Steve Johnson and Will Davison both scored
overall top ten finishes at their home V8 Supercar event on the
Gold Coast this afternoon with the Jim Beam Racing duo retaining
spots inside the top ten on the Championship points table.
A chaotic day of yellow flags and safety car periods considerably
hindered both drivers' results, however both Davison and Johnson
battled valiantly to salvage top ten finishes.
The day's opening race was thrown into chaos when a pile up of
cars blocked the final turn of the Gold Coast's 4.47km street circuit,
costing Davison four race positions and catapulting Johnson from
ninth to fifth.
Johnson entered the pits for his compulsory stop in ninth position,
and with the final turn blocked and halting drivers further in the
field he re-entered the race in fifth place.
With Davison blocked from getting through the final turn, four
cars were able to pit and re-enter the race in front of his #18
Jim Beam Falcon; he eventually crossed in tenth place.
The final race of the weekend was a hectic affair as the tight
corners and concrete surrounds again had officials waving the yellow
flags.
Davison pulled off a terrific combination of passing maneuvers on
Greg Murphy and Shane Van Gisbergen during the final race to gain
back positions he lost due to a safety car period.
"I jumped Lowndes off the line and was happy with the way
we were going until a safety car changed things up a bit,"
said Davison.
"We had planned to stay out longer but were forced to pit
during the safety car, and with both Steve and I needing to come
in we probably lost four or five seconds and a couple of spots as
well, but I had some fun passing some cars out there.
"It was your typical Indy weekend, it's such a tight circuit
and we didn't have the ultimate speed but we did a decent job,"
he said.
Johnson finished seventh in race three, however was certain a number
of incidents would be looked at which cost him race positions on
a very solid weekend for the Queenslander after terrible luck during
qualifying.
Posting his best individual round result and Championship points
haul since the opening round of the season in Adelaide, Johnson
was certain stewards would review footage of a number of incidents
costing him race positions during the final race.
"Overall it is a very solid result, but there were a couple
of passing maneuvers put on me in that final race that I didn't
think were legal, and I think I may have been passed under a yellow
flag if we take a look at the footage," said Johnson.
"To come back and be seventh overall for the round is a terrific
effort; we were way back in 19th when racing started this weekend
so we were able to salvage a very good performance.
Davison retained fifth spot in the points standings, while Johnson
joins him in the top ten in tenth position.
V8 Supercar Round 11 Top Ten, Indy on the Gold Coast:
1. Jamie Whincup 300
2. Garth Tander 276
3. Mark Winterbottom 258
4. Todd Kelly 218
5. Russell Ingall 202
6. Craig Lowndes 180
7. Steve Johnson 178
8. Will Davison 168
9. Lee Holdsworth 168
10. Steve Richards 154
V8 Supercar Championship Standings:
1. Jamie Whincup 2616
2. Mark Wintrbottom 2541
3. Garth Tander 2510
4. Craig Lowndes 2103
5. Will Davison 2033
6. Steve Richards 1988
7. Rick Kelly 1940
8. James Courtney 1906
9. Russell Ingall 1666
10. Steve Johnson 1649
Garry Nash , Media Communications, Jim Beam Racing
|