Again troubled by the cold conditions, The Bottle - O Commodore struggled in the 20 minute qualifying session, ending up in 27th position.
'We made a few changes to the car over night, I think it improved the car, but I just wasnt able to climb up the grid, it was abit strange as I managed to go 4 tenths faster than Saturday!'
Tony didn't let these dramas hold him back in the race,
'I got in the car knowing we didn't have the best car out there, but I knew we had a consistant car which certainly helps in a 200km race.'
Making two positions off the line Tony settled in for the 84 laps.
'We saved our set of soft tyres for this race, and started the race with them on. We had more pace which is the advantage to these tyres'.
Working his way up to the field in no time, Tony manouvered his way past Mcconville and Marshall. Pitting not long after this on lap 21, the soft tyres came off, and fresh set of control tyres went on.
Back out on the track Tony was all over the back of Steven Johnson.
Pitting again on lap 47, the soft tyres were again put back on the car.
'The soft tyres came back to life and I was harrassing guys ahead for position, we got past a couple and had some clean air before I closed in on Dumbrell'.
After passing Dumbrell, a safety car was soon deployed as James Courtney had beached it in the sand at turn one.
Lap 62 saw the lights go out on the safety car as Tony steadily pushed forward keen to improve on where he was sitting in 20th.
The remaining 22 laps saw 2 more safety cars, bunching the field together again. With 8 laps remaining Tony apporached the back Steven Johnson again, but couldn't find an opportunity to pass him, and completed race 2 in 19th position.
'Im happy that we finished both races this weekend. The car was steady, but we just couldnt get the speed we needed out of it.'
The # 55 Commodore now heads to the wharves to be shipped back to Melbourne where the car will get prepared for Darwin.
Last Modified on 03/06/2009 13:44