Jim Beam Racing News

Friday at Bathurst - Practice and Qualifying...

Jim Beam Racing will start the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 this Sunday from P13 and P14 after qualifying today.

Both cars had strong practice sessions this morning but were not able to emulate that in the afternoon qualifying sessions to determine who would end up in the Top Ten Shoot Out tomorrow.

Johnson, Courtney, Luff and Webb got some track time in this mornings practice sessions which were marred with a number of red flags during parts of the two sessions. At the end of the combined practice sessions, Johnson put #car 17 in the top spot with a fast 2.07.57 which indicated that the team were heading in the right direction before the two qualifying sessions which were to be held later in the day.

Q1 saw Johnson in #17 and Luff in #18 head out on the circuit to post lap times that kept them from being eliminated from the first session. After a mandatory break, Johnson and Luff returned to the track to fight for a place in the Top Ten Shoot Out. but unfortunately, as can be the case in motorsport, something changed and for Johnson/Courtney and Luff/Webb their starting positions in the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 have now been determined.

But whether or not the starting positions in the Great Race will hamper their respective chances is really - yet to be decided. A lot can happen on The Mountain and in sport in general as history has continued to remind us.
   
At the end of the today’s session, Dick Johnson was asked to do a television segment for the Seven Network that looked back at various Bathurst races during his and other legends careers. What it clearly confirmed was the unpredictability of the Race and that when the Green Light is extinguished on Sunday any car can win Bathurst. Sure starting from P13 and P14 may not have been the "expected result" for The Team, but it doesn’t mean that the Race is over - far from it. Over 161 laps or 1000km, increased pit stops for fuel, safety cars and the weather, anything can happen which is something that one particular Australian Olympian was not concerned about during the Winter Olympics Speed skating final when he was the slowest qualifier of the six finalists only to take the Gold Medal when the remaining 5 leaders crashed and burned at the final corner giving Steven Bradbury free passage to take the Gold Medal...Don’t misunderstand the feeling in the JBR Garage - they want to win and they will do whatever is in the power and control to do so, but sometimes before we get to the winners circle we need to deal with a "not as expected" result before the final chequered flag comes down.
Needless to say that The Team has swung into gear as it gets on with the job needed to present the best chances for the Big Race on Sunday.

Tomorrow will start at 10am with a 60 minute practice sessions followed later in the day by the Top Ten Shoot Out which kicks off at 345pm (AEDST).

Meanwhile Grant Denyer in the Crimsafe Ford 777 entry finished a gallant 5th in the first race of the Fujitsu Development Series. After qualifying 7th, Denyer jumped a place after a clean start to settle into a good rhythm for the 14 lap sprint race. Making a move further up the field, Denyer defended his position in a battle with Jay Verdanik to finish Race 1 in 5th.
Race 2 of the Fujitsu Development Series starts at 2.10pm.

 

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