Clipsal: Rupprecht Motorsport preview

Rupprecht's Adelaide V8 Supercars Ready

Adelaide based Rupprecht Motorsport are ready to do some serious business on their home ground. Following a successful debut at Round One of the Konica Minolta V8 Supercar Series, the team's three Falcon V8 Supercars will soon be making the short journey from their Port Road workshop to the city.

Round Two of the Konica Minolta V8 Supercar Series is happening in Adelaide this weekend, as part of the high profile Clipsal 500 event.

Rupprecht Motorsport is the new team on the block, but Ralf Rupprecht has a wealth of experience and knows how to win in the big time. Ralf has worked with Formula One teams and has run cars in the DTM, Daytona 24 Hour, American Le Mans Series and the Australian V8 Supercars.

The three-car Rupprecht Motorsport team has finished the first Round of the 2004 Konica Minolta V8 Supercar Series on a high note, with a first place and some very good top ten results

Team boss Ralf Rupprecht is looking forward to racing the three cars in front of his home crowd. "The Adelaide Street Circuit has some special memories for me and its only thirty minutes from our workshop". "It doesn't get much better than this".

"We have an opportunity to practice twice on Thursday, followed by two qualifying sessions, and with two races on the programme we will have plenty of track time. It will be a great weekend".

The driver line-up for the Adelaide round is:

Car #90 Phil Scifleet

Phil Scifleet, the 26-year-old from Sydney is in his rookie season and he made a big impression on his first outing. After qualifying his #90 Falcon 15th on the grid, he finished Race 1 in 8th position. Slippery conditions and a shunt from behind put him out of Race 2, but the car was back on the track for race three and he put in a big one; from 22nd position on the grid, he worked his way through the field to finish 5th.

"This kid is quick", said Ralf Rupprecht. "The car is running very well and Phil is looking forward to the Adelaide street circuit, so he'll have a great weekend."

Car #89 Adam Wallis

Adelaide's 'Mister consistency' Adam Wallis in car #89 qualified with a disappointing number 22 spot on the grid in Round One, but still managed a 15th place in the first race. Race two provided at top ten finish in 6th place, and he rounded out the day with 11th place in Race 3. Adam is sitting 7th on the Series point score after Round One.

"I finished the Round in the top ten so I'm happy with that, especially after I was thumped in race 3 and drove most of the race with a bent steering arm."

"Now I am looking forward to the Adelaide Street Circuit. It is a very challenging circuit, but having had a good shakedown at Wakefield Park, the team should perform well. Hopefully I can jump a few more spots in the Series point score."

Car #55 Ross Halliday

Ross Halliday is also flying the flag for South Australia, joining the team for his first outing in 2004, taking over the Round One race-winning AU Falcon from Mal Rose.

2004 sees a return to the Konica Minolta V8 Supercar Series. Ross completed in all rounds of the first three years of the Series and in the process formed his own team, Halliday Motorsport. After 3 rounds in the V8 Brutes last year and being "biffed around" a few too many times, he is back in a V8 Supercar.

"I have always enjoyed racing at this level. When Ralf Rupprecht put together a team with it's roots in my old team, Halliday Motorsport, I wanted to be involved. Ralf and his team have the experience and ability to take the team to a new level".

-www.rupprecht.com.au