There was potential aplenty but no podium this time for SP Tools-backed Stone Brothers Racing Ford driver Shane van Gisbergen in the first race at the Clipsal 500 meeting in Adelaide yesterday (Saturday) afternoon.
The 20-year-old Kiwi ran as high as third in the incident-interrupted 250km race only to drop to 22nd after being forced to pit for suspension repairs as a result of contact with one of the trackside tyre bundles.
It was an unfortunate end to what started as another strong weekend with van Gisbergen second only to championship points leader Jamie Whincup in practice, fourth in qualifying, and ninth in the Top Ten Shootout.
The only upside was that the Safety Car was deployed on the same lap for a separate incident giving the SBR team a little more time to effect repairs.
Shane van Gisbergen – Driver, SP Tools Racing Car #9
"We had a good strategy, [Lee] Holdsworth was on the same one as us and ended up third so we knew we had it right. I was right on Tander in third position, the car felt really quick and I just made a mistake.
"I hit the tyre bundle, I clipped it and it broke the top pin on the suspension, the boys did a great job to get it fixed and get me back out there, and we finished four laps down.
"I’m so disappointed, I’m really feeling for the guys, my mistake cost us potentially another podium."
Saturday's race was won by Toll Holden Racing team's Garth Tander from Jim beam Racing's James Courtney, Fujitsu Racing's Lee Holdsworth and championship points leader Jamie Whincup.
The V8 Supercars will take to the track for Race 2 of the Clipsal 500 today at 2:05pm local time after qualifying at 10:30am.
RESULTS
Clipsal 500, Race 1 (250kms)
1 2 Toll Holden Racing Team/Garth Tander
2 18 Jim Beam Racing/James Courtney
3 33 Fujitsu Racing /GRM/Lee Holdsworth
4 1 TeamVodafone/Jamie Whincup
5 55 The Bottle-O Racing Team/Paul Dumbrell
6 14 Trading Post Racing/Jason Bright
7 24 Bundaberg Red Racing Team/Fabian Coulthard
8 34 Fujitsu Racing /GRM/Michael Caruso
9 22 Toll Holden Racing Team/Will Davison
10 39 Supercheap Auto Racing/Russell Ingall
22 9 SP Tools Racing/Shane van Gisbergen
Top Ten Shootout
1 1 TeamVodafone/Jamie Whincup 1:21.5887
2 2 Toll Holden Racing Team/Garth Tander 1:21.7839
3 5 Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon/Mark Winterbottom 1:21.8360
4 55 The Bottle-O Racing Team/Paul Dumbrell 1:22.1511
5 8 Team BOC/Jason Richards 1:22.1685
6 24 Bundaberg Red Racing Team/Fabian Coulthard 1:22.1874
7 888 TeamVodafone/Craig Lowndes 1:22.2350
8 33 Fujitsu Racing /GRM/Lee Holdsworth 1:22.3484
9 9 SP Tools Racing/Shane van Gisbergen 1:22.3925
10 3 Centaur Racing/Tony D'Alberto 1:22.6322
