Cable costs Skaife and Kelly at Mount Panorama.
Mark Skaife and Todd Kelly missed out on the chance to battle for victory at Bathurst, when a broken alternator cable on the #2 Holden cost them valuable time on track.
Starting from 18th on the grid, Skaife battled up to join the leading pack, before the broken cable saw the HRT car lose two laps in the pits for repairs.
Mark Skaife and Todd Kelly missed out on the chance to battle for victory at Bathurst, when a broken alternator cable on the #2 Holden cost them valuable time on track.
Starting from 18th on the grid, Skaife battled up to join the leading pack, before the broken cable saw the HRT car lose two laps in the pits for repairs.
It was then a case of doing the best that the two drivers could, and by the end of the race, the pairing had managed to climb back to 14th place.
However Skaife was a disappointed man at the finish.
"Well it just wasn't our day," he said. "The car was in fantastic shape and we certainly had the speed to match it with the best all day. Our start was great, and I was just trying to patiently make my way through the pack and it was coming together nicely. But the alternator cable ended our run and there was nothing we could do but try and get back out there and use what great car speed we had.
"It has been a frustrating weekend, because the car has certainly been one of the best on track, but we just can't seem to get the result on the board at the minute. We just have to keep focussing on doing what we do best, and that is producing a car each race weekend that has the speed to match the top cars out there. Again, I can't fault the work of the guys, they did a fantastic job all weekend under really trying circumstances."
Kelly was also disappointed to have not been able to challenge at the front, but he admitted that he still enjoyed the race.
"This place can certainly be cruel," he said. "Once again it wasn't our turn out there. Even though the car was nowhere, it was in really good shape. I enjoyed every lap I got to drive out there, and there is nothing quite like the feeling of driving in Bathurst when you've got a good car. Obviously we are all deeply disappointed with the result, but I can honestly say I enjoyed every minute of the ride. We now need to regroup and have a look at the situation for Indy and then go in and attack the remainder of the championship."
