By Matthew Agius
The V8 Supercar Championship Series heads across the Bass Strait to Tasmania for the Ferodo Triple Challenge as the 2007 title fight begins to draw to a climatic close between current leader Craig Lowndes, challenger Rick Kelly and dark horse Mark Winterbottom.
As with all other sprint round this year, three races will feature at Symmons Plains Raceway this weekend, however unlike the majority of races this year, the second sprint for the Ferodo Triple Challenge will be affected by recent fixture changes and will not be a reverse grid race. Indeed, there is likely to be a lot of crash and bang at this weekend’s event, with the shortest laptimes in the championship combining with the slowest corner in the series to make for ultra-tight and super risky racing. The attrition rate at this circuit is traditionally high, and quick pitstops are so important that they can decide the outcome of a race or as the twelfth round for 2007; a championship.
Historically, this event hasn’t had any sort of major statistical bearing on the championship, but it has often been an indicator of the fastest, most reliable car in the championship. When Russell Ingall won this event during its return in 2004, the Caltex Ford was at the top of its game, whilst Garth Tander took out this round last year in the HSV Dealer Team Commodore which was, at the time, improving dramatically. In addition, reliability becomes an even greater factor with high braking and straightline performance required across the weekend.
Three drivers have a realistic chance of winning the championship now – Craig Lowndes for Team Betta Electrical, Rick Kelly for the Toll HSV Dealer Team and Mark Winterbottom for Ford Performance Racing. All three have had their own share of bad luck this year, but have all performed consistently throughout 2006.
This weekend, Craig Lowndes will compete with a brand new specification Team Betta Electrical BA Falcon, whilst teammate Jamie Whincup get Lowndes’ old machine.
“The new car is very, very good and the team is delighted with the way it has come on,” said Lowndes.
“I am extremely happy with the way the new car performed at last week’s test day and I am looking forward to using it for the remainder of the championship.”
