It’s amazing what can happen in a week in the motor racing industry – Internationally, it’s good to see Australians, Mark Webber second on the F1 championship table, Scott Dixon dominating the American Indy League racing along with Ryan Briscoe third on the overall points standing and Marcus Ambrose doing well in NASCARs.
A bombshell was dropped on the local V8 Supercar racing scene with the announcement of the top Ford team Triple Eight Racing defecting to Holden (with lots of GM factory money), next year lock stock and barrel with its two leading drivers Jamie Whichup and Craig Lowndes.
I remember in 2001 when Gibson Ford ‘stole’ Craig from the Holden Racing Team it did make a difference -The once Peter Brock protege and Bathurst winner at 21 had crossed over to the dark side.
This week it was time not to only poach Lowndes and championship leader Whincup back to Holden, but the whole freaking Vodafone Bathurst winning team – poetic justice.
Hot on the heels of the defection of the decade, I headed off to a very interesting time at the V8 Supercars round at Sandown on the weekend.
The whole scenario brought back memories of the great battles between Brock and Moffat – Holden vs. Ford – Toranas vs. Falcons of 30 years ago and it was about time to see some real passion develop within the V8 fan base again.
Friday
Friday’s practice was cold, wet and windy but it did not deter some diehard fans from enjoying practice.
Mark Winterbottom from Ford Performance Racing posted the fastest time in the dying moments of the third practice session setting a time of 1min 10.2125sec to finish ahead of Team Vodafone’s Jamie Whincup (1:10.2217) and Toll Holden Racing Team’s Will Davison (1:10.2644).
Saturday
On Saturday morning Will Davison for the Toll Holden Racing Team had won the top ten shoot-out and the coveted pole position, with the Whincup hog Ford and James Courtnay’s Jim Beam entry third fastest.
The race began at a very quick pace with a number of cars vying for early position. Davision lost the lead at the opening corner to Jamie Whincup, but was soon back at the head of the field overtaking on the same corner on the very next lap.
Whincup’s challenge for the lead only lasted until his pitstop where a problem while changing the left-hand front tyre on his Triple Eight hogster cost him valuable seconds.
Will Davison was then able to cruise to his first ever victory for the Toll Holden Racing Team in the 33-lap race. Second was James Courtnay and Craig Lowndes third both driving the Ford product.
Sunday
Sunday morning was windy and cold when qualifying for the race began just after 10 am .
In fact the track surface was so cold drivers were saying that it took them at least three and a half laps to warm their tyres.
Never-the-less practice commenced and it was on for young and old from the start with numerous drivers drivers making the fastest lap – However there was no change at the top with Will Davison holding onto pole in the 22 HRT machine, Courtnay in a Ford second and Rick Kelly in a Holden third.
The race started with Davison on the soft compound tyres leading the pack from Courtnay, Kelly and Garth Tander in the other HRT.
From then on it was a close race but a Holden procession with Tander in front, Kelly and Davison close behind.
The drive of the day however belonged to the WOW sponsored Commodore of Cam McConville who started from 26th position and finished fourth.
At the finish it was a Holden Racing Team 1 – 2, with the closest finishing Ford of Jamie Whincup in third place.
At the end of the day, one had to wonder if the Ford domination of the last three years was diminishing and the final nail in the coffin was the defection of the Triple Eight Team from Ford to Holden in 2010 – That was certainly the sentiment of the Ford fans here today!