. Russell Ingall's Caltex Racing Ford starter-motor failed in the final race and did not take the green light. Mark Skaife lost two laps in the final race after suffering a puncture after a collision in the final race. Both Orrcon Racing Falcon's qualified strongly but numerous incidents throughout the races cancelled all that hard work.

It was through all these incidents that Glenn Seton steered. The two-time V8 Supercar Champion showed that Westpoint Racing will be a force in the second half of the season.

?It was a great run for our team this weekend, no doubt about it,? said Seton.

?We have been running very strongly in recent rounds. However, we've had misfortune with others on the track.

?This weekend we brought home two cars with pretty much no scratches and the result is a just reward.

?Our race pace is very good. However, we do need to improve our qualifying speed. I qualified 12th this weekend, but we need to be better. I'm sure that if we start further up the order, than a podium if not a race and round win, is not out of the question.?

For Johnson it was an even tougher challenge after starting the weekend from 22nd on the grid. His result improves his championship position two places to seventh.

?It was a battle this weekend and it's been good to get a strong result,? said Johnson.

?For me I'm pleased, but for the team I'm wrapped. It's never easy to get two cars in the top five and I'm sure it's not going to be the last time this year.

?We head back home for the next round at Queensland Raceway and we're all looking forward to that. It's not just a track we know, but it's also a mini-endure with an individual 300-kilometre race. It's that format I really enjoy and something our team has traditionally been strong at.?

Ford head to what must be considered one of it's strongest tracks on the championship calendar. Ford has won every round since 2001. Johnson won in 2001, with Stone Brothers Racing dominating since with wins to Besnard (2002), Ingall (2003) and Ambrose (2004).

With the manufacturer score being Holden 4 - Ford 2 in 2005, a round win this year will be critical to Ford's aim of winning back the manufacturer title.

The Queensland 300 will be run between 22-24 July.

Darwin - Overall Results

1. Todd Kelly - Holden Racing Team - Holden Commodore
2. Garth Tander - HSV Dealer Team - Holden Commodore
3. Rick Kelly - HSV Dealer Team - Holden Commodore
4. Glenn Seton - Westpoint Racing - Ford Falcon BA
5. Steven Johnson - Westpoint Racing - Ford Falcon BA
6. Mark Skaife - Holden Racing Team - Holden Commodore
7. John Bowe - Team BOC - Ford Falcon BA
8. Steven Richards - Castrol Perkins Motorsport - Holden Commodore
9. Marcos Ambrose - Pirtek Racing - Ford Falcon BA
10. Paul Radisich - Team Kiwi - Holden Commodore

Championship Standings after 6 of 13 rounds

1. Marcos Ambrose - Pirtek Racing - Ford Falcon BA 980pts
2. Steven Richards - Castrol Perkins Motorsport - Holden Commodore -87pts
3. Russell Ingall - Caltex Racing - Ford Falcon BA -103pts
4. Todd Kelly - Holden Racing Team - Holden Commodore -110pts
5. Mark Skaife - Holden Racing Team - Holden Commodore -152pts
6. Craig Lowndes - Team Betta Electrical - Ford Falcon BA -260pts
7. Steven Johnson - Westpoint Racing - Ford Falcon BA -275pts
8. John Bowe - Team BOC - Ford Falcon BA -281pts
9. Paul Radisich - Team Kiwi - Holden Commodore -281pts
10. Garth Tander - HSV Dealer Team - Holden Commodore -301

For Further information contact:
Ben Beazley
Media Coordinator
Ford Racing Australia
Phone: 03 9359 8190
Mobile: 0417 262 753
Email: benb@global-marketing.com

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