V8SDS: Mark McNally Queensland Sunday notes

MCNALLY'S QUEENSLAND ENDS IN THE PITS

Mark McNally ended Round 4 of the 2007 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series in the pits after a premature end to Race 3 with damage his cooling system due to an on-track clash.

After a solid run in Race 2 Mark started from grid 18 for the third and final race and was progressing in the early, safety car affected, part of the race.

After catching and passing Ashley Cooper the pair then came together, ultimately causing the end of the race for both.

"I had settled down into the race and was starting to catch and pass the guys in front," Mark said.

"After a bit of rubbing in the straight as I passed Cooper into turn four I was hit in the back door as I turned in and then Sam Walter hit me in the front after I spun around.

The clash punctured Mark's radiator and after two laps the crew were alerted to rapidly increasing temperature through the pit lane telemetry and promptly called Mark in.

"It is a really disappointing way to end the weekend," Mark said.

"I thought that I made a clean move for position and to then get hit out of the race is frustrating.

The damage ended a frustrating weekend for the team.

"We learned a tough lesson this weekend," Mark said.

"We went down a certain path with the set-up and found that it didn't suit my driving style.

"With the limited practice on race weekend, and just two sessions before qualifying it took the whole weekend to get it back to a point where it was working for me.

"We will continue to a different philosophy from now on in the way we set up the car.

"I am sure we can turn around our form for Oran Park."

Race 2 on Sunday was a step in the right direction for Mark as he moved from 28th starting position to 18th in what was a solid drive in the 16 lap event.

Mark put Saturday's dramas behind and worked hard to put in a solid drive, slowly picking off ten competitors throughout the race.

"That was a lot better than yesterday," Mark said.

"We are now heading in the right direction, we have made some changes to the car, and I have a drama-free race under by belt," he said after Race 2.

Mark McNally's day turned from bad to worse on Saturday when he was turned around and sustained rear end damage during the opening race.

The day did not begin well for Mark as he struggled with pace in qualifying and, as a result, started the race from 24th position.

Not to be perturbed by starting down the order McNally was quick to weave his way through the field to be in 17th place mid-way through the 16 lap event.

It was then that he was hit from behind, turning his Commodore around before another competitor ploughed into the rear quarter.

Mark was able to rejoin the race after falling to the rear of the field and finished in 29th position.

"It was one of those days really," Mark said.

"We struggled in qualifying and then were making some inroads before I was hit which pretty much ended any hope of a good finishing position."

The team worked on the car into the evening and had it repaired for Sunday's second race.

"Tomorrow is a new day and we will make some changes from the information we learned today," Mark said at the time.

"I will push as hard as I can and see what we can salvage from the meeting; there is still plenty of opportunity."

Mark's next round will be at Sydney's Oran Park Raceway on 17-19 August.

-credit: www.markmcnally.com.au