David Besnard race notes

David Besnard gives Bob Jane T-Marts 1000 his best shot.

CALTEX Havoline driver David Besnard has fallen short of his goal to win this year's Bob Jane T-Marts 1000 at Bathurst's Mt Panorama in another car.

Besnard was a late replacement in Glenn Seton's Ford Credit Falcon after his own car was destroyed in Friday practice when co-driver Wayne Gardner suffered apparent brake failure at the end of Mountain Straight.

Seton's co-driver Owen Kelly fell ill overnight on Friday with a viral infection and Besnard was slotted into the car before Saturday's noon deadline.

Seton, who was having his 19th start at Mt Panorama, did the first stint of the race before handing over Besnard on lap 28.

The fall of a safety car period just two laps later was detrimental to the team's chances and 15 laps later Besnard was set to go a lap down when another safety car saved the team's chances.

Besnard came in for a top-up of fuel and rejoined the race, actually leading before handing back over to Seton on lap 79.

A piece of paper across a brake duct was causing some overheating problems when the another fortunate safety car period came after the 43 car of Geoff Full was helped into the wall by John Cleland just before the dipper.

Seton came in to remove the paper and a small oil leak was noticed after he left the pits. The fluid was from a damaged gearbox cooler and eventually ended the team's day on lap 102.

"We gave it out best shot," said Besnard. "We were not super quick, but we were consistent and managed to stay on the lead lap. "I think with the fuel strategy we had, we could have given the top three a real shake, maybe the win. "I have to thank Glenn Seton and Ford Credit Racing for the opportunity. I can tell you I enjoyed the day a lot more than if I have of been in the grandstand."

The Stone Brothers Racing team is now setting out to build a new Caltex Havoline Ford before the next round of the championship at the Honda Indy 300 on the Gold Coast on October 24-27.

-sbr-