Ingall the enforcer needs to live up to his reputation
Press Release
Russell Ingall, fittingly nicknamed The Enforcer, openly acknowledges he needs to live up to his name to claim the 2005 V8 Supercar Championship Series crown at Phillip Island this weekend.
Caltex Racing’s Ingall, a four-time V8 Supercar bridesmaid, takes a handy 49-point lead into the final round at the BigPond Grand Finale at the magnificent Victorian circuit.
He faces a real threat from Ford’s Craig Lowndes and Stone Brothers team-mate and defending champion Marcos Ambrose, while a hungry Holden pack are keen to knock the Blue Oval brigade off their perch on the track they call home.
After unusually meek displays at Surfers Paradise and Symmons Plains (Tasmania), Ingall wants to take full control of his own destiny at Phillip Island.
"The Enforcer will be back at Phillip Island," said Ingall.
"I got to the lead in the Championship by driving aggressively, but over the past two rounds we've had a couple of issues that have seen us finish those rounds down the order. We have must go to the final round with the aim of victory, not play it conservatively.’’
Lowndes, in his first year with the Betta Electrical Ford team, has four round runs to his credit and enjoys the fast, flowing Phillip Island circuit, having won back in 2003, the last V8 Supercars outing on the peninsula.
"We want to win the race first and foremost. If that brings us the Championship then that's a bonus," said Lowndes. "Russell will be hard to topple but we'll give it everything.’’
Defending two-time series champion Ambrose wants to go out on a winning note in his final race before joining the NASCAR series in the USA.
"It sounds like a broken record, but I must win this round," said Ambrose.
“I'm looking forward to finishing my career in V8 Supercars in style. The last two years I was able to win the title on the right note with victory at the final round. This time I might not be winning the Championship, but a victory will still be very sweet.’’
While three Ford drivers lead the championship race, there are six Holden men in the top-10 who are keen to do their best to stop a Blue Oval victory at Phillip Island, and therefore nab the Manufacturer’s Title which currently sits at six wins a piece.
Three of the key Holden teams test at Phillip Island - HSV Dealer Team, the Holden Racing Team and Super Cheap Auto Racing - where Holden’s have dominated. A seven-year streak was broken by Lowndes in 2003.
“The Manufacturers Award is pretty important to Holden and if we could win two wins in a row to clinch it, particularly when Ford basically came out and announced they had it wrapped up pre-Tasmania, would be great,” said Symmons Plains champion Garth Tander.
HRT drivers Todd Kelly and Mark Skaife, fourth and fifth in points, are still in the title race – and the topsy-turvy nature of the 2005 V8 Supercar Championship means neither are out of the reckoning.
“My best result at Phillip Island is second (in 2002) so I’m pretty keen to get a win under my belt after all the testing miles we’ve done around here,’’ Todd Kelly said.
“I don’t think anyone should look at the Tasmanian round and say ‘they can’t win’ because we qualified strongly there and just went the wrong way on brake set-up, as did a few others.”
For Skaife is it is a patter of pride at his test track and in his home patch.
“Holden and Ford have each won six rounds this year, and the Holden Racing Team has contributed three of those wins for Holden. It would be appropriate and fitting for us to be the team that brings the trophy home for Holden,’’ Skaife said.
“This is our home track, and no one likes to get beaten at home. It’s a point of pride for us that we do well this weekend, given that we have spent so much time here over so many years.”
Friday will see a vital two hour practice session with Saturday's action including qualifying, top-10 shootout and the opening 23-lap race. There are two further 23-lap sprint races on Sunday, with a compulsory tyre stop in each race.
Top 10 points: Russell Ingall 1754, Craig Lowndes 1705, Marcos Ambrose 1668, Todd Kelly 1632, Mark Skaife 1622, Steven Richards 1601, Garth Tander 1552, Jason Bright 1470, Rick Kelly 1454, Cameron McConville 1409.