Lowndes takes first victory of 2011
Date published : 20 Aug 2011 - 06:39:31
Craig Lowndes finally claimed his first V8 Supercar race win of 2011 in the opening leg of today's two-part Queensland Raceway round.The Triple Eight Holden driver led throughout the 22-lap race, while Tim Slade (James Rosenberg/Stone Brothers Ford) maintained the form that saw him qualify on the front row for the first time to keep Lowndes in sight throughout, eventually finishing a second adrift in the runner-up spot.Jamie Whincup lost a little ground at the start before coming back through to third place in the second Triple Eight car.Rick Kelly was a solitary fourth in the Kelly Racing Holden, with Steve Owen (Paul Morris Holden) and Greg Murphy (Kelly Holden) completing the top six. Lee Holdsworth's Garry Rogers Holden held third initially before sliding back to seventh as the race progressed.The race one finishing order sets the starting grid for race two, which takes place after a short break.Results - 22 laps:Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap 1. Craig Lowndes Triple 8 Holden 26m21.5763s 2. Tim Slade Rosenberg/SBR Ford + 0.9750s 3. Jamie Whincup Triple 8 Holden + 6.8391s 4. Rick Kelly Kelly Holden + 17.2891s 5. Steve Owen Paul Morris Holden + 21.9048s 6. Greg Murphy Kelly Holden + 24.2636s 7. Lee Holdsworth Garry Rogers Holden + 26.4306s 8. Steven Johnson Dick Johnson Ford + 26.4578s 9. Karl Reindler Britek Holden + 27.8654s10. James Moffat Dick Johnson Ford + 28.7323s11. Shane van Gisbergen Stone Brothers Ford + 30.4685s12. Alex Davison Stone Brothers Ford + 31.1384s13. Mark Winterbottom FPR Ford + 31.9460s14. Paul Dumbrell Rod Nash/FPR Ford + 31.9733s15. Will Davison FPR Ford + 33.0710s16. Russell Ingall Paul Morris Holden + 33.5420s17. Todd Kelly Kelly Holden + 34.3728s18. David Reynolds Kelly Holden + 35.1877s19. Michael Caruso Garry Rogers Holden + 36.9100s20. James Courtney HRT Holden + 38.0838s21. Jason Bright Brad Jones Holden + 38.3177s22. Jason Bargwanna Brad Jones Holden + 38.4910s23. Dean Fiore Triple F Ford + 38.8787s24. Fabian Coulthard Walkinshaw Holden + 40.1094s25. Tony D'Alberto D'Alberto Ford + 42.7937s26. Jonathon Webb Tekno Ford + 49.3210s27. Warren Luff Dumbrell Holden + 58.7018s28. Garth Tander HRT Holden + 1m23.5067s
