Ross Gets His Podium

An unexpected knock back for Nick Ross and the Concept Motorsport team was turned around when the Cambridge driver made the podium at Teretonga Park Raceway in race three and finished eighth overall for the weekend.

It was the final race of the weekend and once more Nick Ross was chasing Paul Manuell for the win as he had done prior to Christmas at Ruapuna only this time he made it to the chequered flag without incident and claimed his first podium of the 2009-10 season.

"Yep we were pretty happy with that last race, it was me and Manuell again but I didn't have quite enough pace to catch him this time, I think I was catching him slowly but just didn't have enough laps to do it in time - I started seventh but fell back to about 10th at the start and had to claw my way back up to second" said Ross.

At Ruapuna the two Holden drivers were involved in a similar skirmish but shortly before the finish a third driver knocked Ross off the circuit in wet and slippery conditions which had already claimed a high number of DNFs.

The second place at Teretonga resurrected the round for the Cambridge driver who started the weekend as the fastest Holden in qualification but was then relegated to the rear of the grid for race one.

Ross first qualified the Total Lubricants Commodore into the top 10 shootout and then to top that became the quickest Holden claiming eighth place in the one lap test.

Unfortunately an engine change in the car prior to arriving at the Invercargill circuit caused Ross to be relegated to the rear of the grid for the start of race one.

Starting from the rear of the grid Ross was able to make his way up to 16th in the first race and then move up one more place in race two to finish in 15th.

The reverse order of the weekend's final race put Ross into seventh for the start and although he lost a few places at the green light was able to move up to second place before the cars ahead were able to hold him back.

"Well I knew if I didn't get Henderson quickly I would have trouble so I managed to get past him fairly early on, then it was a matter of catching Haydn (McKenzie) - we had been trading positions all day and I did manage to get past him without rubbing paint and then I was just off after Manuell." he said.

A solid result at the opening round at Pukekohe was followed by a tough one at Ruapuna which hurt the team in the standings.

However with eighth place overall gained at Teretonga and better results forecast by Ross for this weekend's round at Timaru, he and the team expect to move closer to their goal of winding up their season inside the top 10.

"We are 16th in the championship at the moment which is not where we want to be but at least we are moving in the right direction and not backwards - for Timaru we plan on more of the same but better and no engine change this time so we won't get pushed to the back." he says.

"At Teretonga we were the quickest Holden in qualifying and second Holden to Manuell in the overall points for the weekend." said Ross.

At Teretonga Paul Manuell tested a new format of engine which is made up of both Holden and Ford parts and may be instated as compulsory in the regulations for next season.

At Timaru International Motor Raceway last season Ross qualified in the top 10 and took sixth place in the final race of that weekend his best result at that point of the championship.

This season the new car is showing some great speed superior to the car used last year.

If Ross can again get into the top 10 shootout he will start the races from a strong position and can be expected to better last year's success.

This weekend round four is at Timaru International Motor Raceway on the 23-24th January and next the teams head to the North Island for round five at Manfeild Autocourse on February 13-14.

Practice sessions, qualifying and the exciting top 10 shootout take place this Saturday 23rd with all three races held on Sunday 24th.

Television coverage of Saturday's shootout and the three races will be shown on TV3 Sunday the 24th and is hosted by Shaun Summerfield, Mark Pederson and Greg Murphy.

The final round of the BNTV8s Championship 2009-10 is March 20-21 held at Taupo Motorsport Park but it is followed by a non-championship event within the ITM 400 at Hamilton providing action-filled support racing for the third round of the Australian V8 Supercars on April 16-18.