Australian Industrial Suppliers backed driver, David "Sideways" Sieders, sped to victory at day one of the 2011 Auto One V8 Ute Racing Series - protected by Armor All claiming both the Armor All Pole Award and Race 1, Thursday, 17 March at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide.
This is the second Clipsal in a row where the 2010 Rookie of the Year has taken out both Race 1 and the Armor All Pole Award in a dominating performance. "It feels great! We've put a lot of hard work in going in to this year and it looks like it paid off. I'm happy with such a dominant win and hopefully we can go into the reversed grids and come through cleanly with no marks and hopefully finish it off but there is still a lot of racing to be done but we are just aiming to win races.
One race win out of 25 doesn't mean that much in the championship so hopefully we can keep them coming," said Sieders.
On debut with VIP Petfoods Racing and also in a Ford, Queenslander Ryal Harris showed great speed overtaking 2009 Champion Jack Elsegood and veteran Charlie O'Brien in the Auto One Wildcard to claim second in Race 1.
"It makes a difference being in a team and only having to worry about driving the car, which is prepared much better than I'm used to. The Ford does suit my driving style a lot more. I can't really give an input on the difference between the Ford and Holden as mine was so poorly prepared the last few years but it feels great," said Harris.
Elsegood drove well to take O'Brien in an over/under move on lap four into Turn 9. The two battled it out at the final round in 2010 in Sydney, however O'Brien was able to hold the former Rugby League player at bay, which was not the case in this race, with Elsegood claiming third, one place ahead of the Auto One backed Wildcard.
Fresh from a race win in New Zealand, Chris "Gypsy" Pither (Ice Break Racing) used his experience and was the first Holden over the line taking fifth place ahead of debutant Ryan Hansford in sixth.
Hansford who also celebrated his 29th birthday today was ecstatic with his first race result in his Truckline Racing backed Ford. "It's very exciting now that I've finished sixth so far, there is a lot of pressure off my shoulders. The car is really good, we have a few over heating problems so you lose a little power but if we can fix that then I just have to work on my braking and we'll be really good," said the former Fujitsu driver. "They're a lot different - you have to brake them very differently, there is a lot less grip and a lot less power as well. The racing is a lot of fun, it's a great category it's really close and I had a lot of fun out there which is something that didn't happen much last year," said Hansford.
Jesus Racing's Andrew Fisher was back in force claiming seventh overall ahead of Tinkler Motorsport backed Jeremy Gray. The two claimed second and third respectively in the 2010 Ten Years of Legends event and will be gunning for the same result this year. South Aussies; Craig Dontas and Gary Baxter put on a show for their home crowd battling it out in the Thirsty Camel and Sage Automation backed Holden's for ninth and tenth respectively.
There were few incidents in the Race, Rookie, Sean Carter (No Limit Energy Drink) had a coming together with Jason Gomersall at Turn 5 however judicial hearings are still in process to determine the outcome of the incident. After a great qualifying result the VIP Petfoods backed driver, Brad Patton was unlucky to break an axle which resulted in a touch with the wall between turn 6 and 7 ending his race. "I felt something snap in the rear of the car as I went to turn into seven and the car looped straight around and into the wall," said Patton.
Newcomers Jake McNally and Kosi Kalaitzidis had an early introduction to the rules of the Series; their cars were all deemed underweight after Qualifying, dropping them to the back of the grid for Race 1. McNally's brother Rhys was also found with the same issue resulting in the same penalty. Ford dominated the Qualifying session with the top six fastest all representing the blue oval including; David Sieders, Charlie O'Brien, Jack Elsegood, Ryal Harris, Andrew Fisher and Ryan Hansford, Pither the first Holden over the line in 7th ahead of Ford drivers Jeremy Gray in 8th Red Ass Mexican Food backed Ben Dunn and Queenslander Brad Patton who rounded out the top ten.
The V8 Utes will hit the track for the reverse grid Race 2 at 3:05 pm, a ballot draw will take place in the morning to determine how many cars will be reversed.
Race 3 will take place first thing on Saturday morning at 9am and will be televised as live as on Network Seven at 12:30pm (AEST) along with Race 4 kicking off at 1:10pm on Sunday, 20th March and will also be televised as live as that same day from 1pm (AEST).
