News

Track: Sandown International Raceway  
Race:  Wilson Security Sandown 500
Date:  18th September 2016
               
No. 66 MightyMite Special Ford - Fabian Coulthard / Luke Youlden
Race:                     P 6
Started:                 P11
 
No. 17 Shell Helix Ford - Scott Pye / Tony D’Alberto
Race:                     P15
Started:                  P21
 
Race Recap: The Sandown 500 continued the tradition of unpredictable weather and race results today. The DJR Team Penske Ford of Coulthard / Youlden was the best placed car with a hard fought sixth place finish. The MightyMite Special started eleventh with Youlden at the wheel and he ran a double stint to hand over to Coulthard on Lap 55. A bold call to put Fabian on slicks on a wet track paid off as the track dried and put the No 66 Ford back into contention. Moving from eighth to a final position of sixth was a solid result for the team.

The Shell Helix Ford of Pye and D'Alberto faced a tougher race. Starting in twenty-first, D'Alberto was in the pits early to try and get some clear track running, but rain by Lap 35 meant an extra stop for the famous No 17. Scott Pye, like his team-mate Coulthard, was also sent out onslicks, but had to conserve fuel over the last portion of the race to ensure he did not have to visit the pits again. He finally crossed the line in fifteenth place.
 
Fabian Coulthard Quote: "We started eleventh and moved forward in the race. At the end of the day if the car and conditions are not perfect, you have to come away with something so sixth is the best we could do today."

"It got pretty wild in the MightyMite Ford with slicks on a wet track, and therewas only Scott and one other car on that strategy.  At the time it felt like 'why are we slipping and sliding around out here' but the boys did a great job and moved us right back up the field. The worst part was around Turns 2, 3 and 4. It was like and ice rink! But as the track dried it came back to us."

"Luke did a good job at the start and never dropped us out of the Top 10 during his double stint. We learnt a lot today to work on for Bathurst."
 
Scott Pye Quote:  "The conditions really caught us out a bit today. The boys called Tony in early to get him into clear air, but then when the rain came we effectively added another stop."

"I jumped in the Shell Helix Ford and the team opted for slicks on the car but the track was still marginal. So we pressed on in what was effectively a fuel run to avoid a late stop. I had to drive to a fuel target and although we had position over the guys behind us, we could not race to try and catch anyone up the road."
 
Co-Drivers Quotes
 
Luke Youlden Quote: "I was very conscious not to make any mistakes at the start and hand it back to Fabian in a good position. The conditions were going come into play, but I actually did not expect the rain to come. The car was quick in the rain and as fast as anyone out there."

"I was comfortable in the car for the double stint and made sure we passed a few, particularly in the early laps to get track position. I think sixth was a pretty fair result for the MightyMite Special today."
 
Tony D'Alberto Quote: "It was definitely not a very straight forward day. The guys made a good call to get me into clear air at the start as I was boxed up behind a few guys from the start. Unfortunately it did back fire on us as the rain came meaning an extra stop."

"Scott did a fantastic job to conserve fuel towards the end and made it home in fifteenth. There is so much potential in this Shell Helix Ford and itis without doubt the best Supercar I have ever driven."