Hidden Valley: FPR Saturday notes

FROSTY BURNS OFF THE HEAT

Mark Winterbottom leapt up the V8 Supercar Championship Series order today after another podium for the Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon at Hidden Valley Raceway.

Frosty now lies seventh in the championship after rocketing off sixth on the grid to finish second at the Darwin race track.

Steve Richards meanwhile had a nightmare day as the Castrol FPR Falcon experienced massive under-steer in qualifying to place him 22nd.

In the race Richo and the FPR strategists banked on a safety car period to keep him in touch with the leaders but, unusually for V8 Supercar racing, one did not arrive.

Qualifying for tomorrow's race ten starts at 11am.

Mark Winterbottom
Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon

"It was a good result to move up four spots from the grid. I had a cracker start and got some cars there. The soft tyre really grips hard off the start line. Your wheel spin is reduced and she grips in quite hard; it chucked my head back in the seat! It's always good when you're jumping rows off the grid. After that it was about holding position.

"It's good to get a podium and move in the right direction in the championship as well. I'm pretty happy with the day, but just a little disappointed by some of the driving from the other guys. Dale Wood in particular was battling for 25th at best and smashed me straight off the road so it's frustrating; it's really just stupidity."

Steve Richards
Castrol FPR Falcon

"It's unbelievably disappointing. The car was handling very badly in qualifying so we had to try something. Unfortunately we went in a different direction to Frosty and it was pretty much far and away the worst way to go. It will be very easy to decide what to do tomorrow.

"There's no magical fix when the car's not handling well; you've just got to try something!"

-credit: fpr