Konica series - SBR Bathurst race notes

Stone Brothers Racing's Mark Winterbottom continued his outstanding form on debut at Bathurst's Mt Panorama in a V8 Supercar when he won the 25-lap Konica support race today. Winterbottom, who started from pole, was involved in a fantastic ...

Stone Brothers Racing's Mark Winterbottom continued his outstanding form on debut at Bathurst's Mt Panorama in a V8 Supercar when he won the 25-lap Konica support race today.

Winterbottom, who started from pole, was involved in a fantastic three-way battle with Warren Luff and Matthew White which saw all three Ford drivers leading at some stage.

Winterbottom led the race off the line in his Milligans Food Group Falcon which carries sponsorship from Caltex Havoline and Bosch, but lost the lead with a minor mistake at the end of Mountain Straight on the opening lap.

He was in the right place to pounce when race leader White locked a brake at the chase just over a lap from home in the 25-lap contest.

"I got a pretty good start, so that was pretty unusual for me," said Winterbottom.

"I went in a little too deep at the end of Mountain Straight and slipped back to fourth.

"The couple of yellow flag periods affected the way my car was handling.

"As it turned out luck was on my side and I was in the right place at the right time and managed to grab lead when Matthew (White) slipped up at Caltex Chase.

"This was a good hit out before tomorrow's main race which I am really looking forward to."

Winterbottom's qualifying lap of 2:08.9237 in his two year-old AU Falcon yesterday was considered one of the most outstanding laps by a rookie V8 Supercar driver at Bathurst.

The lap was actually faster than time he clocked in his new BA Falcon and would have placed him 14th on the grid for tomorrow's "Great Race".