Whilst Skaife and Lowndes found their way forwards, Ambrose’s team-mate Russell Ingall managed the reverse. From his second place, Ingall made a poor start. This was rectified, but then a mid-distance Ingall seemed to miss a gear along the straight and lost two positions. His work was cut out, and then it was even more so when gear selection problems in the latter half of the race meant that Ingall had to hold his Falcon in second gear.
As befits the endurance nature of the V8 Supercar season opener, incident or penalties were no hinder to a good finishing position. Witness fourth placed finisher Todd Kelly, who early on in the race was a pitlane regular with two drive-through penalties served before taking his fuel stop. He wasn’t too happy with this, but the older Kelly brother still showed the speed of the second HRT Commodore.
Late returnee to the series, after only missing the non-championship Albert Park races, Max Wilson impressed with his performance in the Team Dynamik Commdore of Tony Longhurst. Max Wilson’s start in the race was down in twenty-seventh place, he twice was turned around at the same corner, yet the diminutive Max was flying in the later stages of the race for his seventh placed finish.
Wilson’s former team-mate at Triple Eight last year also had a solid race. Radisich looked quick again at the start of the weekend and then drove well, seemingly avoiding most of the incidents, and there were many, at the street course. The Kiwi’s experience showed and a tenth was the result.
The action certainly turned up a level as the race neared its end. Greg Ritter in the Ford Credit FPR Falcon ran wide at turn six and the unfortunate Jason Richards was collected putting both cars out of the race and bringing out the safety car.
