JAMIE Whincup called it a “miracle’’, Mark Winterbottom called it a “disaster’’ – and the man who climbed back into championship contention with the year’s best driver simply thanked his team for going without sleep to fix a wreck and save his title dream.
Holden hero Craig Lowndes kept the title fight alive on Sunday by coming from 11th to second after his team did an “all nighter” to fix a car race winner Whincup described as “the worst wreck I have ever scene’’.
Red Bull Racing Australia (RBRA) saved Lowndes’ championship dream by pulling off a minor miracle to fix the Holden legend’s Commodore after a 200kph crash on Saturday.
The Tripe Eight Race Engineer crew saved the car in a sixteen hour scramble that saw them go without sleep and seek help from a local smash repair business near the Pukekohe Park Raceway.
“The second place is all about the team,’’ Lowndes said.
“They literally had an 1 hour an half to go home, have a shower and get back to the track after fixing the car. My No. 1 fell asleep in the show and they had to get him up. It is just an incredible team effort.
“The boys showed there passion and their skill.’’
Lowndes is back in a heavyweight title fight with Ford’s Winterbottom after the series leader was turned on lap 3 as the champion jitters continued.
Winterbottom (Pro Drive Racing Australia) climbed his way back to 11th place to minimise the damage.
“That was bad to be going backwards and facing the wrong way,’’ Winterbottom said.
“We had pretty good pace and just pushed on when we got back facing the right way. We consolidated what could’ve been a disaster. The car was good; probably the best it’s been all weekend and we didn’t get to use it.
“It was a good result, and whether it’s Dave or Craig, we are maintaining the gap. We need to qualify well at Phillip Island and take that momentum into Homebush. If we didn’t have the issue at the start we would’ve been OK.”
Lowndes refused to talk up his chances of winning his first title since 1999 — but said Winterbottom may be suffering without injured teammate Chaz Mostert.
“We have managed to come out of this one with good points,’’ Lowndes said.
“Saturday was a disaster but we can move forward now after a good result today.
“And Maybe they are hurting a bit.
“They don’t have Chaz in the car to push him along and work on development. It is interesting but for us we know what we have to do and that is just stay in front of him.’’
Race winner Whincup revealed the full extent of the damaged the No. 888 car suffered on Saturday.
“Craig and the team did an extraordinary job to score that podium today,’’ Whincup said.
“That is the most bent car a reckon I have ever seen. It was stuffed. It was the worst car I have scene and it was a miracle that they even got out there let alone pushed it all the way to second.
“The guys busted themselves to make it happen. They literally left the track at 6am, went back had a shower and than came back. None of them slept. To do that pit stop they did today with zero sleep is just phenomenal.’’
AUCKLAND 500
Race 3 (69 laps — 201km)
1. Jamie Whincup (Holden) 1hr 18min 57.1974sec
2. Craig Lowndes (Holden) 1:19:01.2612
3. Scott Pye (Ford) 1:19:08.0037
4. David Reynolds (Ford) 1:19:09.8986
5. Michael Caruso (Nissan) 1:19:10.3177
6. Scott McLaughlin (Volvo) 1:19:14.2806
7. Fabian Coulthard (Holden) 1:19:19.5355
8. Lee Holdsworth (Holden) 1:19:24.5599
9. Shane Van Gisbergen (Holden) 1:19:32.1645
10. Garth Tander (Holden) 1:19:36.9236
11. Mark Winterbottom (Ford) 1:19:37.5855
CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
1. Mark Winterbottom (Ford) 2779
2. David Reynolds (Ford) 2540
3. Craig Lowndes (Holden) 2539
4. Garth Tander (Holden) 2297
5. Shane Van Gisbergen (Holden) 2269
6. Fabian Coulthard (Holden) 2252
7. Jamie Whincup (Holden) 2086
8. Chaz Mostert (Ford) 2017
9. James Courtney (Holden) 1790
10. Scott McLaughlin (Volvo)
Source- http://www.foxsports.com.au/motor-sport/v8-supercars-craig-lowndes-credits-crew-for-reigniting-title-hopes-at-auckland-500/story-e6frf3z3-1227600818882
Holden hero Craig Lowndes kept the title fight alive on Sunday by coming from 11th to second after his team did an “all nighter” to fix a car race winner Whincup described as “the worst wreck I have ever scene’’.
Red Bull Racing Australia (RBRA) saved Lowndes’ championship dream by pulling off a minor miracle to fix the Holden legend’s Commodore after a 200kph crash on Saturday.
The Tripe Eight Race Engineer crew saved the car in a sixteen hour scramble that saw them go without sleep and seek help from a local smash repair business near the Pukekohe Park Raceway.
“The second place is all about the team,’’ Lowndes said.
“They literally had an 1 hour an half to go home, have a shower and get back to the track after fixing the car. My No. 1 fell asleep in the show and they had to get him up. It is just an incredible team effort.
“The boys showed there passion and their skill.’’
Lowndes is back in a heavyweight title fight with Ford’s Winterbottom after the series leader was turned on lap 3 as the champion jitters continued.
Winterbottom (Pro Drive Racing Australia) climbed his way back to 11th place to minimise the damage.
“That was bad to be going backwards and facing the wrong way,’’ Winterbottom said.
“We had pretty good pace and just pushed on when we got back facing the right way. We consolidated what could’ve been a disaster. The car was good; probably the best it’s been all weekend and we didn’t get to use it.
“It was a good result, and whether it’s Dave or Craig, we are maintaining the gap. We need to qualify well at Phillip Island and take that momentum into Homebush. If we didn’t have the issue at the start we would’ve been OK.”
Lowndes refused to talk up his chances of winning his first title since 1999 — but said Winterbottom may be suffering without injured teammate Chaz Mostert.
“We have managed to come out of this one with good points,’’ Lowndes said.
“Saturday was a disaster but we can move forward now after a good result today.
“And Maybe they are hurting a bit.
“They don’t have Chaz in the car to push him along and work on development. It is interesting but for us we know what we have to do and that is just stay in front of him.’’
Race winner Whincup revealed the full extent of the damaged the No. 888 car suffered on Saturday.
“Craig and the team did an extraordinary job to score that podium today,’’ Whincup said.
“That is the most bent car a reckon I have ever seen. It was stuffed. It was the worst car I have scene and it was a miracle that they even got out there let alone pushed it all the way to second.
“The guys busted themselves to make it happen. They literally left the track at 6am, went back had a shower and than came back. None of them slept. To do that pit stop they did today with zero sleep is just phenomenal.’’
AUCKLAND 500
Race 3 (69 laps — 201km)
1. Jamie Whincup (Holden) 1hr 18min 57.1974sec
2. Craig Lowndes (Holden) 1:19:01.2612
3. Scott Pye (Ford) 1:19:08.0037
4. David Reynolds (Ford) 1:19:09.8986
5. Michael Caruso (Nissan) 1:19:10.3177
6. Scott McLaughlin (Volvo) 1:19:14.2806
7. Fabian Coulthard (Holden) 1:19:19.5355
8. Lee Holdsworth (Holden) 1:19:24.5599
9. Shane Van Gisbergen (Holden) 1:19:32.1645
10. Garth Tander (Holden) 1:19:36.9236
11. Mark Winterbottom (Ford) 1:19:37.5855
CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
1. Mark Winterbottom (Ford) 2779
2. David Reynolds (Ford) 2540
3. Craig Lowndes (Holden) 2539
4. Garth Tander (Holden) 2297
5. Shane Van Gisbergen (Holden) 2269
6. Fabian Coulthard (Holden) 2252
7. Jamie Whincup (Holden) 2086
8. Chaz Mostert (Ford) 2017
9. James Courtney (Holden) 1790
10. Scott McLaughlin (Volvo)
Source- http://www.foxsports.com.au/motor-sport/v8-supercars-craig-lowndes-credits-crew-for-reigniting-title-hopes-at-auckland-500/story-e6frf3z3-1227600818882
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