SBR Drivers Rate Clipsal 500 As ‘One To Win’

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Round 1, Clipsal 500 Adelaide, Adelaide Street Circuit, 1-4 March 2007

Stone Brothers Racing drivers Russell Ingall and James Courtney have rated the Clipsal 500 Adelaide as one of ‘the’ races to win in 2007 with both keen to snag an early victory to kick start their V8 Supercar Championship season.

Caltex Racing’s Russell Ingall has the top step of the podium at the Clipsal 500 on his mind, the grueling two-leg 500km race one of the very few events on the V8 Supercar calendar that he is yet to win.

Entering his 12th season in the V8 Supercar Championship Series, Ingall rates the Clipsal 500 as one of the biggest races of the year, up with the likes of the Bathurst 1000.

JELD-WEN Motorsport’s James Courtney says the profile of the event and the number of people that attend make it a great one to win, particularly because it’s the first event of the year.

The 2006 Mike Kable Rookie of the Year will return to the Adelaide Street Circuit a little older and wiser with a year of V8 Supercar racing under his belt. After a tough debut at the event last year, Courtney is looking forward to the challenges the Clipsal 500 presents and will be well prepared both physically and mentally.

Both SBR drivers agree that the 3.22km circuit is physically demanding but believe that their training during the break will hold them in good stead.

Another driver who has been training hard in the off season is SBR’s Jonathon Webb. Webb will have his first taste of full-time V8 Supercar racing at the Clipsal 500, making his debut in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series.

The Sydney-sider, who recently relocated to the Gold Coast to be near SBR’s headquarters in Yatala, has raced on the Adelaide Street Circuit twice before in the Carrera Cup Championship.

Points of Interest

Caltex Racing’s Russell Ingall has never won the Clipsal 500; his best result is second in 2001.

JELD-WEN Motorsport’s James Courtney will make his second start at the Clipsal 500 this weekend; Russell Ingall will make his eighth start, racing at every event since it’s inception in 1999.

SBR has won the Clipsal 500 on two occasions, in 2004 and 2005 (with Marcos Ambrose)

SBR will run a Ford Falcon BA in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series race at the Clipsal 500 with Jonathon Webb at the wheel. SBR last ran in the V8 Supercar feeder series in 2003 with Mark Winterbottom.

Russell Ingall, #9, Caltex Racing

“For me personally, I regard Clipsal on a similar level to Bathurst. Bathurst is one of the biggest races of the year; I put Clipsal on an even par.

“It’s the only race that I haven’t won yet so that’s definitely playing on the mind.

“It’s like those that haven’t won Bathurst, you desperately want to do it, and that’s what Clipsal is like for me. I’ve won Bathurst, I’ve won a championship and Clipsal is the only box that hasn’t been ticked yet so I am hoping to rectify that in a few weeks time.

“It’s physically the hardest race of the year. Bathurst and Indy would be the only ones that are physically near it.

“It’s the easiest race to have a crash by far. It’s a very unforgiving place, not much run off and it doesn’t reward fools. And that’s what makes it great.

“It’s one of the classic street races and not to forget, even though it’s fairly new as far as race circuits go, it has got its own history with the track being an ex-Formula One circuit. It’s been a world famous motor racing track for many years, and it holds a lot of punch. ”

James Courtney, #4, JELD-WEN Motorsport

“Having had a run at Clipsal last year, I’ve got a much better idea of what I am putting myself into.

“It was the first race last year and I didn’t really know too much about the category. I was really thrown in at the deep end. But now I know what I am in for and it’s more just another race that I am looking forward to.

“The track seemed pretty enjoyable even though I didn’t have much fun at the time. There was so much going on at once and the results weren’t there. But I like the street circuits so it’s going to be a lot more enjoyable the second time around.

“You are in the car for a long time, probably two hours and fifteen minutes and on a street circuit it’s pretty tough.

“At Bathurst last year I double stinted and was in the car for just over three hours, an hour longer than Clipsal, and Bathurst is probably as challenging if not more. I got through that okay and with the training I have been doing I don’t think I will have any dramas at Clipsal.

“Nearly all the races are good races to win now, but I guess with Clipsal, the profile that it has, the amount of people that are there and being the first race of the season, it’s definitely a good one to win.

“Jamie (Whincup) was lucky enough to do it last year and hopefully I can pull it off this year. ”

Jonathon Webb, #94, Stone Brothers Racing

“I think Adelaide is one of those tracks that you have to give respect to, there are a lot of walls there!

“I just have to put my head down and work hard. I know the track, we know the car is going to be good; we just have put it all together.

“Out first test day last week was really good. It was a good first step to the new year and we are looking forward to more. ”

Ross Stone, Team Manager, Stone Brothers Racing

“We’ve had a really good preparation heading into Clipsal.

“The team has worked very hard and we are confident that will pay off when we get on track in Adelaide.

“Both James and Russell are focused on the job at hand and that is to get race wins on the board and get a good start to the season.

“It’s also good to have Jon racing in a V8 Supercar at Clipsal for the first time. He’s adapted to the team very well and we expect to see him really come along throughout the year. ”