Van Gisbergen takes QR test honours

Stone Brothers Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen set the pace at the V8 Supercar Championship Series official pre-season test at Queensland Raceway today.

The 20-year-old SP Tools Racing driver, the youngest in the 2010 field, posted the day’s fastest lap in the afternoon session. Jim Beam Racing’s James Courtney made it a Ford one-two ahead of Supercheap Auto Racing’s Russell Ingall.

But while Van Gisbergen was the man to beat today, he suggests it means little when he gets to the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series season-opener at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit on February 18-20.

“This afternoon we got the car really good on a better set of tyres,” said Van Gisbergen.

THE FINAL RACE OF THE 2023 REPCO SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP ON ONE OF THE WORLD’S BEST STREET CIRCUITS.
GO ALL IN AT THE VAILO ADELAIDE 500, CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

“We were mid-pack and we put on the new set of tyres, like most other people did, and we were straight to the top.

“But you don’t get any trophies for a test day. We’re just hanging out for Abu Dhabi and getting ready for that.”

While it was ‘no trophy’ glory for van Gisbergen, there were some familiar faces in unfamiliar positions.

TeamVodafone, debuting its new Holden Commodore VEs, finished the day in 10^th and 11^th place. Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup will head back to Queensland Raceway this Friday for more testing before all the Queensland teams pack up their gear and head to the Middle East on Monday.

Pos.        Car       Team                       Driver            Make                                                     Best Time (session)

1.          #9        SP Tools Racing            Shane Van Gisbergen            Ford Falcon FG                       1:10.7414R (PM)

2.          #18       Jim Beam Racing            James Courtney            Ford Falcon FG                           1:10.7610r (PM)

3.          #39       Supercheap Auto Racing     Russell Ingall            Holden Commodore VE               1:10.8832 (PM)

4.          #19       Dick Johnson Racing        Jonathon Webb            Ford Falcon FG                            1:11.0523 (PM)

5.          #12       Bing Lee/Panasonic         Dean Fiore            Ford Falcon FG                                   1:11.1574 (PM)

6.          #17       Jim Beam Racing            Steven Johnson            Ford Falcon FG                             1:11.1655 (PM)

7.          #4        IRWIN Racing               Alex Davison            Ford Falcon FG                                   1:11.1818 (PM)

8.          #51       Castrol Edge Racing        Murphy/Morris            Holden Commodore VE              1:11.4519 (PM)

9.          #47       Wilson Security Racing     Tim Slade            Ford Falcon FG                                   1:11.5614 (PM)

10.         #888      Team Vodafone              Craig Lowndes            Holden Commodore VE               1:11.6367 (PM)

11.         #1        Team Vodafone              Jamie Whincup            Holden Commodore VE                  1:11.6725 (AM)

12.         #66*      Phil Foster Racing         Phil Foster            Holden Commodore VZ                       1:13.2197 (AM)

13.         #112*     Triple F Racing            Todd Fiore            Holden Commodore VE                         1:13.4590 (PM)

*denotes Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series entry