Winton: IMS Team race summary

Owen Heralds new dawn for IMS with Winton podium.

Seasoned observers were not surprised when talented open-wheel exponent, Steve Owen, made such a huge impression on the field at Winton during Round 4 of the Konica V8 Supercar Series.

Ever since his standout performances in the 1999 Formula Ford Series (8 race wins, 5 round wins, series runner-up) and Bathurst V8 Supercar top ten finish on debut that same year, pundits have predicted a bright future for Owen.

The old story of money and limited opportunities has kept Owen in the shadows since then, but when all other things are equal, Owen demonstrates his talent in emphatic style.

Owen, in the largely unsponsored IMS Commodore VX, was the only competitor to raise a hand to eventual round winner, Paul Dumbrell, stealing fastest lap honours from the new series champion.

"It's a great feeling when everything goes right, not just for me, but for the whole team. Even though the first race was a write-off when we lost fuel pressure after an impact, the next two races showed what we can really do!" beamed Owen, making a clear reference to the hard work and efforts of the tireless IMS crew.

"Success is never a fluke," concluded Owen, "Preparation and attention to detail are the key to results, and I want to thank my team for that."

Having missed the first Konica round, Steve and IMS will now concentrate on a win at Mallala in order to secure a top 6 series finish and their Bathurst pre-qualification.

-ims-