Lowndes
moves into second in Championship race
Press Release
Team Betta Electrical’s Craig Lowndes has moved into second place in the 2005 V8 Supercar Championship Series following the final two races of the Ferodo Triple Challenge at Tasmania’s Symmons Plains circuit today.
Lowndes who was third in the championship, heading into the round is now 49 points behind Series leader Russell Ingall, after finishing third in both races today and fourth overall for the round.
Team mate Steve Ellery finished thirteenth in race two and eighteenth in race three today, leaving him fourteenth for the round and fourteenth in the championship.
Despite the significance of the round the top five championship leaders opted for consistency and caution rather than outright results.
Today’s two races were won by Garth Tander with Steven Richards and Rick Kelly finishing second and fourth in alternative races. Tander took round honours from Richards and Kelly, while Ingall finished seventh overall and Ambrose twelfth.
“It was a positive result for the weekend,” Lowndes said. “I just lacked the pace in the final race to challenge the guys in front of me.
“I‘m excited that I am now second in the championship and with a reasonably healthy buffer between myself and Ambrose.
“With Phillip Island only two weeks away and the benefit of it being my previous test track, I am confident that the team will produce another consistent result, said Lowndes.
“The rest is in the lap of the gods!
A reflective Steve Ellery said, “While we had a top ten car, unfortunately little mistakes turned into big errors and we should have finished further up the order.
“It was a tough day at the office with the track leaving very little margin for error.”
The BigPond Grand Finale at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit 25-27 November will decide the 2005 Championship with six drivers still vying for the top three championship stops.
Top Ten Round Twelve Results:
1. Garth Tander Holden
Commodore VZ 192pts
2. Steven Richards Holden Commodore VY 182pts
3. Rick Kelly Holden Commodore VZ 180pts
4. Craig Lowndes Ford Falcon BA 176pts
5. Paul Dumbrell Holden Commodore VY 152pts
6. Steven Johnson Ford Falcon BA 148pts
7. Russell Ingall Ford Falcon BA 144pts
8. Greg Murphy Ford Falcon BA 138pts
9. Todd Kelly Holden Commodore VZ 132pts
10. Jason Richards Holden Commodore VZ 132pts
14. Steven Ellery Ford Falcon BA 118pts
Top Ten Championship Series Standings
1. Russell Ingall
Ford Falcon BA 1754pts
2. Craig Lowndes Ford Falcon BA 1705pts
3. Marcos Ambrose Ford Falcon BA 1668pts
4. Todd Kelly Holden Commodore VZ 1632pts
5. Mark Skaife Holden Commodore VZ 1622pts
6. Steven Richards Holden Commodore VY 1601pts
7. Garth Tander Holden Commodore VZ 1552pts
8. Jason Bright Ford Falcon BA 1470pts
9. Rick Kelly Holden Commodore VZ 1454pts
10. Cameron McConville Holden Commodore VZ 1409pts
14. Steve Ellery Ford Falcon BA 1274pts.