Lowndes Takes Pukekohe Pole
Former triple series champion Craig Lowndes has taken pole position for this weekend's V8 Supercar racing at Pukekohe in New Zealand
Lowndes was fifth fastest in qualifying but went fastest in the shootout to edge out reigning series champion Marcos Ambrose by just over six hundredths of a second with a time of 55.7367 seconds, making it an all-Ford front row.
On the second row will be a pair of locals, with Steven Richards exactly one tenth of a second faster than the driver who has dominated racing at Pukekohe in V8 Supercar, Greg Murphy, both in Holdens.
Next should have been Garth Tander, but he along with Greg Ritter and Matthew White will be starting at the rear of the 32-car field after their times were excluded. Instead, Russell Ingall rounds out the top five.
Mark Skaife will start from seventh, two places ahead of Jason Bright as he comes to grips with his Ford, while round one pole setter Rick Kelly starts from 17th position, three places ahead of his brother Todd.
A 100km race will be held later today followed by a pair of 140km races on Sunday.
The PlaceMakers V8 International Qualifying Results, Pukekohe Park Raceway: Pos Driver Car 1. Craig Lowndes Ford Falcon BA 2. Marcos Ambrose Ford Falcon BA 3. Steven Richards Holden Commodore VY 4. Greg Murphy Holden Commodore VZ 5. Russell Ingall Ford Falcon BA 6. Paul Dumbrell Holden Commodore VY 7. Mark Skaife Holden Commodore VZ 8. Jason Richards Holden Commodore VZ 9. Jason Bright Ford Falcon BA 10. Paul Morris Holden Commodore VZ 11. Steve Ellery Ford Falcon BA 12. Cameron McConville Holden Commodore VZ 13. Jamie Whincup Holden Commodore VZ 14. Paul Radisich Holden Commodore VZ 15. Jason Bargwanna Ford Falcon BA 16. Max Wilson Holden Commodore VZ 17. Rick Kelly Holden Commodore VZ 18. John Bowe Ford Falcon BA 19. David Besnard Ford Falcon BA 20. Todd Kelly Holden Commodore VZ 21. Glenn Seton Ford Falcon BA 22. Brad Jones Ford Falcon BA 23. Steven Johnson Ford Falcon BA 24. Paul Weel Holden Commodore VZ 25. Mark Winterbottom Ford Falcon BA 26. Simon Wills Holden Commodore VZ 27. Anthony Tratt Holden Commodore VY 28. Craig Baird Ford Falcon BA 29. Andrew Jones Holden Commodore VZ 30. Greg Ritter Ford Falcon BA 31. Garth Tander Holden Commodore VZ 32. Matthew White Ford Falcon BA
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