Here We Go It's Clipsal 500 Time Again

A new year and the introduction of another a new points system. Gone are the double points from some races, including the 500, to a more uniform 192 points per round. To try and stop the championship being decided too early in the season each driver has to drop one round’s points score. In Adelaide the round is split into two 250K races each worth 96 points for a win. The difference in point for each placing is less this year, putting more emphasis on consistent placing’s throughout the season. Another tactic designed to prevent a driver amassing a runaway points lead.

Following an encouraging start in the exhibition races supporting the F1 race at Melbourne Ford’s new BA model Falcon made its championship debut. What a début it was with Marcus Ambrose bringing the Pirtek Ford home to score the new model’s maiden championship race win.

The most impressive feature of the win was the pit work and strategy by the Stone Brother s racing team. In the past they have at times been very ordinary in their pit work and with their strategy calls, not in Saturdays 250K opening leg of the 500. At first Ambrose could not quite match the pace of the two leading Holden Commodores but the team turned it all around with the compulsory stop for tyres. They got the timing right so that Ambrose passed the leaders during this pit stop phase. Not only did they have a very quick pit stop they made some changes to the car at the same time. The team refused to answer the question of what they did but it worked. Ambrose had the speed on the second set of tyres to make full use of his track position to maintain his lead over a hard charging Mark Skaife.

One subtle change to the interpretations for 2003 is the pit lane speed limit. There is now a zero tolerance policy. The posted speed limit is the actual limit. The cars are now supposed to be under the limit, not just near it. Any over the limit readings on the radar gun are immediately punished with drive through penalty. Kmart’s Greg Murphy who after rolling at the start copped two more drive through penalties for speeding in pit lane.

Sunday’s second leg belonged to Holden’s Mark Skaife. Ambrose made a poor start as he often does and Skaife took the lead from second spot on the grid. Ambrose could never get clear run in second place to try and chase him down towards the end of the race. The Pirtek Ford driver couldn’t get passed the Castrol Perkins Commodore of Steven Richards. Frustration saw him trying too hard and he damaged the car on the kerbs, eventually crashing out near the end of the race.

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