Konica: Bathurst practice, qualifying summary

Series winner Jones continues his fine form in V8 Supercar Challenge

Team BOC driver and 2004 Konica Minolta V8 Supercar Series champion Andrew Jones will start the 25-lap Konica Minolta V8 Supercar Challenge on pole position tomorrow after he broke the existing qualifying record with a lap time of 2.08.8866 and continued to make his mark as one of the most talented up-and-coming drivers.

Jones won the series at the sixth and final round of the championship at Mallala Motorsport Park in August on a count back of round wins throughout the year after he finished tied on points with Luke Youlden.

The Team BOC Falcon campaigned by Jones, broke the existing practice record of 2.08.9237 held by 2003 Champion Mark Winterbottom and finished 0.61 of a second ahead of Mallala round winner Greg Ritter in the number 60 Decina Bathrooms entry and seasoned performer Matthew White in third.

Team BOC and Brad Jones Racing Team Manager Kim Jones accepted the fastest qualifying award in the post-qualifying media conference on behalf of his son Andrew, who was scheduled to drive in the Bathurst 1000 qualifying session immediately after the Konica Minolta session finished.

"This is for Andrew and the entire team who have worked extremely hard all year," Kim Jones said.

"We had a few issues with the Team BOC Falcon in the session and the guys dived under the car straight away to rectify the problem and got the car straight back out on the track.

"The Konica Minolta Series has been great all year. All you have to do is look at is the depth of the drivers who have competed in it over the past few years to see how much it has developed."

Ritter, who won the final round in his debut drive in the series, will start tomorrow's race beside Jones on the front row of the grid and will clock up some valuable kilometres in the lead up to his campaign in the number 1 Stone Brothers Racing Falcon on Sunday.

"The Konica Minolta car was a bit of a handful today," Ritter said. "The team found an issue with the front roll bar halfway through the qualifying session and so we are hoping it will be a lot more user-friendly by the time the race comes around tomorrow.

"Driving in the 25 lap race has definitely worked out well this weekend with the few things that happened in the Bathurst 1000 practice sessions yesterday.

"I have only driven five laps so far in Marcos' car and have already done 30 with the Konica Minolta car."

David Brabham who is replacing Konica Minolta regular Owen Kelly, finished the day with the fourth fastest lap time with Alan Gurr rounding out the top five.

"Fifth place is a pretty good result but obviously there are four positions above of that which would have been nicer," Gurr said.

"It is not completely unfamiliar territory for me because it is the same car that I drove in the Bathurst race last year, so we are confident going into the race tomorrow."

All top five drivers of today's qualifying session will occupy co-driving positions in the Bathurst 1000 race on Sunday. Jones will co-drive with John Cleland in the second OzEmail Ford Falcon, Ritter with 2003 V8 Supercar Champion Marcos Ambrose, White with Marcus Marshall in the second PWR Racing Commodore, Brabham with Owen Kelly in the number 18 Shell Helix Racing Falcon and Gurr partnering Paul Morris.

The non-championship Konica Minolta V8 Supercar Challenge will start at 1.15pm tomorrow afternoon in what will be an exciting finale for the series.

<pre> Qualifying Top Ten 1. #19 Andrew Jones Team BOC 2:08.8866 2. #60 Greg Ritter Speed FX Racing 2:09.4965 3. #28 Matthew White Gulf Western/Jayco Caravans 2:09.6628 4. #71 David Brabham Team Fujitsu 2:09.6635 5. #72 Alan Gurr Smiths Trucks 2:10.5575 6. #41 Gary MacDonald Kanga Loaders 2:12.4067 7. #81 Jose Fernandez Team Fujitsu 2:12.5793 8. #83 Tony D'Alberto Howard Racing/Weathered Howe 2:12.7705 9. #300 Tony Evangelou Dexion Racing 2:12.7901 10. #56 Kevin Mundy Actron Air/PCR 2:13.0927

Practice Two Top Ten 1. #60 Greg Ritter Speed FX Racing 2.11.1906 2. #19 Andrew Jones Team BOC 2.11.2881 3. #71 David Brabham Team Fujistu 2.11.3381 4. #28 Matthew White Gulf Western Oil/Jayco 2.11.3802 5. #56 Kevin Mundy Actron Air/PCR 2.12.9766 6. #46 Alan Gurr Smiths Trucks 2.13.3718 7. #40 Wayne Wakefield Centuries Batteries/Greenfield Mowers 2.13.5461 8. #66 Gary MacDonald Kanga Loaders Racing 2.13.8836 9. #300 Tony Evangelou Dexion Racing 2.13.9452 10. #81 Jose Fernandez Team Fujitsu 2.14.2005

Practice One Top Ten 1. #71 David Brabham Team Fujitsu 2.13.1722 2. #60 Greg Ritter Speed FX Racing 2.13.6195 3. #19 Andrew Jones Team BOC 2.13.6673 4. #40 Wayne Wakefield Century Batteries/Greenfield Mowers 2.15.9453 5. #56 Kevin Mundy PCR/Actron Air 2.16.2601 6. #28 Matthew White Gulf Western Oil/Jayco 2.16.9415 7. #300 Tony Evangelou Dexion Racing 2.17.0370 8. #83 Tony D'Alberto Howard Racing 2.17.5517 9. #81 Jose Fernandez Team Fujitsu 2.17.6312 10. #65 Marcus Zukanovic Actron Air/PCR 2.17.7727

-avesco-