Toll HRT resurrect their weekend

 

Toll HRT’s Will Davison has bounced back in the best possible way after yesterday’s DNF winning Race 16 at Queensland Raceway in almost perfect fashion.

 

His team-mate Garth Tander, who also had a DNF yesterday, battled through the scorching race to cross the finish line in 14th place.

 

Improving on his qualifying from yesterday Davison set the fifth fastest time in the 20 minute scramble for pole position earlier today and was set to start the race from the third row on the grid.

 

With the soft tyre still up his sleeve he made a blinding start when the green light fell and leapt from fifth to first over the opening lap. Leading the race Davison put the #22 Toll HRT Commodore in unreachable territory breaking out a commanding lead.

 

Having to pit twice over the 200km race he came in for the first time on lap 22, reverting back to the control tyre for second stint. In again on lap 38 he stopped for fuel and two fresh tyres.

 

For the remaining laps of the race Davison was untouchable, controlling the field in what was a safety car free race, he crossed the finish line an impressive 14 seconds ahead of second placed Craig Lowndes.

 

Davison’s team-mate Garth Tander found qualifying difficult earlier today and had to settle for starting from ninth on the grid.

 

Tander was edged out on the first lap and found himself out in the dirt. Dropping down the order he was left fighting for position for the rest of the race however managed to make up some of his lost positions.

 

Stopping twice for a combination of rubber and fuel he ran out the race under tough, hot conditions. He crossed the finish line in 14th place.

 

Craig Lowndes finished the race behind Davison in second while Russell Ingall was third.

 

Whincup still leads the Championship charge by 183 points over Davison. Tander just holds on to third place by 1 point ahead of Whincup’s team-mate Craig Lowndes.

 

The focus now turns to the next event on the V8 Supercar Championship calendar which is also the first of the endurance events - the Phillip Island 500 - from September 11 – 13.

 

 

“Today was a fantastic result for the Toll Holden Racing Team. Yesterday was just one of those days you get in motorsport when both our Toll Holden Racing Team Commodores stopped. To bounce back like we did today and keep our spirits up was terrific. I went home last night and went to bed and came back refreshed today. The team was so pumped to win, we knew we had an opportunity with the fresh soft tyres."

 

“We improved the car a lot in qualifying over yesterday and it was a pleasure to drive the whole day. It had such comfortable speed on the soft tyres, and when we changed to the hard it was the same thing. We had great speed compared to [Lowndes] and I was monitoring the gap just trying to conserve the tyres for a late Safety Car."

 

“A big pat on the back to the Toll Holden Racing Team and Walkinshaw Racing guys; [a result like this] is a great confidence booster going into two very important races [at Phillip Island and Bathurst]. It’s a big relief, we didn’t put a foot wrong and we’ve kept our championship alive.”

 

 

“The first lap on turn three I ended up on the outside and I thought I had it under control and a lock up cam from nowhere and ran us wide which lost us a lot of track position. I think strategy wise we did pretty well, it seemed to work ok but we lost too much track position at the start. It was a frustrating weekend obviously but it was great for Will Championship wise to get plenty of points. Now we look forward to the next event at Phillip Island, I will be sharing the car with Will and we will be going out there to give the endurance races a good crack.”

 

1. Will Davison, Toll Holden Racing Team

2. Craig Lowndes, Triple Eight

3. Russell Ingall, Paul Morris Motorsport

4. Mark Winterbottom, Ford Performance Racing

5. Paul Dumbrell, Team Autobarn

6. Michael Caruso, Garry Rogers Motorsport

7. Steven Richards, Ford Performance Racing

8. James Courtney, Dick Johnson Racing

9. Jason Bright, Fujitsu Racing

10. Rick Kelly, Kelly Racing

14. Garth Tander, Toll Holden Racing Team

 

1. Mark Winterbottom, Ford Performance Racing; 1:10.5290

2. Jason Bright, Fujitsu Racing; 1:10.5443

3. Jamie Whincup, Triple Eight; 1:10.6263

4. James Courtney, Dick Johnson Racing; 1:10.6583

5. Will Davison, Toll Holden Racing; 1:10.6749

6. Craig Lowndes, Triple Eight; 1:10.7040

7. Fabian Coulthard, Wilson Security Racing; 1:10.7131

8. Russell Ingall, Paul Morris Motorsport; 1:10.7201

9. Garth Tander, Toll Holden Racing Team; 1:10.7442

10. Steven Richards, Ford Performance Racing; 1:10.7902

 

1. Jamie Whincup, Triple Eight, 2007 points

2. Will Davison, Toll Holden Racing Team, 1824 points

3. Garth Tander, Toll Holden Racing Team, 1479 points

4. Craig Lowndes, Triple Eight, 1478 points

5. Steven Johnson, Dick Johnson Racing, 1374 points

6. Mark Winterbottom, Ford Performance Racing, 1332 points

7. Lee Holdsworth, Garry Rogers Motorsport, 1269 points

8. Russell Ingall, Paul Morris Motorsport, 1187 points

9. James Courtney, Dick Johnson Racing, 1154 points

10. Michael Caruso, Garry Rogers Motorsport, 1134 points