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Bathurst 1000: FPR Thursday notes

"AWESOME" FIRST LAP OVER THE MOUNTAIN Experience does not breed complacency at Mount Panorama as both Mark Winterbottom and Steve Richards spoke of their exhilaration to be back lapping Bathurst after Practice this afternoon. Finishing ...

"AWESOME" FIRST LAP OVER THE MOUNTAIN

Experience does not breed complacency at Mount Panorama as both Mark Winterbottom and Steve Richards spoke of their exhilaration to be back lapping Bathurst after Practice this afternoon.

Finishing fourth-fastest in the red-flag disrupted session, the Ford Performance Racing duo is confident of improvements before tomorrow's qualifying.

Driving FPR's sister car, the Orrcon Steel Castrol FPR Falcon, team-mates Luke Youlden and Dean Canto prepared for race day, using only worn practice tyres. They finished 19th overall.

Youlden says he is more comfortable in his seating position after cracking the problem that saw him suffering from pins and needles at Phillip Island.

Both cars are back on track tomorrow at 9:55am for Practice.

Steve Richards
Castrol Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon

"Going for that first lap is a moment I look forward to all year. Every driver out there has their little targets they want to hit in the first couple of laps to get back up to speed. My first lap was a low 1:12, which gives you a lot of comfort for the start of the weekend.

"We usually do get a few red flags on Thursday with people trying new things, which interrupts your continuity. You get better when you're getting three or four or five-lap runs so it's difficult to figure your limit as a driver when there are constant interruptions."

Mark Winterbottom
Castrol Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon

"Each year you come back you get up to pace quicker and quicker with the extra experience. It was an awesome crack out there today; I love doing laps here. There's nothing better than getting a new set of tyres and going for a burn on the mountain!

"I didn't really get the best run out of our greens because of traffic and I only got in about 13 laps with all the red flags, but from what I could feel the car's really good."

Luke Youlden
Orrcon Steel Castrol FPR Falcon

"I had a CT scan in between Phillip Island and now and we've isolated what might be the problem, which is the position of the support of my lower back and pelvis. I've been doing exercises but after today I think it might be something to do with actually being warmed up in the car because the more laps I do the better it gets. Our seat's adjustable now with the lumber support so I'll work on a programme with the team physio."

Dean Canto
Orrcon Steel Castrol FPR Falcon

"We didn't even run our best practice tyres today and I think we were at the same pace as Frosty when he had similar tyres on. I'm just looking forward to getting a fresh set of rubber on the car and seeing what it can do tomorrow."

-credit: fpr

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