TOWNSVILLE 500: SUNDAY WRAP
Penrite Racing returned to the top end of the field for their Qualifying session today. Dave again made it into the shootout for Race 17 recording P4. Matt was just shy of the top ten in P11 with good one lap speed throughout the session.
The shootout saw all drivers battle a dusty track, Dave dropped a place from his original qualifying position and started the final race of the weekend from P5.
It was a clean start to Race 17 from both drivers with De Pasquale showing strong pace on the opening laps and Dave maintaining position of P5.
De Pasquale had the advantage of fresh tyres throughout the race due to his DNF in yesterday’s race which he used to great effects. Matt dropped to P14 after getting caught up in the crowd at turn 1.
After a stop for fuel and tyres on lap 26 Dave rejoined in P21. Matt followed on lap 27 and rejoined P23.
A safety car emerged on lap lap 36 and Penrite Racing joined the majority of the field in taking the opportunity to make their second stop. We had committed to a two stop strategy for the race and the safety car was perfectly timed for those on a three stop strategy. Unfortunately we did not have the tyre life or race pace to match the majority of the field in the closing laps.
Dave took his final stop on lap 59 however shortly after was involved in contact with Macauley Jones which resulted in a 15 second time penalty for Jones for causing the collision.
Our engineers will need to find a way to convert our qualifying pace to race pace.
Dave brought his Penrite Racing Ford Mustang home in P18 and Matt in P19.
Hear from Dave and Matt:
CONTACT:
Alison Powell | PR, Media, Marketing Coordinator | Penrite Racing
+61 0542 518 061
