Championship leaders Team Betta Electrical are strongly poised to challenge for a round win at Pukekohe, after lead driver Craig Lowndes took pole position there last year, and following the strong performances at the Clipsal 500 Adelaide by both he and eventual round winner Jamie Whincup.
“This round marked a new beginning for Team Betta Electrical in 2005 and we will be aiming to reproduce that qualifying performance this weekend,” said Lowndes.
“We are confident we can do a good job, passing is awkward so the reverse grids will be interesting and I think we will see two groups emerge, one that attacks and another that consolidate.
“I’m very confident in the ability of the car and the team’s handle on the track, after all Craig did have pole here last year, the main thing is to score consistent results and come away with a straight car; hopefully this will help me to maintain my championship lead,” said Whincup.
“I’ll be looking for a mix of aggression and patience in the reverse grid race, it’s obviously good to finish well but race 1 and 3 are most important. There will be a lot of variables this weekend, in terms of weather and car handling, and the driver who can manage all of these most effectively is going to come out on top,” he concluded.
Rick Kelly’s HSV Dealer Team Commodore has been completely rebuilt following his encounter with the concrete barrier at the Australian Grand Prix. Essentially a new car, Kelly is hoping that his machinery will show the same pace that it did in Adelaide – a performance that netted him second outright.
“The car is basically brand new,” said Kelly.
“It is completely rebuilt and prepped for Pukekohe. The boys are really motivated because we are defending second place in the championship, and with the improvements we have made in the engine performance and chassis, we think we are a really good chance.”
