V8 Supercar HIDDEN VALLEY RACEWAY

[SSbaby]

2004 V8 Supercar Championship Series - Round 4

V8 SUPERCARS - PRACTICE 1
__________________________________________________ _____________
Pos Car Entrant Driver Vehicle Cap CL Laps Fastest...Lap Gap

1 22 Holden Racing Team Todd Kelly Holden Commodore VY 5000 17 17 1:10.0535*
2 1 Pirtek Racing Marcos Ambrose Ford Falcon BA 5000 19 19 1:10.3302 0:00.2767
3 15 Kmart Racing Team Rick Kelly Holden Commodore VY 5000 18 16 1:10.3932 0:00.3397
4 6 Ford Performance Racing Craig Lowndes Ford Falcon BA 5000 17 12 1:10.4518 0:00.3983
5 50 PWR Performance Products Jason Bright Holden Commodore VY 5000 21 14 1:10.4560 0:00.4025
6 8 Castrol Perkins Motorsport Paul Dumbrell Holden Commodore VY 5000 19 19 1:10.4785 0:00.4250
7 51 Kmart Racing Team Greg Murphy Holden Commodore VY 5000 13 10 1:10.5116 0:00.4581
8 5 Ford Performance Racing Glenn Seton Ford Falcon BA 5000 20 19 1:10.5884 0:00.5349
9 9 Caltex Havoline Race Team Russell Ingall Ford Falcon BA 5000 19 13 1:10.6133 0:00.5598
10 2 Holden Racing Team Mark Skaife Holden Commodore VY 5000 17 12 1:10.6531 0:00.5996
11 11 Castrol Perkins Motorsport Steven Richards Holden Commodore VY 5000 21 16 1:10.7116 0:00.6581
12 888 Team Betta Electrical Max Wilson Ford Falcon BA 5000 18 16 1:10.7145 0:00.6610
13 16 PWR Performance Products Paul Weel Holden Commodore VY 5000 21 15 1:10.7177 0:00.6642
14 48 WPS Mark Noske Ford Falcon BA 5000 16 11 1:10.7335 0:00.6800
15 44 Roadships/Alphawest/World Ind Simon Wills Holden Commodore VY 5000 18 14 1:10.7432 0:00.6897
16 88 Team Betta Electrical Paul Radisich Ford Falcon BA 5000 17 10 1:10.7480 0:00.6945
17 10 Larkham Orrcon Racing Jason Bargwanna Ford Falcon BA 5000 18 14 1:10.7503 0:00.6968
18 12 OzEmail/Brad Jones Racing Team John Bowe Ford Falcon BA 5000 22 14 1:10.7863 0:00.7328
19 20 Larkham Orrcon Racing Mark Winterbottom Ford Falcon BA 5000 21 18 1:10.8176 0:00.7641
20 34 Repco Valvoline Cummins Team Garth Tander Holden Commodore VY 5000 18 16 1:10.8197 0:00.7662
21 17 Shell Helix Racing Steven Johnson Ford Falcon BA 5000 18 14 1:10.8690 0:00.8155
22 31 Super Cheap Auto Racing Steve Ellery Ford Falcon BA 5000 21 15 1:10.9314 0:00.8779
23 021 Team Kiwi Racing Craig Baird Holden Commodore VY 5000 15 14 1:10.9677 0:00.9142
24 29 Sirromet - Life,Style,Wine Paul Morris Holden Commodore VY 5000 16 13 1:11.0626 0:01.0091
25 3 Tasman Motorsport Jason Richards Holden Commodore VX 5000 19 19 1:11.0883 0:01.0348
26 33 Repco Valvoline Cummins Team Cameron McConville Holden Commodore VY 5000 15 4 1:11.1508 0:01.0973
27 75 Toll Racing Anthony Tratt Holden Commodore VY 5000 22 7 1:11.2003 0:01.1468
28 21 OzEmail/Brad Jones Racing Team Brad Jones Ford Falcon BA 5000 22 14 1:11.2584 0:01.2049
29 23 WPS David Besnard Ford Falcon BA 5000 9 8 1:11.3309 0:01.2774
30 18 Shell Helix Racing Warren Luff Ford Falcon BA 5000 22 17 1:11.5103 0:01.4568
31 7 Castrol Perkins Motorsport Tony Longhurst Holden Commodore VX 5000 19 19 1:11.6073 0:01.5538
32 45 Roadships/Alphawest/World Ind Dale Brede Holden Commodore VY 5000 20 15 1:11.8797 0:01.8262

[jsttry]

Some average pics and vids are available at http://www.mrjj.net/gallery/v8supercars2004 More will follow over the next 2 days. I'm sure some of the Barter Card girls will also be included in the pics ;)

[mavss]

Well said Jsttry ;)

Skaifey seems a little lower than what I would have expected but I guess it's still early in the piece.

[VX2VESS]

Well said Jsttry ;)

Skaifey seems a little lower than what I would have expected but I guess it's still early in the piece.


again, not going well this year his mate is up front

[vh-holden]

i will have some pics too. I may have to give them to jay to upload as my monthly usage is gone :mad:

[SSbaby]

V8 SUPERCARS - PRACTICE 2
__________________________________________________ ___
Pos Car Entrant Driver Vehicle Cap CL Laps Fastest...Lap Gap

1 50 PWR Performance Products Jason Bright Holden Commodore VY 5000 22 22 1:09.3392*
2 888 Team Betta Electrical Max Wilson Ford Falcon BA 5000 19 14 1:09.4700 0:00.1308
3 22 Holden Racing Team Todd Kelly Holden Commodore VY 5000 17 13 1:09.6258 0:00.2866
4 44 Roadships/Alphawest/World Ind Simon Wills Holden Commodore VY 5000 20 13 1:09.7778 0:00.4386
5 1 Pirtek Racing Marcos Ambrose Ford Falcon BA 5000 20 17 1:09.7821 0:00.4429
6 88 Team Betta Electrical Paul Radisich Ford Falcon BA 5000 21 12 1:09.8291 0:00.4899
7 2 Holden Racing Team Mark Skaife Holden Commodore VY 5000 16 13 1:09.9100 0:00.5708
8 12 OzEmail/Brad Jones Racing Team John Bowe Ford Falcon BA 5000 21 16 1:09.9648 0:00.6256
9 29 Sirromet - Life,Style,Wine Paul Morris Holden Commodore VY 5000 19 17 1:09.9705 0:00.6313
10 6 Ford Performance Racing Craig Lowndes Ford Falcon BA 5000 18 11 1:10.0177 0:00.6785
11 11 Castrol Perkins Motorsport Steven Richards Holden Commodore VY 5000 19 18 1:10.0310 0:00.6918
12 20 Larkham Orrcon Racing Mark Winterbottom Ford Falcon BA 5000 17 13 1:10.0550 0:00.7158
13 10 Larkham Orrcon Racing Jason Bargwanna Ford Falcon BA 5000 15 14 1:10.0572 0:00.7180
14 9 Caltex Havoline Race Team Russell Ingall Ford Falcon BA 5000 22 16 1:10.0583 0:00.7191
15 23 WPS David Besnard Ford Falcon BA 5000 17 16 1:10.1087 0:00.7695
16 21 OzEmail/Brad Jones Racing Team Brad Jones Ford Falcon BA 5000 23 14 1:10.1557 0:00.8165
17 51 Kmart Racing Team Greg Murphy Holden Commodore VY 5000 13 4 1:10.2226 0:00.8834
18 48 WPS Mark Noske Ford Falcon BA 5000 17 13 1:10.3445 0:01.0053
19 17 Shell Helix Racing Steven Johnson Ford Falcon BA 5000 20 14 1:10.3467 0:01.0075
20 8 Castrol Perkins Motorsport Paul Dumbrell Holden Commodore VY 5000 21 7 1:10.3996 0:01.0604
21 34 Repco Valvoline Cummins Team Garth Tander Holden Commodore VY 5000 20 6 1:10.4187 0:01.0795
22 15 Kmart Racing Team Rick Kelly Holden Commodore VY 5000 18 3 1:10.4535 0:01.1143
23 18 Shell Helix Racing Warren Luff Ford Falcon BA 5000 21 21 1:10.5075 0:01.1683
24 33 Repco Valvoline Cummins Team Cameron McConville Holden Commodore VY 5000 21 16 1:10.5638 0:01.2246
25 5 Ford Performance Racing Glenn Seton Ford Falcon BA 5000 20 17 1:10.5959 0:01.2567
26 3 Tasman Motorsport Jason Richards Holden Commodore VX 5000 17 11 1:10.6417 0:01.3025
27 021 Team Kiwi Racing Craig Baird Holden Commodore VY 5000 24 8 1:10.6583 0:01.3191
28 16 PWR Performance Products Paul Weel Holden Commodore VY 5000 22 14 1:10.6722 0:01.3330
29 31 Super Cheap Auto Racing Steve Ellery Ford Falcon BA 5000 23 14 1:10.6870 0:01.3478
30 75 Toll Racing Anthony Tratt Holden Commodore VY 5000 11 10 1:10.8892 0:01.5500
31 45 Roadships/Alphawest/World Ind Dale Brede Holden Commodore VY 5000 23 14 1:11.3612 0:02.0220
32 7 Castrol Perkins Motorsport Tony Longhurst Holden Commodore VX 5000 21 13 1:11.4593 0:02.1201

[motomk]

Qualifying courtesy of www.natsoft.com.au

Pos Car Entrant Driver Vehicle Cap CL Laps Fastest...Lap Gap

1 50 PWR Performance Products Jason Bright Holden Commodore VY 5000 12 2 1:09.2821*
2 2 Holden Racing Team Mark Skaife Holden Commodore VY 5000 8 2 1:09.3303 0:00.0482
3 22 Holden Racing Team Todd Kelly Holden Commodore VY 5000 7 3 1:09.3771 0:00.0950
4 11 Castrol Perkins Motorsport Steven Richards Holden Commodore VY 5000 10 2 1:09.4194 0:00.1373
5 1 Pirtek Racing Marcos Ambrose Ford Falcon BA 5000 8 3 1:09.4279 0:00.1458
6 15 Kmart Racing Team Rick Kelly Holden Commodore VY 5000 11 9 1:09.4307 0:00.1486
7 9 Caltex Havoline Race Team Russell Ingall Ford Falcon BA 5000 11 10 1:09.5978 0:00.3157
8 888 Team Betta Electrical Max Wilson Ford Falcon BA 5000 10 7 1:09.6209 0:00.3388
9 44 Roadships/Alphawest/World Ind Simon Wills Holden Commodore VY 5000 10 9 1:09.6804 0:00.3983
10 10 Larkham Orrcon Racing Jason Bargwanna Ford Falcon BA 5000 13 11 1:09.7297 0:00.4476
11 6 Ford Performance Racing Craig Lowndes Ford Falcon BA 5000 11 8 1:09.7590 0:00.4769
12 12 OzEmail/Brad Jones Racing Team John Bowe Ford Falcon BA 5000 13 7 1:09.7626 0:00.4805
13 88 Team Betta Electrical Paul Radisich Ford Falcon BA 5000 13 10 1:09.7629 0:00.4808
14 20 Larkham Orrcon Racing Mark Winterbottom Ford Falcon BA 5000 13 8 1:09.8025 0:00.5204
15 34 Repco Valvoline Cummins Team Garth Tander Holden Commodore VY 5000 13 13 1:09.8677 0:00.5856
16 29 Sirromet - Life,Style,Wine Paul Morris Holden Commodore VY 5000 11 6 1:09.8944 0:00.6123
17 51 Kmart Racing Team Greg Murphy Holden Commodore VY 5000 12 10 1:09.9283 0:00.6462
18 21 OzEmail/Brad Jones Racing Team Brad Jones Ford Falcon BA 5000 13 2 1:09.9631 0:00.6810
19 17 Shell Helix Racing Steven Johnson Ford Falcon BA 5000 14 8 1:09.9752 0:00.6931
20 5 Ford Performance Racing Glenn Seton Ford Falcon BA 5000 14 7 1:09.9867 0:00.7046
21 16 PWR Performance Products Paul Weel Holden Commodore VY 5000 15 10 1:10.0353 0:00.7532
22 021 Team Kiwi Racing Craig Baird Holden Commodore VY 5000 14 8 1:10.0578 0:00.7757
23 8 Castrol Perkins Motorsport Paul Dumbrell Holden Commodore VY 5000 13 10 1:10.1262 0:00.8441
24 18 Shell Helix Racing Warren Luff Ford Falcon BA 5000 14 10 1:10.1331 0:00.8510
25 33 Repco Valvoline Cummins Team Cameron McConville Holden Commodore VY 5000 13 9 1:10.1524 0:00.8703
26 31 Super Cheap Auto Racing Steve Ellery Ford Falcon BA 5000 14 12 1:10.1704 0:00.8883
27 3 Tasman Motorsport Jason Richards Holden Commodore VX 5000 12 10 1:10.2020 0:00.9199
28 23 WPS David Besnard Ford Falcon BA 5000 13 3 1:10.2027 0:00.9206
29 75 Toll Racing Anthony Tratt Holden Commodore VY 5000 2 1 1:10.4130 0:01.1309
30 7 Castrol Perkins Motorsport Tony Longhurst Holden Commodore VX 5000 14 12 1:10.5515 0:01.2694
31 45 Roadships/Alphawest/World Ind Dale Brede Holden Commodore VY 5000 14 5 1:10.6418 0:01.3597
EXC 48 WPS Mark Noske Ford Falcon BA 5000

[SSbaby]

Qualifying courtesy of www.natsoft.com.au

Top Ten Shootout

Pos Car Entrant Driver Vehicle Cap CL Laps Fastest...Lap Gap

1 2 Holden Racing Team Mark Skaife Holden Commodore VY 5000 1 1 1:09.1188*
2 22 Holden Racing Team Todd Kelly Holden Commodore VY 5000 1 1 1:09.3113 0:00.1925
3 50 PWR Performance Products Jason Bright Holden Commodore VY 5000 1 1 1:09.4812 0:00.3624
4 1 Pirtek Racing Marcos Ambrose Ford Falcon BA 5000 1 1 1:09.5602 0:00.4414
5 9 Caltex Havoline Race Team Russell Ingall Ford Falcon BA 5000 1 1 1:09.6116 0:00.4928
6 11 Castrol Perkins Motorsport Steven Richards Holden Commodore VY 5000 1 1 1:09.6541 0:00.5353
7 15 Kmart Racing Team Rick Kelly Holden Commodore VY 5000 1 1 1:09.7914 0:00.6726
8 888 Team Betta Electrical Max Wilson Ford Falcon BA 5000 1 1 1:09.9293 0:00.8105
9 44 Roadships/Alphawest/World Ind Simon Wills Holden Commodore VY 5000 1 1 1:10.0153 0:00.8965
10 10 Larkham Orrcon Racing Jason Bargwanna Ford Falcon BA 5000 1 1 1:10.2656 0:01.1468

[SSbaby]

Results courtesy of www.natsoft.com.au

V8 SUPERCARS - RACE 1

Pos Car Entrant Driver Vehicle Cap CL Laps Race.Time Fastest...Lap

1 9 Caltex Havoline Race Team Russell Ingall Ford Falcon BA 5000 17 20:16.6910 3 1:10.4970
2 22 Holden Racing Team Todd Kelly Holden Commodore VY 5000 17 20:17.3011 4 1:10.5319
3 1 Pirtek Racing Marcos Ambrose Ford Falcon BA 5000 17 20:17.4651 3 1:10.4576
4 50 PWR Performance Products Jason Bright Holden Commodore VY 5000 17 20:18.4445 3 1:10.5159
5 11 Castrol Perkins Motorsport Steven Richards Holden Commodore VY 5000 17 20:18.9273 3 1:10.5600
6 15 Kmart Racing Team Rick Kelly Holden Commodore VY 5000 17 20:20.5896 3 1:10.5474
7 10 Larkham Orrcon Racing Jason Bargwanna Ford Falcon BA 5000 17 20:21.3282 5 1:10.4984
8 12 OzEmail/Brad Jones Racing Team John Bowe Ford Falcon BA 5000 17 20:23.3256 5 1:10.6018
9 88 Team Betta Electrical Paul Radisich Ford Falcon BA 5000 17 20:23.6000 5 1:10.4320*
10 888 Team Betta Electrical Max Wilson Ford Falcon BA 5000 17 20:24.2660 5 1:10.6407
11 20 Larkham Orrcon Racing Mark Winterbottom Ford Falcon BA 5000 17 20:27.1002 7 1:11.0258
12 6 Ford Performance Racing Craig Lowndes Ford Falcon BA 5000 17 20:27.3267 9 1:10.8032
13 51 Kmart Racing Team Greg Murphy Holden Commodore VY 5000 17 20:29.5416 10 1:11.1103
14 2 Holden Racing Team Mark Skaife Holden Commodore VY 5000 17 20:29.5438 4 1:10.5160
15 34 Repco Valvoline Cummins Team Garth Tander Holden Commodore VY 5000 17 20:30.9110 8 1:11.0267
16 021 Team Kiwi Racing Craig Baird Holden Commodore VY 5000 17 20:31.4662 5 1:11.0699
17 16 PWR Performance Products Paul Weel Holden Commodore VY 5000 17 20:31.9773 5 1:10.7847
18 5 Ford Performance Racing Glenn Seton Ford Falcon BA 5000 17 20:33.6946 5 1:11.2517
19 23 WPS David Besnard Ford Falcon BA 5000 17 20:34.3190 11 1:11.0864
20 8 Castrol Perkins Motorsport Paul Dumbrell Holden Commodore VY 5000 17 20:36.7322 13 1:10.9536
21 31 Super Cheap Auto Racing Steve Ellery Ford Falcon BA 5000 17 20:36.8754 9 1:11.1152
22 18 Shell Helix Racing Warren Luff Ford Falcon BA 5000 17 20:41.8631 11 1:11.6247
23 33 Repco Valvoline Cummins Team Cameron McConville Holden Commodore VY 5000 17 20:42.1975 11 1:11.4462
24 75 Toll Racing Anthony Tratt Holden Commodore VY 5000 17 20:42.9329 6 1:11.6323
25 3 Tasman Motorsport Jason Richards Holden Commodore VX 5000 17 20:43.6245 9 1:11.3086
26 7 Castrol Perkins Motorsport Tony Longhurst Holden Commodore VX 5000 17 20:44.0562 12 1:11.7496
27 48 WPS Mark Noske Ford Falcon BA 5000 17 20:45.4338 3 1:11.7627
28 45 Roadships/Alphawest/World Ind Dale Brede Holden Commodore VY 5000 17 20:45.8949 11 1:11.6239
29 29 Sirromet - Life,Style,Wine Paul Morris Holden Commodore VY 5000 17 21:00.4729 4 1:11.9200
30 44 Roadships/Alphawest/World Ind Simon Wills Holden Commodore VY 5000 16 20:56.6786 10 1:11.1792
DNF 21 OzEmail/Brad Jones Racing Team Brad Jones Ford Falcon BA 5000 16 19:23.5384 5 1:10.9829
DNF 17 Shell Helix Racing Steven Johnson Ford Falcon BA 5000 9 11:02.8737 6 1:11.4825

[Scud]

I'm not sure what happened, but Skaife was 1st going into the final turn with Ambrose on his tail, Skaife ended on the grass and Ambrose ended up 3rd. Word is (I was watching live on Bigpond) that Ambrose tapped Skaife. I haven't seen anything that confirms this, but if Skaife went off on his own accord, then how did Ambrose drop for 1st to 3rd???


:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Aus8]

Just heard about it to. From what ive seen Skaife went wide and Ambrose made the most of it and pulled well up alongside approaching the turn. It seems Skaife turned in on him and then stuffed his steering and then mouthed off about Ambrose in Pit lane. Ambrose also slowed beacause of the incident but still brang it home in 3rd. There was a stewards enquiry but they found no one at fault.

We will just have to watch the coverage tommorrow and see for ourselves but after seeing the replay im not so sure im with Skaifeys view on this one. If you look closely (Like the stewards must have) Skaife had to have turned in on Ambrose as they made contact right on the point of the apex. Ambrose couldn't possibly be any further left.

I wish channel 10 would really think about their title of "The Home Of Motorsport". They dont deserve to wear that at all. For a whole weekends of racing we get 2.5 hours TV coverage or about 30 minutes after the adverts!!

Tim

[Rick76]

Release Date: 22/05/2004
Stone Brothers Racing continued their impressive record at Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway when Russell Ingall won the opening race of the fourth round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series today.

Ingall was running third in his Caltex Havoline Ford when teammate Marcos Ambrose and Holden’s Mark Skaife had a “coming together” on the exit on the final turn of the last lap.

Skaife ran wide and rejoined the track to finish 14th, while Ambrose stayed on the circuit and limped home with a broken steering arm on his Pirtek Falcon to finish third behind Ingall and Todd Kelly.

While the incident between Ambrose and Skaife was the topic of plenty of conversation after the race, both Ingall and Ambrose were adamant about the situation.

“I’ll take a win any way I can get it,” said Ingall.
“Marcos’ move was a brilliant one – I wish I’d have made it.
“There was a big gap left for him and he took it. It think it’s great that the championship leader is prepared to make such a move on the final corner of the last lap.
“We had a pretty good run and had a pretty good race car. Everything just opened up in front of me and we were in a position to make the most of it.”

Ingall was happy overall with the performance of his Caltex Havoline Falcon and to return to the top of the podium.

“The car was easy to drive and we were never going to take any risks today,” said Ingall.
“I would have been happy to have finished third or fourth with tomorrow being the money day, but hey, I’ll take it.
“I think we really made a lot of progress in each of the sessions today.
“I was happy to start fifth after picking up a couple of spots in the shootout, but I might have even been a couple of spots higher if my foot had not slipped off the brake going into the last corner.
“I am looking forward to tomorrow.”

Ambrose says he has absolutely no regrets about the last-lap move, despite the fact that it dropped him from second to third in the race standings.

“The gap was there and I went for it,” said Ambrose.
“As the championship leader I probably should not have done it, but I just went on instinct.
“I am here to race for the fans, Ford and our sponsors and as long as I can keep racing like this within the rules I’ll keep doing it.
“I carried a lot of speed into the corner and there was a big gap there.
“He (Skaife) turned down and that’s when contact was made. I am sure both of us could have gone to the line without any drama.
“It was a pretty good race between the top five cars and pretty entertaining from inside the car.”

The race win was the 24th in Ingall’s 99-round career and his first since he won the second race of the Gillette V8 Supercar Challenge in Surfers Paradise in round 11 last year.

[HSV8]

Ambrose gets the Homer Simpson award.

any how at least he meant what he said did it to Skaife then Ingall consistent :lol: :lol:

Just a pissy response from Ingall ( man that must have been a big company line to tow) I think he was pushed into the rear of me :lol:

bet he does not think that after seeing the video :lol:

Ambrose will have the shits cause all the other fords did not give him a go especially his team mate :lol: :lol:

let me see skaife comming first take him out team mate beats ambrose take him out yada yada yada

[HQV8]

:booty:

Who gives a rats fat about what happened at Hidden Valley. Holden won the round, HRT had a win (finally) and what is this FORD you speak of??? :rolleyes: Ahhh all is good in the world!!! :D


cheers

HQV8

[Nawdy]

The thing that really had me laughing was the fact that the Ford fans in the crowd cheered really loudly for Ambrose in the last race - for coming second..... :confused:

I have to admit though that I was a little disappointed with the V8 Supercars though; the parity issue has been taken almost to the n'th degree, and with performance between the cars being so equal, when they go onto a track like Hidden Valley with very limited passing opportunities the race becomes rather processional.

[Aus8]

The thing that really had me laughing was the fact that the Ford fans in the crowd cheered really loudly for Ambrose in the last race - for coming second..... :confused:



Not sure if you saw it or not but Ambrose had a stop go penalty in Race 2 and dropped back to 30th position. Made it to second in the 3rd race after winning a awesome drag with Steve Richards to the line on the last lap. I can see why they were cheering! Thats a great drive in anyones books!

Good to see Kelly take up the round win and give the HRT boys a boost in Morale. Bring on WA!!

Cheers

Tim

[Kirium]

The thing that really had me laughing was the fact that the Ford fans in the crowd cheered really loudly for Ambrose in the last race - for coming second..... :confused:

I have to admit though that I was a little disappointed with the V8 Supercars though; the parity issue has been taken almost to the n'th degree, and with performance between the cars being so equal, when they go onto a track like Hidden Valley with very limited passing opportunities the race becomes rather processional.

I also came away quite underwhelmed from the whole weekend. but still worth the $60 hotpass overall... I wish the Carrera Cup was a bit closer (I met Gentleman Jim Richards in the paddock too, what a great guy, and he had his Targa Porsche GT2 behind his pit area which is an awesome machine :D), but hidden valley, as you mention has extremely limited passing opportunities, not helped by the fact it's a pretty narrow track...

P.S. If I can get my exhaust note to even come close to the Audi's, I'll be a happy camper... :D

[mgygto]

I have to admit though that I was a little disappointed with the V8 Supercars though; the parity issue has been taken almost to the n'th degree, and with performance between the cars being so equal, when they go onto a track like Hidden Valley with very limited passing opportunities the race becomes rather processional.

Agree, a "sprint" format on a track like Hidden Valley makes for some pretty lame racing.....frankly I enjoy races under 250km far less than those above it. Bring on the Qld 500 and Bathurst 1000!