Winterbottom to focus on the title

Ford Performance Racing drivers Mark Winterbottom and Steve Richards will return to the racetrack this weekend to contest the Coffee Club V8 Supercar Challenge, round 11 of the V8 Supercar Championship Series, as a part of the Nikon Indy 300 on the Gold Coast Street circuit.

After finishing fourth with Richards in the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 two weeks ago, Winterbottom has now turned his focus towards the big prize – the V8 Supercar Championship.

“The aim was to come out of Bathurst with some good points and still be in the hunt for the championship, which I certainly am,” said Winterbottom.

“With four rounds remaining there is a total of 1200 points up for grabs and I’m only 33 off the lead so anything can happen from here on in.

“The tracks we are going to over these final few rounds have traditionally suited our cars but it is going to be a tough fight this weekend at Indy where survival is the key.

“Everyone loves having a surfboard trophy in their trophy cabinet and I’d really like to add a winners board to my collection – they’re pretty cool trophies.”

With four rounds remaining in the 14-round schedule the 27-year-old is currently a mere 33 points adrift of the championship leader Jamie Whincup.

Along with both drivers being well placed in the Driver’s Championship, Winterbottom second and Richards sixth, the Orrcon-backed Ford Performance Racing outfit is leading the way in the Team’s Championship.

In last year’s Event on the 4.47km Surfers Paradise street circuit Winterbottom posted the fastest time during qualifying before a technical issue forced him to start race one from the back of the grid. He proved that he had superior speed by charging his way through the field to finish fifth in the final race.

This year the Orrcon driver has got his eyes firmly fixed on the unique Indy Surfboard that is traditionally presented to the winner.

Like his team-mate, Richards also showed some impressive speed in the corresponding round last year when he came back from a DNF in the opening race to claim the victory in the final encounter and secure fifth overall for the round.

“Both Frosty and I showed last year that our cars are fast around the Surfers Paradise track and if we can just keep out of trouble I think we should be in for a good weekend,” said Richards.

“I think the characteristics of the track seem to suit our cars and we should also benefit from the continual improvements the team has made over the past 12 months.

“The main aim at Indy is to qualify well because that way you are less likely to get caught up in the mess in the middle of the pack as it is a pretty hard track to pass around.”

Both drivers are confident that the speed shown in last year’s event coupled with the continual improvements to the Orrcon-backed FPR Falcons over the past 12 months will put them in a good position to battle for the win this weekend.

A pair of practice sessions and the three-segment qualifying will be held on Friday followed by the opening 27-lap race on Saturday afternoon. The round will be highlighted by a further two races on Sunday.