For the third consecutive year Fabian Coulthard’s Bathurst 1000 has gone awry after Co-Driver David Besnard lost control of the Lockwood Racing car on lap 91.
The car had been running just outside the top ten after a safety car on lap 39 meant Besnard had to queue behind team-mate Andrew Jones for fuel and tyres in pit lane.
That cost the team 12 positions but Coulthard drove well in his stint to put them back in the game.
It was not to be, however, with Besnard spinning between McPhillamy Park and Skyline just after halfway through the 161-lap race. He limped back to pit lane for a steering rack change and the crew got car back on track, 14 laps down. He finished 23rd.
Coulthard will be back on track for the Gold Coast 600 from 19th – 21st October.
Fabian Coulthard
Lockwood Racing
“There’s not a lot I can do sitting here in the garage. It’s what this game is about and, unfortunately, neither of the endurance rounds have been good to us this year.
“A 1000km race is all about the last hour but you’ve got to get there. Unfortunately we got stuck in the gravel.”
David Besnard
Lockwood Racing Co-Driver
“Something broke, the steering went heavy and I couldn’t turn. I kept it off the wall, but only just.
“Turning left was just bloody heavy and there was a real shudder through the wheel. It seemed OK turning right though so I guess they’ll have to look into that before the next race.”
2012 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 – V8 Supercars Championship
MOUNT PANORAMA
V8 SUPERCARS Race 21
01 Jamie Whincup / Paul Dumbrell, TeamVodafone
02 David Reynolds / Dean Canto, The Bottle-O Racing Team
03 Craig Lowndes / Warren Luff, TeamVodafone
04 James Courtney / Cameron McConville, Holden Racing Team
05 Michael Caruso / Greg Ritter, Fujitsu Racing
06 Jonathan Webb / Scott McLaughlin, Tekno Racing
07 Tim Slade / Andrew Thompson, Lucky 7 Racing
08 Lee Holdsworth / Craig Baird, Irwin Racing
09 Russell Ingall / Christian Klein, Supercheap Auto Racing
10 James Moffat / Alex Davison, Team Norton
23 Fabian Coulthard / David Besnard, Lockwood Racing
