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norton 360 sandown challenge 10 fast facts
Point of Interest: First opened in 1962, Sandown hosted the Australian
Grand Prix six times in 1964, 1968, 1972, 1973, 1976 and 1978. In 1964 it hosted
an international Six Hour touring car race which would eventually become the
Sandown 500-kilometre endurance event. The last time the 500km format was used
was in 2007.
2008 Crowd: 40 015 over three days
1. On the back of his first win of the year in Townsville, Jim Beam Racing’s
James Courtney has added reason to celebrate at Sandown as he notches his 50th
V8 Supercar Championship Series start and becomes the third driver this year
(after Will Davison and Lee Holdsworth) to hit the half century. Courtney’s win
at Townsville was his second career race win in the V8SCS after winning race one
at Queensland Raceway last year. However it was the first time he stood on the
middle step of the podium given he had never won a round under the old results
system. It was the 73rd race victory for Dick Johnson Racing in the ATCC/V8SCS,
firmly establishing it second on the all-time race winning teams list behind the
Holden Racing Team on 155. Courtney now sits 17th in the Championship heading to
Sandown, where he made his V8 Supercar debut in 2005 for the Holden Racing Team
alongside Jim Richards.
2. Sandown officially becomes the most ‘historic’ venue in the ATCC/V8SCS this
year, hosting its 40th Championship event and taking the mantle of ‘most events
hosted’ from Oran Park in Sydney. The Melbourne venue has hosted a range of race
formats over the years in the Championship, with the ATCC held at Sandown over a
single race in 1965 and won by Norm Beechey’s Ford Mustang. The 3.1 kilometre
circuit has hosted the ATCC/V8SCS every year since 1970 only missing in 1975,
1990 and 1993. In 1976/1977 and from 2003 to 2007, the Sandown 400/500 endurance
race in September was a Championship round. Last year there were three
120-kilometre races held with Jamie Whincup winning two of them to claim the
overall victory.
3. Ford hold the upper hand at Sandown, their various Falcon models completely
out-classing Holden at the circuit which is essentially a ‘home’ race given both
manufacturers are based in Melbourne. Ford has won the last seven races held
over the past five years, including four straight Sandown 500s from 2004 to 2007
and TeamVodafone winning all three races last year. Holden’s most recent victory
came in 2003 when Mark Skaife and Todd Kelly guided their HRT Commodore to
victory in the 500-kilometre race, but the numbers are heavily on the side of
Ford – they have won 13 of the 16 races held since 2000 at Sandown across a
range of different race formats.
4. The Dunlop Sprint tyre returns to the V8 Supercar Championship Series at
Sandown after being absent from the last event in Townsville. There have been
six races (at Winton, Symmons Plains and Hidden Valley) where it has been used
so far in 2009 and only Craig Lowndes has been able to win both races on a
weekend at Winton. His TeamVodafone team-mate Jamie Whincup has also won two
Sprint tyre races with the others being single wins claimed by Toll HRT’s Garth
Tander and GRM’s Michael Caruso.
5. Sprint Gas Racing’s Greg Murphy celebrates his 150th ATCC/V8 SCS start at
Sandown, a venue where the Kiwi has generally struggled in recent seasons.
Murphy’s milestone sits him 11th on the all-time starter’s list after debuting
in the Championship in 1997 and is the most starts made by a New Zealander in
series history behind Steve Richards. Murphy’s former team-mate was born in NZ
but has lived in Australia since he was a child and starts his 161st event at
Sandown, tying in the process with his former boss Larry Perkins for eighth on
the all-time list. Murphy took pole position for the Sandown round in 1997 for
the Holden Racing Team and finished on the podium in the V8 Ultimate format of
2002 and third in the 500-kilometre format with Rick Kelly in 2003. A
Championship race win at the circuit has so far eluded him over his 12-year
career. The Kiwi won the Sandown 500 with Craig Lowndes back-to-back in 1996 and
1997, however those races were not part of the ATCC/V8SCS. Last year at Sandown
he finished 22nd, 26th and 11th in the three races to be classified 21st overall
for the weekend.
6. Toll Holden Racing Team’s Garth Tander is still trying to break through for a
race victory at Sandown as well as finally finishing on the podium as he heads
to the circuit for his 11th ATCC/V8SCS appearance at the circuit. A two-time
pole-sitter in 2005 and 2006, Tander hasn’t finished in the top three in a
Championship race at Sandown since taking third place in race three of 1999’s
sprint round. He’s finished fourth overall an amazing four times (1999, 2004,
2005, 2007) and is keen to bounce back from a 2008 Sandown assault that proved
to be tough for the factory squad. Tander qualified 12th last year and finished
5th, 9th and 12th in the three races to be 7th overall for the weekend.
7. Triple F Racing’s Dean Fiore is the only driver in the field to have never
driven a V8 Supercar at Sandown given that both Mark McNally and Tim Slade both
lined up in the Fujitsu Series round held at the circuit last year. Fiore comes
from a very strong weekend in Townsville, where the Western Australian kept his
nose clean once again and finished 17th and 16th in the two races. The results
meant that he scored enough points to be 11th-best over the race meeting – a
great achievement considering his lack of V8 Supercar experience.
8. The fight for the V8 Supercar Teams Championship is heating up as the season
approaches the halfway mark. The Toll Holden Racing Team made up ground on
TeamVodafone in Townsville on the back of three podium finishes for their
drivers across the two races, cutting the margin to just 72 points. Garry Rogers
Motorsport have kicked clear in third place after Lee Holdsworth’s maiden Armor
All Pole Position in Townsville and continued good drives from Michael Caruso,
while James Courtney’s Race 12 win helped solidify Jim Beam Racing in fourth.
The best single car team in the Championship continues to be Jason Bright’s
Fujitsu Racing clear of the Rod Nash Racing’s Bottle-O entry driven by Tony
D’Alberto.
9. Supercheap Auto Racing’s Tim Slade will turn 24 on Monday August 3, the day
after the Norton 360 Sandown Challenge. The former Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series
round winner has been on the improve in the second of the team’s VE Commodores,
finishing 13th in race 12 at the Dunlop Townsville 400 – his best finish since
joining the team at the beginning of the season. Slade, who finished runner-up
in the Australian Formula Ford Championship to current A1 Team Australia driver
John Martin in 2006, ran in the top 10 in Townsville and has continued to show
strong signs of improvement as the Championship progresses. Last year at Sandown
he competed in the Fujitsu Series and endured a tough weekend after the high in
the first round following his win at Wakefield Park. He finished 11th, 20th and
14th in the three races to finish the round 15th overall.
10. The fight for the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series resumes at Sandown with round
four of the seven-round Championship. Jonathon Webb, who finished third in last
year’s series, leads the Championship by 20 points over David Russell, however a
round victory in Townsville has catapulted James Moffat back up to third place
in the point score. Moffat and his Sonic team-mate Rodney Jane (who made his
Fujitsu Series debut in Townsville) have particular pedigree at Sandown, given
their respective fathers Allan and Bob won every Sandown ATCC round from 1971 to
1974 between them. Dick Johnson Racing’s Grant Denyer sits fourth in the
Championship clear of former Jack Daniel’s Racing V8SCS driver Shane Price.
Ironically, Price drives the ex-HRT Commodore that was used by Mark Skaife and
Todd Kelly to win the 2003 Sandown 500 – the last Holden victory in the V8SCS at
Sandown.
Qualifying Lap Record: Jamie Whincup, Ford Falcon BF, 1m09.6987s, 2008
Current Lap Record: Marcos Ambrose, Ford Falcon BA, 1m10.8251s, 2004
Previous Sandown ATCC/V8SCS Race Winners
1965 Norm Beechey Neptune Racing Team Ford Mustang
1970 Norm Beechey Shell Racing Team Holden Monaro GTS 350
1971 Bob Jane Bob Jane Racing Chevrolet Camaro
1972 Allan Moffat Allan Moffat Racing Ford TransAm Mustang
1973 Allan Moffat Allan Moffat Racing Ford Falcon GTHO
1974 Allan Moffat Allan Moffat Racing Ford Falcon XB GT
1976 Colin Bond Holden Dealer Team Holden Torana L34
1976 Peter Brock Team Brock Holden Torana L34 (400 km)
1977 Allan Moffat Moffat Ford Dealers Ford Falcon XB GT
1977 Peter Brock Bill Patterson Racing Holden Torana A9X (400 km)
1978 Ian Geoghegan Bob Jane Racing Holden Torana A9X
1979 Bob Morris Ron Hodgson Channel 7 Racing Holden Torana A9X
1980 Peter Brock Holden Dealer Team Holden Commodore VB
Kevin Bartlett Nine Network Sports Chevrolet Camaro
1981 Dick Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon XD
Dick Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon XD
1982 Dick Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon XD
Dick Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon XD
1983 Allan Grice STP-Roadways Racing Holden Commodore VH
1984 Peter Brock Holden Dealer Team Holden Commodore VH
1985 Peter Brock Holden Dealer Team Holden Commodore VK
1986 George Fury Gibson Motorsport Nissan Skyline Turbo
1987 Glenn Seton Gibson Motorsport Nissan Skyline Turbo
1988 Dick Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Sierra RS500
1989 Dick Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Sierra RS500
1991 Jim Richards Gibson Motorsport Nissan GTR
1992 John Bowe Dick Johnson Racing Ford Sierra RS500
John Bowe Dick Johnson Racing Ford Sierra RS500
1994 Mark Skaife Gibson Motorsport Holden Commodore VP
Mark Skaife Gibson Motorsport Holden Commodore VP
1995 Larry Perkins Castrol Perkins Racing Holden Commodore VR
John Bowe Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon EF
1996 Craig Lowndes Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VR
John Bowe Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon EF
Glenn Seton Glenn Seton Racing Ford Falcon EF
1997 Glenn Seton Glenn Seton Racing Ford Falcon EL
Glenn Seton Glenn Seton Racing Ford Falcon EL
Glenn Seton Glenn Seton Racing Ford Falcon EL
1998 John Bowe Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon EL
Craig Lowndes Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VS
Craig Lowndes Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VS
1999 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VT
Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VT
Craig Lowndes Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VT
2000 Paul Radisich Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon AU
Steve Ellery Steve Ellery Racing Ford Falcon AU
Paul Radisich Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon AU
2001 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VX
Todd Kelly Kmart Racing Holden Commodore VX
Craig Lowndes Gibson Motorsport Ford Falcon AU
2002 Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon AU
Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon AU
2003 Mark Skaife/ Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VY (500km)
Todd Kelly
2004 Marcos Ambrose/ Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon BA (500km)
Greg Ritter
2005 Craig Lowndes/ Team Betta Electrical Ford Falcon BA (500km)
Yvan Muller
2006 Jason Bright/ Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon BA (500km)
Mark Winterbottom
2007 Craig Lowndes/ TeamVodafone Ford Falcon BF (500km)
Jamie Whincup
2008 Jamie Whincup TeamVodafone Ford Falcon BF
Craig Lowndes TeamVodafone Ford Falcon BF
Jamie Whincup TeamVodafone Ford Falcon BF
Race Wins By Driver
8 – Craig Lowndes
6 – Dick Johnson, Mark Skaife
5 – Peter Brock, Glenn Seton, John Bowe
4 – Allan Moffat
3 – Marcos Ambrose, Jamie Whincup
2 – Norm Beechey, Paul Radisich, Todd Kelly
1 – Bob Jane, Colin Bond, Ian Geoghegan, Bob Morris, Kevin Bartlett, Allan
Grice, George Fury, Jim Richards, Larry Perkins, Steve Ellery, Greg Ritter, Yvan
Muller, Jason Bright, Mark Winterbottom
Previous Sandown ATCC/V8SCS Pole Sitters
1965 Bob Jane Bob Jane Racing Ford Mustang
1970 Norm Beechey Shell Racing Team Holden Monaro GTS 350
1971 Bob Jane Bob Jane Racing Chevrolet Camaro
1972 Allan Moffat Allan Moffat Racing Ford TransAm Mustang
1973 Allan Moffat Allan Moffat Racing Ford Falcon XY GTHO
1974 Allan Moffat Allan Moffat Racing Ford Falcon XB GT
1976 Colin Bond Holden Dealer Team Holden Torana L34
1976 Colin Bond Holden Dealer Team Holden Torana L34 (400 km)
1977 Allan Moffat Moffat Ford Dealers Ford Falcon XB GT
1977 Allan Grice Craven Mild Racing Holden Torana A9X (400 km)
1978 Peter Brock Holden Dealer Team Holden Torana A9X
1979 Peter Brock Holden Dealer Team Holden Torana A9X
1980 Peter Brock Holden Dealer Team Holden Commodore VB
1981 Peter Brock Holden Dealer Team Holden Commodore VC
1982 Dick Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon XD
1983 Peter Brock Holden Dealer Team Holden Commodore VH
1984 Peter Brock Holden Dealer Team Holden Commodore VH
1985 Peter Brock Holden Dealer Team Holden Commodore VK
1986 George Fury Gibson Motorsport Nissan Skyline Turbo
1987 George Fury Gibson Motorsport Nissan Skyline Turbo
1988 Andrew Miedecke Miedecke Motorsport Ford Sierra RS500
1989 Dick Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Sierra RS500
1991 Jim Richards Gibson Motorsport Nissan GTR
1992 John Bowe Dick Johnson Racing Ford Sierra RS500
1994 Tomas Mezera Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VP
1995 John Bowe Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon EF
1996 John Bowe Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon EF
1997 Greg Murphy Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VS
1998 John Bowe Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon EL
1999 Craig Lowndes Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VT
2000 Craig Lowndes Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VT
2001 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VX
2002 Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon AU
2003 Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon BA (500km)
2004 Rick Kelly Kmart Racing Holden Commodore VY (500 km)
2005 Garth Tander HSV Dealer Team Holden Commodore VZ (500 km)
2006 Garth Tander Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VZ (500 km)
2007 Mark Winterbottom Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon BF (500 km)
2008 Jamie Whincup TeamVodafone Ford Falcon BF
Poles by Driver
7 – Peter Brock
4 – Allan Moffat, John Bowe
2 – Bob Jane, Colin Bond, Dick Johnson, George Fury, Craig Lowndes, Marcos
Ambrose, Garth Tander
1 – Norm Beechey, Allan Grice, Andrew Miedecke, Jim Richards, Tomas Mezera, Greg
Murphy, Mark Skaife, Rick Kelly, Mark Winterbottom, Jamie Whincup
2009 V8 Supercar Championship Series
Drivers Championship after Race 12 of 26
1. Jamie Whincup (TeamVodafone), 1560 pts
2. Will Davison (Toll Holden Racing Team), 1386 pts
3. Garth Tander (Toll Holden Racing Team), 1212 pts
4. Craig Lowndes (TeamVodafone), 1110 pts
5. Steven Johnson (Jim Beam Racing), 1050 pts
6. Lee Holdsworth (Garry Rogers Motorsport), 993 pts
7. Mark Winterbottom (Ford Performance Racing), 957 pts
8. Rick Kelly (Jack Daniel’s Racing), 903 pts
9. Russell Ingall (Supercheap Auto Racing), 830 pts
10. Michael Caruso (Garry Rogers Motorsport), 828 pts
Teams Championship after Race 12 of 26
1. TeamVodafone, 2670 pts
2. Toll Holden Racing Team, 2598 pts
3. Garry Rogers Motorsport, 1821 pts
4. Jim Beam Racing, 1758 pts
5. Ford Performance Racing, 1668 pts
6. Brad Jones Racing, 1563 pts
7. Jack Daniel’s Racing, 1476 pts
8. Stone Brothers Racing, 1464 pts
9. Walkinshaw Performance, 1380 pts
10. Wilson Security Racing, 1350 pts
2009 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series
Championship Points after Round 3 of 7
1. Jonathon Webb (MW Motorsport), 774 pts
2. David Russell (Howard Racing), 754 pts
3. James Moffat (Sonic Motor Racing), 689 pts
4. Grant Denyer (Dick Johnson Racing), 642 pts
5. Shane Price (JAY Motorsport), 561 pts
6. Taz Douglas (Fastaz Motorsport), 546 pts
7. Daniel Gaunt (McElrea Racing), 526 pts
8. Sam Walter (Greg Murphy Racing), 489 pts
9. Brad Lowe (MW Motorsport), 438 pts
10. Geoff Emery (TAG Motorsport), 409 pts
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