Ford Performance Racing duo Mark Winterbottom and Steve Richards made nearly all the running in opening practice ahead of this weekend's Falken Tasmania Challenge, leaving Holden title contender Garth Tander the meat in a Blue Oval sandwich.
Orrcon Ford Credit FPR Falcon star Winterbottom set the fastest-ever touring car lap of the 2.4km Symmons Plains Raceway near Launceston, whilst team-mate Richards was similarly on top form, leading most of the second hour and eventually winding up just four tenths of a second adrift of the New South Wales native and a single tenth away from Tander.
The practice sessions were held in warm and sunny conditions with several drivers running off the circuit including both FPR Falcon aces as they attempted to improve their lap times. The top 19 cars were separated by less than a second at the end of proceedings, suggesting what looks set to be a very close fight during Saturday's qualifying session.
Winterbottom in particular continued his spectacular end-of-season comeback one that has seen him climb back up to fifth in the points' standings, as both he and FPR seek to mount a title challenge in 2008 after finishing a close third last year.
The car is obviously very strong, the 26year-old affirmed. [It was] nice to drive and it was a good, quick lap. I feel even better about it knowing it's the fastest anyone has gone here in a touring car.
The left front tyre gained a lot of build-up and there was a vibration there throughout the sessions. I knew that once we fitted better tyres close to the end of practice we would improve substantially and that is what happened.
