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Fords on the Charge in NZ V8 Qualifying

Staff, Friday November 8, 2002.

Page 1 of 1

Pirtek Racing?s Marcos Ambrose has set the second quickest time in official qualifying for the Boost Mobile V8 International at Pukekohe Park Raceway south of Auckland.

Ambrose was just 0.2115 behind Mark Skaife who set a time of 0:57.1446.

Five Fords made the top-10 shootout, including Ambrose?s Stones Brothers Racing teammate David Besnard (Caltex Havoline Racing) in fifth, just ahead of the Team Betta Electrical Falcons of Tony Longhurst and Max Wilson in sixth and seventh, with OzEmail Racing?s Brad Jones in ninth.

Jones was the only driver to jump from the slower group of qualifiers into the top-10.

The top 23 cars were separated by just over one second, with just 1.5753 covering the entire 32-car field.

The tricky New Zealand weather kept teams guessing throughout the opening practice session, before clear skies prevailed in the second practice and throughout qualifying.

The circuit may have been dry, but the surrounding areas were very wet as numerous cars spun off the track and brought water and mud back onto the fast line.

Ambrose improved the Falcon AUXR8 through the practice sessions and into qualifying.

The Tasmanian is confident of going even quicker in the top-10 shootout and the opening 36-lap (100 kilometre) race tomorrow afternoon.

?The team really worked on finding grip through practice and then we got it really working in qualifying,? said Ambrose.

?We are now headed in the right direction and I?m confident of having a fast car for the shootout and the opening race.

?I?m sixth in the championship but just 157 points behind second place Jason Bright. I?ve got my eyes on nothing short of victory and closing-in on that target over this weekend.

?My team mate David Besnard showed at the Queensland 500 that we can win, and with the Stone Brothers Racing crew behind me and the full support of the Ford fans I?m very determined to win at Pukekohe.

?There will be many variables this weekend, one of the biggest will be the weather along with the longer races and the chance of safety cars.

?With my bosses Ross and Jimmy Stone having grown up around here, I?ll let them call all the shots from the pits and I?ll put my head down and go for it.?

Top-10 Qualifiers for the Boost Mobile V8 International
1.	Mark Skaife	Holden Race Team	Holden Commodore	0:57.1446
2.	Marcos Ambrose	Pirtek Racing	Ford Falcon AUXR8	+0.2115
3.	Jason Bright	Holden Race Team	Holden Commodore	+0.2233
4.	Greg Murphy	K-Mart Race Team	Holden Commodore	+0.3902
5.	David Besnard	Caltex Havoline Racing	Ford Falcon AUXR8	+0.4110
6.	Tony Longhurst	Team Betta Electrical	Ford Falcon AUXR8	+0.5204
7.	Max Wilson	Team Betta Electrical	Ford Falcon AUXR8	+0.5700
8.	Steven Richards	Team Castrol Perkins	Holden Commodore	+0.5847
9.	Brad Jones	OzEmail Race Team	Ford Falcon AUXR8	+0.6127
10.	Todd Kelly	K-Mart Race Team	Holden Commodore	+0.6414

Details for Round 12 of the 2002 V8 Supercar Series:
Top-10 Shootout	Saturday 9 November	-	11:35pm
Race 1 (36 laps - 100.8 km)	Saturday 9 November	-	2:10pm
Race 2 (54 laps 151.2l km)	Sunday 10 November	-	1:25pm
Race 3 (54 laps 151.2l km)	Sunday 10 November	-	4:35pm

Circuit:	Pukekohe Park Raceway - NZ
Length:	2.8km
Lap Record:	Qualifying - 0m.56.9591s (Murphy 2001)
	Shootout - 0m.56.9052s (Murphy 2001)
	Race - 0m.57.3500s (Seton 1996)
Estimated top speed:	280 km/h - Back Straight
Estimated average speed:	170 km/h

For further information contact:
Ben Beazley
Media Coordinator
Ford Racing
Phone: (03) 9533 4455
Mobile: 0417-262 753
Email: ben@segalmedia.com.au

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