TOUGH AFTERNOON FOR SBR AT SYMMONS |
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Topics: Falken Tasmania Challenge
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Stone Brothers Racing
November 13, 2011
Stone Brothers Racing (SBR) has endured an arduous 200km race, with two of its Falcons severely wounded during the final race at Symmons Plains Raceway this afternoon.
#47 Lucky 7 Racing driver Tim Slade was the hardest done-by this afternoon – losing his power steering with 20-odd laps to go. With the tightest corner on any circuit in the V8 Supercar series having to be negotiated lap after lap, Slade was subjected to a strenuous workout in an effort to finish the race. With his lap times having an extra six seconds added to them, Slade soldiered on when lesser drivers would have given up and eventually crossed the line three laps down in 27th place. Slade’s tough day sees him slip a place down the Championship ladder to 12th place.
Also copping a cruel blow in the closing stages of the race, Alex Davison in the #4 IRWIN Racing Falcon was hit by James Courtney causing damage to the rear of his car which, in turn, punctured his rear tyre causing an unscheduled pitstop to enable him to complete the race. It wasn’t all bad news for Davison though, as he salvaged enough points from the race to maintain his ninth place on the Championship points table.
But there was a positive note for SBR today - with #9 SP Tools Racing pilot Shane van Gisbergen finishing today’s race in seventh place. Helped by a dramatically improved qualifying performance this weekend, van Gisbergen pushed hard after starting from fourth place on the grid, but a delaminated tyre in the early stages of the race hampered his pace and progress. Van Gisbergen’s sixth place coupled with Mark Winterbottom’s third place sees him move down a place on the points table to fourth in the Championship.
The SBR Falcons will now make the voyage across Bass Straight for the penultimate round of the V8 Supercar Championship at Sandown International Raceway next weekend.
Shane van Gisbergen – Driver, SP Tools Racing Car #9
“We ran with the leaders in the opening stint but I was just holding on – to do that I used my tyres up and didn’t have the pace to stay with them. In the second stint I managed my tyres a lot better but by then they were too far up the road. The positive from this weekend is our qualifying performance – two second row starts in a row is a good sign and gives us a good base to improve on next weekend.”
Alex Davison – Driver, IRWIN Racing Car #4
“We tried to improve the car from where we left off yesterday but it didn’t really respond the way we wanted. Qualifying back in 13th didn’t help our cause either - having to start back in the pack always makes it a tough day from the start. I battled away and then (James) Courtney belted me from behind which in turn shoved me into (Michael) Caruso so I’m sorry to him for that – we sustained some damage and a puncture which we had to pit for which ruined our run.”
Tim Slade – Driver, Lucky 7 Racing Car #47
“We just lacked overall pace today. I tried to conserve like I did yesterday hoping those in front would come back to me but then we had the power steering issue and that was our race done and dusted.”