Mixed results at the Island
So much rain had pelted down on the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit precinct in the lead up to the L&H 500 that the grass areas were incredibly spongy. While it was almost smooth sailing on the asphalted track, there were concerns the fans would not be so lucky. It was bad enough that any person who tried to walk on it sunk about an inch into the ground so circuit organisers took the exceptional move to bar spectator cars from parking on Friday and Saturday for fear that every vehicle would be bogged to the axles.
Fans were bused in those days from ‘park and ride’ facilities or parked along the fence line but the extra hassle was worth it to see the V8s for the first time in action since the Surcogen Townsville 400 two months ago. The parking situation was relaxed on Sunday and a total of 16,092 fans came and watched the 500-kay enduro. A total weekend crowd of 42,554 was about 4000 down on last year’s so obviously the lure of watching Channel 7’s V8 Supercars coverage with a XXXX Gold in hand on a dry couch was too good to refuse for some as they watched TeamVodafone’s Craig Lowndes capitalise on the misfortunes of teammate Jamie Whincup to win the L&H 500 at Phillip Island.
Pic: The podium for the L&H 500 Phillip Island
Credit: Justin Deeley
J-Dub and his co-driver Steve Owen were the strongest pair over the entire weekend but it all ended in tears for the #1 Commodore. A brake lock-up from Whincup late in the race allowed Lowndes, who had legend Mark Skaife on board as his co-driver, to overtake. With Championship leader James Courtney back in the pack, Whincup was on course to make up his points deficit running in second place but vibrations from the front splitter caused the engine oil cooler to fail and he heartbreakingly had to pit, finishing the race in 29th. Courtney and co-driver Warren Luff ended up finishing the race in 12th and the bad day the top two drivers in the Championship had played perfectly into the hands of Mark Winterbottom. The Ford Performance Racing driver pulled off a second place finish in the race with co-driver Luke Youlden and Frosty now trails Courtney by 239 points and is only 60 points behind Whincup.
Although a number of teams dropped off over the course of the race, some were able to overcome massive adversity. The Team BOC duo of Jason Richards and Andy Jones was the best example. A faulty wheel forced an early-unscheduled pitstop and they copped a drive-through penalty when a wheel nut flew off into pitlane. A timely safety car helped the BOC Commodore get back on track and the Richards/Jones combo rounded off the podium. J-Dub has said that pulling off his third straight Championship is now going to be tough but there are still five V8 Supercar events to play out over the rest of the year and anything can happen.
One man who proved you make your own luck at Phillip Island was Castrol Edge Racing’s Greg Murphy. Murph had back surgery to correct a slipped disc only a fortnight before the race and yet he chose to compete in the grueling 500-kay race and with co-driver Tim Blanchard they finished 13th. The Kiwi also used the race as an opportunity to promote a Red Cross hotline encouraging fans to donate to an appeal to help people affected in the recent Christchurch earthquake.
Pic: Murph lending a helping hand. To donate visit redcross.org.nz
While the first enduro for 2010 threw up plenty of surprises, V8 Supercars’ Grand Final, the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, is sure to create plenty more. The 2010 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 takes place from October 7-10 and if you are planning to head to The Mountain, book your tickets via www.ticketek.com.au
