Jim Beam Racing News

26 October 2008

Steve Johnson and Will Davison both scored overall top ten finishes at their home V8 Supercar event on the Gold Coast this afternoon with the Jim Beam Racing duo retaining spots inside the top ten on the Championship points table.

A chaotic day of yellow flags and safety car periods considerably hindered both drivers' results, however both Davison and Johnson battled valiantly to salvage top ten finishes.

The day's opening race was thrown into chaos when a pile up of cars blocked the final turn of the Gold Coast's 4.47km street circuit, costing Davison four race positions and catapulting Johnson from ninth to fifth.

Johnson entered the pits for his compulsory stop in ninth position, and with the final turn blocked and halting drivers further in the field he re-entered the race in fifth place.

With Davison blocked from getting through the final turn, four cars were able to pit and re-enter the race in front of his #18 Jim Beam Falcon; he eventually crossed in tenth place.

The final race of the weekend was a hectic affair as the tight corners and concrete surrounds again had officials waving the yellow flags.
 
Davison pulled off a terrific combination of passing maneuvers on Greg Murphy and Shane Van Gisbergen during the final race to gain back positions he lost due to a safety car period.

"I jumped Lowndes off the line and was happy with the way we were going until a safety car changed things up a bit," said Davison.

"We had planned to stay out longer but were forced to pit during the safety car, and with both Steve and I needing to come in we probably lost four or five seconds and a couple of spots as well, but I had some fun passing some cars out there.

"It was your typical Indy weekend, it's such a tight circuit and we didn't have the ultimate speed but we did a decent job," he said.

Johnson finished seventh in race three, however was certain a number of incidents would be looked at which cost him race positions on a very solid weekend for the Queenslander after terrible luck during qualifying.

Posting his best individual round result and Championship points haul since the opening round of the season in Adelaide, Johnson was certain stewards would review footage of a number of incidents costing him race positions during the final race.

"Overall it is a very solid result, but there were a couple of passing maneuvers put on me in that final race that I didn't think were legal, and I think I may have been passed under a yellow flag if we take a look at the footage," said Johnson.

"To come back and be seventh overall for the round is a terrific effort; we were way back in 19th when racing started this weekend so we were able to salvage a very good performance.

Davison retained fifth spot in the points standings, while Johnson joins him in the top ten in tenth position.

V8 Supercar Round 11 Top Ten, Indy on the Gold Coast:

1.       Jamie Whincup                    300

2.       Garth Tander                       276

3.       Mark Winterbottom              258

4.       Todd Kelly                            218

5.       Russell Ingall                       202

6.       Craig Lowndes                    180

7.       Steve Johnson                  178

8.       Will Davison                        168

9.       Lee Holdsworth                   168

10.    Steve Richards                    154

V8 Supercar Championship Standings:

1.       Jamie Whincup                    2616

2.       Mark Wintrbottom                2541

3.       Garth Tander                       2510

4.       Craig Lowndes                    2103

5.       Will Davison                        2033

6.       Steve Richards                    1988

7.       Rick Kelly                              1940

8.       James Courtney                  1906

9.       Russell Ingall                       1666

10.    Steve Johnson                  1649

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