Photo: jamiewhincup.com.au

TeamVodafone dominates premiere qualifying

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It will be an all TeamVodafone front row of the first V8SC race of 2009 at the Clipsal 500. Jamie Whincup was festest around the Adelaide street circuit with the time 1:21.8123 ahead of his team mate Craig Lowndes. But the Ford Falcon-driver was not eager to take out anything in advance.
“The longer the race, the less pole means,” he said.

Team mate Lowndes was two tenths behind and quite pleased with his grid position.

“It’s nice to have the top 10 (Shootout) back in the mix and to get one lap right is really difficult. My lap wasn’t that brilliant; but we managed to muscle around and get it back,” said Lowndes.

Lowndes was originally destined to start fourth, but was moved up thanks to the two disqualifications of Mark Winterbottom and Lee Holdsworth.

Garth Tander was the best Holden-driver in third but made an mistake during his qualifying lap.

“The lap itself was ok; I actually had an issue with the hairpin and locked rears and that locked the side front and that cost me a couple of 10ths,” said Tander.

Fourth was James Courtney, Ford Falcon, fifth Fabian Coulthard, Ford Falcon and sixth Paul Dumbrell, Holden Commodore.