2003 V8 Supercar finale - Eastern Creek

[Donny]

Gloves off for V8 title decider
By Ray Kershler - Fox Sports
November 28, 2003

MARCOS AMBROSE was sparring with Jeff Fenech this week but yesterday Greg Murphy was probing for openings in the Ford driver's mental defences.

Ambrose and Murphy are locked in a head-to-head battle this weekend for the 2003 V8 Supercar championship in two final races at Sydney's Eastern Creek track.

Ambrose, who has won five rounds of the championship to Murphy's two, still only leads by a narrow margin going into the last of 13 rounds.

"The pressure has shown on Marcos and his team recently and there have been a few chinks appearing in their armour," Murphy said.

Murphy is alluding to the winning lead, which Ambrose himself said this week had been "squandered" in recent rounds.

But there is also the matter of the departure of chief engineer Campbell Little from Ambrose's Stone Brothers Racing team between the 12th and 13th rounds. The timing, to say the least, is inconvenient.

Murphy's Kmart camp is supremely confident of overhauling Ambrose this weekend and holding off defending champion Mark Skaife to win the title.

Murphy, who was second last year and does not look good in a bridesmaid's dress, certainly has that intangible advantage of momentum going for him.

His Bathurst win was supreme and his form in the previous round at Pukekohe in New Zealand gave him the platform to launch this weekend's challenge.

"It is going to be a great fight," Murphy said yesterday.

"The expectation to win the championship is on Marcos not on us.

"As little as eight weeks ago we weren't even considered a chance of winning the championship.

"So to be in the the position we are is just fantastic and really a great reward for the team who have not given up all year despite all the obstacles which have been placed in our way."

Murphy's team was involved in the ownership dispute with Holden and was denied precious practice time for most of the season.

"We are going to be a little behind the eight ball as we raced the older VX Commodore the last time we were at Eastern Creek in May while Ambrose has the same BA Falcon and all the data from that to back him up.

"That said, Eastern Creek is pretty much like Bathurst - fast and flowing - and everyone will remember how strong our cars were at Bathurst.

"There's no pressure on us to at all to win the championship but obviously it's something I would dearly love to do.

"The pressure is all on Marcos. He's the one who has been leading most of the year and he's the one who's won all the races and he's the one that Ford is relying on to win their first title in five years.

"It's got to be a burden on him.

"They will feel Campbell Little's departure from the team as well.

"You couldn't help but feel the impact if one of your guys leaves on the eve of the championship decider.

"We'll just do as we have for the past two months and that is to just go out, do our best and enjoy ourselves.

"We are going to Eastern Creek with everything to win and absolutely nothing to lose."

[Donny]

Ambrose is right on track
By Paul Gover - Fox Sports
November 29, 2003

THE two men fighting for the heavyweight title of V8 Supercar racing made dramatically different starts to the final round at Eastern Creek yesterday.

Marcos Ambrose was back to his best after a series of setbacks, running fastest in both practice sessions, as Greg Murphy struggled to cut a lap that was only good enough for seventh.

"We're thinking survival at this stage," Murphy admitted after he climbed from his short-of-pace K mart Commodore.

Just two pits away, Ambrose was smiling and – the worst news for Murphy – fast.

"It's exactly what we need to do," said Ambrose, whose Pirtek Falcon was quick from the moment it rolled on to the track and eventually lapped in 1min 32.7999sec.

"It's the first time that we've been quick out of the truck for three or four races. It makes it much easier, because if you don't have that pace, then it's hard to overcome."

Ambrose ended the first day of the grand final meeting with a clear advantage over Mark Skaife, who also has an outside chance of lifting his sixth touring car championship tomorrow afternoon, ahead of Jason Bright, local hero Cameron McConville and Russell Ingall.

The Ford fighter looked happier than he has for months, and the confidence was reflected on the track.

He could even afford to go easy on Garth Tander, despite wiping the nose of his car across the back of the Commodore driver's car in the second practice session.

"I was hustling a bit trying to get to the front. These things happen. No malice on either side," Ambrose said.

He is looking threatening and intends to take an all-or-nothing approach to the championship, even though his points break means he doesn't have to beat Murphy – or Skaife – for the title.

"If we win the race, it takes care of itself. We're still trying to stay out of trouble, but if you qualify up the front, you're more likely to get a clean run," Ambrose said.

Skaife knows he is probably wearing the No. 1 on his Commodore for the last time, at least for the moment, but still wants a top result after a tough year. He spent most of yesterday tuning his car, only using one set of brand-new Dunlop tyres to set his quickest time of 1:33.0213.

"We're concentrating on making it a good racecar," Skaife said. He knows he could cause a massive upset and snatch the title.

"Stranger things have happened. This is a weird game. We're a roughie, but all we can do is our best," Skaife said.

Jason Bright showed a return to his early-season form in the Team Brock Commodore. McConville was the surprise packet at his home track, running fourth quickest in the low-budget Lansvale Commodore.

Bright was happy just to get going, as a pair of flat batteries left him stranded in the garage during the first practice.

"To end up third after losing the first session is pretty pleasing," Bright said.

Max Wilson also showed surprising pace in a Shell Falcon that's been getting quicker in recent races, with Rick Kelly and Simon Wills also cementing their Commodores in the top 10.

But the pecking order yesterday could easily change today in the first all-in, one-lap shootout.

The championship decider will include a 150km race today and then a 250km contest, with pitstops for fuel and tyres, tomorrow afternoon.

[Donny]

Murphy has Ambrose in sight
By Peter Krupka - Fox Sports
November 28, 2003

BEFORE going on to win this year's Bathurst 1000 title, Holden's Greg Murphy said the driver with the greatest passion for the Mt Panorama circuit, not necessarily the best driver, invariably won Australia's most famous car race.

If a similar passion is needed to win the V8 Supercar championship, Murphy is perfectly placed to snatch Australian motorsport's most coveted crown this weekend at Eastern Creek in Sydney.

It is the closest final-round fight for the title since 1999, when five drivers could have won. This year it is a three-way battle between Marcos Ambrose, five-time champion Mark Skaife and Murphy.

In his seventh full season in V8 Supercars, and with three Bathurst 1000 titles to his name, Murphy is determined to become the series champion.

"These days the championship is the complete job," Murphy said. "It means you've got through a bloody hard year on top. Not many years ago if you won Bathurst and not the championship, you were the hero. People forgot about the championship, but things have changed and I would dearly love to win one."

Murphy, 31, has long been one of the highest profile racers in Australasia and winning the championship would ensure his place as one of the greats of the sport.

Only four current drivers - Skaife, Craig Lowndes, Glenn Seton and John Bowe - have been crowned series champion.

Murphy knows it will take a huge dose of luck to unseat Ambrose but, if momentum and confidence count for anything in the weekend's two races, he could easily make up the 24 points needed to overtake the Stone Brothers Racing maestro.

The wheels started to fall off a near perfect campaign for Ambrose at the Sandown 500 in September. After winning five of the first eight rounds, the Tasmanian has not been on the podium since and finished 11th in the last round on Murphy's home turf of Pukekohe Raceway in New Zealand.

Ambrose denied he was feeling the pressure after mid-season wins had many people declaring him a certainty to become Ford's first champion since Seton in 1997.

"There's no pressure my end," Ambrose said. "To be honest I've had such a good year. It's my third year in V8 Supercars and I'm in a position to lead the championship going into the last round. If I lose the championship, it won't be through lack of trying or through pressure, it will be just because it didn't work out."

Ambrose, 27, does not wear his heart on his sleeve like the fiery Murphy.

"For me the buzz is winning races, getting pole positions, being the fastest on track all the time and passing cars," Ambrose said.

"That's what I do it for. Winning the championship would be nice. It will be nice to say at the finish of a season 'job well done'."

[Donny]

Skaife takes pole
November 29, 2003 - Fox Sports

HOLDEN'S Mark Skaife kept his slim hopes of clinching a record sixth touring car title alive by claiming pole position for the V8 Supercars' opening 150km race at Sydney's Eastern Creek Raceway today.

But fellow Holden driver Greg Murphy's title aspirations faded after managing only the 14th quickest time, ensuring he will be stuck in traffic mid-grid at the start of the round that will decide the 2003 V8 Supercar champion.

Skaife clocked 1min32.48sec to claim pole ahead of Holden Racing Team teammate Todd Kelly (1:32.91) and Jason Bright (1:33.05) while series leader, Ford's Marcos Ambrose, was fourth quickest (1:33.07).

In a nightmare result, three-time Bathurst champion Murphy - the form driver leading into the season finale after winning two of the last three rounds - was well off the pace, clocking a sluggish 1:33.95.

Skaife admits he is a "roughie but still a chance" to claim a record sixth crown but will need to win today's opening 39-lap race and tomorrow's 250km event to be any chance of overtaking Ambrose and second-placed Murphy on the season point standings.

The Holden Racing Team owner-driver was fastest in a full 33-strong qualifying shootout in which every driver completed a flying lap around the circuit - with the starting order determined by numbers drawn out of a barrel.

Skaife arrived at the west Sydney track with 1,823 series points (on adjusted standings in which the driver drops his worst round) in third overall behind Ambrose (1,893) and Murphy (1,869) - and there are 192 points on offer for the winner at Eastern Creek.

Skaife admits he "will need luck" to win yet another touring car title but will be buoyed by the fact he had won the last four Eastern Creek rounds before 2003.

At one stage, Ambrose held pole when he came out 14th in the 33-strong qualifying shootout but his time was smashed by Skaife, who led a Holden trifecta onto the front grid.

The opening 150km race starts at 3pm AEDT with a 250km event tomorrow.

[Donny]

Ambrose puts one hand on trophy
November 29, 2003 - Fox Sports

MARCOS AMBROSE has moved a step closer to clinching his maiden touring car championship – and Ford's first since 1997 – by clinching victory in the V8 Supercars season finale's opening 150km race at Sydney's Eastern Creek today.

Ambrose finished almost 16 seconds ahead of Jason Bright while fellow Holden driver Todd Kelly was third.

The Ford driver is now in the box seat for the 2003 title after his nearest rivals for the championship – Holden duo Greg Murphy and Mark Skaife – suffered drive through penalties and finished 24th and eighth respectively.

What looked like a three-horse race for the championship at the final round became one-way traffic for Ambrose after his Holden rivals fell foul of race officials.

Skaife looked to be in the box seat when he qualified in pole position for the opening 39 lap race but was penalised for jumping the start, effectively dropping him from first to 24th in the field by the time he finally re-emerged from his painstaking crawl through pitlane.

As Ambrose hit the front of the 32-strong field, it was Murphy's turn to be black flagged, receiving a drive through penalty for making contact with Glenn Seton from behind on the 18th lap which spun the Ford veteran's Falcon around.

Murphy dropped from the top five to 17th in the field after completing his punishment, all but handing the championship to Ambrose.

Seton was the last Ford driver to win the V8 championship in 1997 – a drought that now looks to have broken at Eastern Creek thanks to Ambrose's heroics.

There is just one race left in the season – a 250km event tomorrow.

[MargOZ]

Drivers fined over race rage
By Michael Lynch
Sydney
December 1, 2003

Marcos Ambrose yesterday wrapped up his first V8 supercar championship amid extraordinary scenes of ill-tempered bickering that threatened to overshadow his win and Ford's first touring car title in six years.

As thunder and lightning crashed over the Eastern Creek circuit and torrential rain turned the track into a skating rink, the war of words between defending champion Mark Skaife and Ambrose's teammate Russell Ingall exploded after a late-race on-track altercation between the pair cost Skaife his chance of finishing championship runner-up.

At a five-hour stewards inquiry last night, both Skaife and Ingall were given suspended sentences, fined heavily and docked championship points. Both drivers were given a three-race ban suspended for one year. Ingall also received a $15,000 fine and a total 220-point penalty, and Skaife was fined $10,000 and had 135 points subtracted. Ingall went from fourth to ninth in the series as a result, Skaife to sixth. Both drivers have appealed and will appear again before officials on Thursday.

Greg Murphy, the Kmart Racing Commodore driver who was the only other driver (with Skaife) with a chance of taking the title, had caused the first sensation of the day by scratching before the start of the decider. He said pinched nerves, received during a pre-race sponsor demonstration, were so painful he could not drive his race car in the 250-kilometre race.

Dramatic as that was, it was merely an appetiser for what was to follow. The first half of the race was straightforward as Ambrose, who only needed to complete half race distance to win the title, skipped off to a lead and stayed out of trouble. Few anticipated the brouhaha that unfolded later.

Skaife, in the Holden Racing Team Commodore, crept up the inside of Ingall, in the Stone Brothers Racing Falcon, when Ingall moved across and blocked him, sending the Holden driver off the track and out of the race. Skaife looked angrier than at any time in his career as he ripped off his helmet and driving gloves and stood on the side of the track awaiting Ingall's return on his next lap. As Ingall approached, Skaife ran to the roadside, shaking his fist at his rival and shouting. Ingall switched course and drove at the HRT boss, veering away at the last second.

Skaife later marched into the SBR pits to remonstrate over Ingall's driving. It was a rarely seen outburst of "race rage" that did little to boost the image of a gladiatorial sport in which, most times, drivers put their safety above all else. Later, Skaife said it was the worst incident he had experienced in a lifetime of racing. "It's unbelievable. I have never seen something so bad in sport. Can you believe it; it's staggering," he said. Asked why he had waited trackside to let Ingall know what he thought of him, Skaife replied: "I wanted to give him a character reference but for him to swerve at me is unbelievable. Congratulations to Marcos Ambrose, he's done a wonderful job all year and deserves to be champion, no problem at all. "But what that guy (Ingall) has done has cost us second. We are all sportsmen out there doing our very best, and he's cost us second in the championship. If that was rugby league he would be out for a year. I would be staggered if something didn't happen (and the stewards didn't take action). It's a joke; people in their lounge rooms don't need to see sport conducted in that way. I don't think we have ever seen anything that bad. He had blocked me for lap after lap after lap. He wasn't even in the contest."

It was an unrepentant Ingall who said he was as much sinned against as sinning. "If he wants to play hardball - he smacked me to get past me and he tried to drill me off the track - then two can play at that, no dramas." Asked if it was wise to steer his car towards Skaife, he replied: "If he wants to be a dickhead, no problems; he kicked it off. There's no way I am going to back off when he tries to drill me off the track. The stewards can look at it any way they want."

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/11/30/1070127270190.html

[MargOZ]

These are the penalties they received: