Calder Park - Notes on race 1, 2 & 3

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Race One -

Red light out and 31 cars off the start line - Jason Richards (021) is pushed off the grid.

Lap one and Skaife 3 car lengths in front of Steven Johnson and Paul Morris.

End of lap oine and Skaife increasing his lead over the Johnson whilst Todd Kelly into pit lane.

End of lap two and John Bowe is trailing the field and heading into pit lane. Paul Romano also well behind the field.

Lap 3 – still Skaife, RAT, Paul Morris Ambrose Ingall Bright

Lap 4 – Skaife – Stop/Go penalty for punting Johnson in turn 1 – Skaife definitely not happy

Lap 5 – Skaife into pit lane – leader now Johnson from Morris Ambrose Ingall Bright Rat D]Besnard Tander McCOnville and Perkins. Skaife describes the stop/go penalty as ‘an absolute joke’

Lap 7 and Johnson now stretching the lead from Paul Morris – Paul Morris describing the work required to drive at Calder as harder than most other circuits.

Lap 8 – 10 car lengths Johnson – Morris and 8 car lengths Morris – Ambrose

Lap 9 and Paul Romano reports Skaife passed him on the back straight like he (Romano) was going backwards.

Lap 10 and order Johnson, Morris, Ambrose Ingall Bright Radisich Besnard Tander McConville and Ellery

Skaife and HRT have discussed and decided to go for points NOT for position

Lap 15 and Dean Canto becomes third retirement of the race.

Lap 17 and positions still the same – down to 7th – Ellery now up to 8th.

Lap 19 and order now Johnson, Morris, Ambrose, Ingall, Bright, Radisich, Besnard Ellery Tander and Richard – Skaife back in 27th position finally taking 25th on the final lap.

Skaife – states the first corner, compared to any other race first corner was a ‘walk in the park’ – described Johnson as simply taking the corner wide.

Steven Johnson wins Race 1 at Calder

Conclusion of race and Jeff Grech marches to race control – obviously this isn’t the end of this particular stop/go penalty. Skaife out of car and surrounded by TV and minders – he is definitely not happy about the call.

After race disqualification – Dean Canto has been disqualified for allegedly having loose nuts on one of his wheels.

Race Two –

Thirty Cars on the grid for Race two – Jason Richards, John Bowe and Dean Canto – all DNF’s from Race One - at the rear not faR BEHIND Todd Kelly and Mark Skaife in an unusual grid position 25.

Cars have completed their warm up lap and all have come round to take their positions.

Five seconds and engines revving – red light – go Johnson bogs down and Morris takes the lead but Ingall; manages to close up on the run to turn one – Morris however, manages to retain the lead and at the end of lap one it is Morris from Ingall Bright and Ambrose. All cars manage to complete lap onw although Matthew White is smoking very badly from left rear tyre and body damage. Dugal McDougal trails the field.

Lap 2 and Bargwanna is reporting loss of control in corners and suspects a flat rear tyre. Todd Kelly and Matthew White both pit at the end of lap 2. Bargwanna also pits for new tyre.

Lap 5 and order is still Morris, Ingall, Bright, Ambrose, Radisich, Johnson, Richards, Tander, Murphy, Besnard, Ellery and McConville. Skaife is up to 17th.

Brad Jones reporting something broken’ and limps into the pits at the start of leaders lap 8 with smoke coming from front left suspension.

Lap 8 and while Morris still leads, Ingall is managing to close right up to Morris’ bumper through turn 1. Jones retires with broken suspension.

Lap 10 and Skaife attempting to pass Lowndes down the main straight and manages to accomplish this – also passing Larkham up Mount Jane.

Officials investigating report of cards passing Tander on Lap 11 under yellow flags.

Lap 13 – black flag displayed at start line to car ??

Lap 14 and Skaife now up to 14th position..

Lap 17 and first 5 cars all spaced 1-2 car lengths apart in a train – passing Matthew White on the start finish line.

Lap 18 and Ingall pulls to outside to try and pass Morris – not successful.

Lap 21 and chequered flag goes to Paul Morris in the Big Kev Racer Commodore. Following Morris Are Ingall Bright Radisich Ambrose Johnson Richards Tander Ellery and McConville. Next, and 11th, is Skaife, Perkins Larkham Lowndes Besnard Forbes Bowe Weel Longhurst Tratt Jason Richards Canto Seton (after an earlier spin dropped him) Mezera McDougal and Romano. Lapped were Bargwanna and White.

Race Three –

31 cars start Race 3 of Round Seven at Calder Park…Morris gets the jump and stays ahead of Ingall.

Second last corner and mayhem – it had to happen some time – 3 cars stop at side of circuit, four other showing obviously battle damage…pit stops to come next time around.

Safety Car called at end of lap 2…

Positions at end of lap 2 – Morris, Radisich, Ingall, Johnson, Bright, Ellery, Murphy, Tander, Ambrose, Richards and Skaife in 11th.

In pits are McDougal, Kelly – Kelly goes back out – McDougal retires in pit lane. Cars missing are Tratt and McLean.

Canto reporting broken suspension however is able to continue.

So far three laps under safety car – end of lap four and safety car light still ont – track workers still removing cars from around the bridge just at the pit lane exit.

27 cars still remain in the race and about to head into another safety car lap – 4 laps so far.

Lights are out on the safety car during lap 6…end lap 6 and they are racing again…Forbes still smoking from right rear across the start line.

Lap 8 and Skaife up to 10th place.. Morris still ahead of Radisich and Ingall and manging to stay ahead comfortably,

Lap 10 and Skaife passing Ambrose on the main straight – manages to get ahead by turn 1 – by lap 11 he has started to close on Tander.

Lap 12 and a train of cars behind Morris making it appear that if he makes a mistake they will all be passed him and off into the distance.

Cars are now reporting oil through turn 1.

Lap 14 and Radisich is less than a car length behind Morris at the start/finish line but still can’t get past him by turn 1 – 9 cars are virtually nose to tail on the entry onto turn 1. Radisich’s crew are talking him through taking it easy – he will eventually wear him down they are saying.

Lap 15 and Skaife finally gets a run past Tander on the main straight…Skaife now up to 8th – interestingly Skaife didn’t pass Tander until AFTER the start/finish time line yet the timing system has already reported Skaife in front…

The first 12 cars are now a long, long freight train behind Morris and Radisich STILL can’t get past Morris..try as he might to force him to make a mistake Morris stays in front…

Lap 18 and finally some change – Skaife spins by himself dropping to 19th in the recovery…two laps remain

Last time by the start/finish and Radisich pulls to the left to try and get past Morris – again he fails to do so – for the second race in a row, Morris manages to win fro Radisich, Ingall, Johnson, Bright, Ellery, Tander, Murphy, Ambrose, Richards and McConville.

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