ID :
51659
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 16:31
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/51659
The shortlink copeid
Whincup jump-starts V8 title defence
Defending V8 Supercar champion Jamie Whincup overcame what he called "a taxi driver's start" to get his title defence meter running at the season-opening Clipsal 500.
Ford driver Whincup botched his start badly in the opening race of the season from
pole position, sliding to fifth as several of his rivals got the jump on him by the
first corner.
But he fought his way back from fifth place on the opening lap to take the lead by
lap 19 of Saturday's 78-lap race around the Adelaide street circuit and win
comfortably.
Holden driver Lee Holdsworth finished second, with new Holden Racing Team recruit
Will Davison an encouraging third on his HRT debut.
It was a remarkable effort from Whincup, debuting his new FG Falcon in style and
signalling how difficult it will be for his rivals to wrest his championship from
him.
And making the Team Vodafone driver's performance even better was disaster for
several of his major championship rivals on a testing day as cabin temperatures
soared into the mid-40s amid Adelaide's concrete canyons.
Ford driver Mark Winterbottom was pushed well back in the field after a mid-race
tangle with Shane van Gisbergen left his car with substantial front-end damage.
Holden's Garth Tander had his race ended with nine laps remaining - black-flagged
with his car blowing copious amounts of smoke and losing oil.
Then Whincup's Team Vodafone teammate Craig Lowndes spun out while sitting second
with four laps left and finished one position behind Winterbottom in 19th place.
Ford driver James Courtney needed medical attention after the driving suit designed
to keep his body cool in the searing heat failed mid-race.
He recovered to finish 20th.
But emerging unscathed was Whincup, who admitted he was relieved to get his
championship defence off to the best possible start and uncorking a new car without
any issues.
"The car was fantastic, we stayed out of trouble and there's a fair bit of emotion
as you come into the year with a new car, not knowing what to expect," Whincup said.
"There's a fair bit of extra pressure involved with having the No.1 on the side of
the car.
"I feel quite relieved and hopefully this can push my year in the right direction."
Whincup will also start from pole position for race two of the weekend on Sunday
under the series' new qualifying rules.
But those rules, in which qualifying positions count for all races at a meeting,
also mean a reprieve for those who found trouble on Saturday.
Ford driver Whincup botched his start badly in the opening race of the season from
pole position, sliding to fifth as several of his rivals got the jump on him by the
first corner.
But he fought his way back from fifth place on the opening lap to take the lead by
lap 19 of Saturday's 78-lap race around the Adelaide street circuit and win
comfortably.
Holden driver Lee Holdsworth finished second, with new Holden Racing Team recruit
Will Davison an encouraging third on his HRT debut.
It was a remarkable effort from Whincup, debuting his new FG Falcon in style and
signalling how difficult it will be for his rivals to wrest his championship from
him.
And making the Team Vodafone driver's performance even better was disaster for
several of his major championship rivals on a testing day as cabin temperatures
soared into the mid-40s amid Adelaide's concrete canyons.
Ford driver Mark Winterbottom was pushed well back in the field after a mid-race
tangle with Shane van Gisbergen left his car with substantial front-end damage.
Holden's Garth Tander had his race ended with nine laps remaining - black-flagged
with his car blowing copious amounts of smoke and losing oil.
Then Whincup's Team Vodafone teammate Craig Lowndes spun out while sitting second
with four laps left and finished one position behind Winterbottom in 19th place.
Ford driver James Courtney needed medical attention after the driving suit designed
to keep his body cool in the searing heat failed mid-race.
He recovered to finish 20th.
But emerging unscathed was Whincup, who admitted he was relieved to get his
championship defence off to the best possible start and uncorking a new car without
any issues.
"The car was fantastic, we stayed out of trouble and there's a fair bit of emotion
as you come into the year with a new car, not knowing what to expect," Whincup said.
"There's a fair bit of extra pressure involved with having the No.1 on the side of
the car.
"I feel quite relieved and hopefully this can push my year in the right direction."
Whincup will also start from pole position for race two of the weekend on Sunday
under the series' new qualifying rules.
But those rules, in which qualifying positions count for all races at a meeting,
also mean a reprieve for those who found trouble on Saturday.
