Skaifey Wat r u on!

[brendan24688]

Skaife attacks Stones over Bathurst pairings
By Peter McKay
October 3, 2004
The Sun-Herald


A chink has appeared in the armour of the all-conquering Stone Brothers Racing team, Ford's main hope to win the Bathurst 1000 next weekend, Holden rival Mark Skaife says.

The opening is the team's inability to pair its regular drivers, reigning series champ Marcos Ambrose and dual Bathurst winner Russell Ingall, in one all-star car.

Skaife has had a pretty ordinary year, but the four-times Bathurst 1000 winner (his last victory was in 2002) is in a positive frame of mind as he and his Holden Racing Team prepare for the big one at Mount Panorama.

Mischievously, he even thanks SBR for being considerate by not putting two proven star drivers in each of its two Falcons.

He said SBR last year put its guns, Ambrose and Ingall, in the same car, but the experiment failed as the two drivers don't like the car set up in the same way.

They struck a compromise on the car's behaviour, but this meant the Falcon wasn't as quick as it could have been. So for the enduros this year, SBR has split its stars, naming part-timers Greg Ritter with Ambrose and Cameron McLean with Ingall.


Skaife expects the pairings to be competitive but vulnerable. "No way can someone from outside V8 supercars come in for Sandown and Bathurst and go as well as a regular driver," he said. "The cars are just not easy to push to the absolute limit.

"Ritter goes all right for a part-timer but spearing off at Sandown shows he is not absolutely comfortable in the car. He was very fortunate not to get stuck, and he and Ambrose came back and won the race."

But Skaife says anyone who fires off the track at Mount Panorama next Sunday will almost certainly hit something very hard.

Ambrose and Ritter's win at Sandown hasn't changed his view that two very quick and experienced full-time V8 supercar drivers are needed if you want to win the Bathurst 1000.

"Nothing has changed," Skaife said, adding that the only exception was Jim Richards. "But he's a freak. Jim has the natural ability and experience to overcome the fact that hes not in a V8 supercar on a regular basis."

Skaife says there are not many combinations that fall into the group he categorises as serious chances.

Holden has Greg Murphy and Rick Kelly, Steve and Jim Richards, Garth Tander and Cam McConville, Jason Bright and Paul Weel, and Skaife and Todd Kelly.

Of that list, all but McConville, Weel and Kelly know how to win at Bathurst. Kmart's Murphy and Kelly won the Great Race in 2003.

In Skaife's view, Brad Jones and John Bowe - two drivers who don't always feature prominently during the regular V8 supercar season - head the Ford threat.

"They rate as one of the top pairings," he said. "They have loads of experience, and a great record at Mount Panorama."

On talent and experience, he also has high regard for Craig Lowndes and Glenn Seton, but suggests there is no evidence that their Ford Performance Racing team has overcome some chronic reliability issues that have marred its season so far.

And what of the much-trumpeted return to Bathurst by Peter Brock, who shares the second HRT Commodore with British star Jason Plato?

"Much can depend on the weather, strategy and safety-car deployment," Skaife said.

"If Brocky and Jason are thereabouts with an hour remaining, anything is on."


Now read this line:

"No way can someone from outside V8 supercars come in for Sandown and Bathurst and go as well as a regular driver," he said.

Now may i ask the question. Wat is Brocky? Greg Ritter has driven more races than brocky this yer (if konica counts, and McLean drives full time in tha konica)

WTF skaify u wanka!

[gkmarshall]

I think Sir Mark should look at his own co-driver before he starts bagging someone elses

[Just Do It!]

I especially like the way that Skaife subtly refers to Cameron McLean and Greg Ritter as unproven stars.

Either way you look at it, SBR have 4 strong drivers

[SkaifeysGal]

Who cares, its just a bit of light-hearted banter

[Camaroz]

Q. Where are Skaife's credentials re co-driver spottings?

No offence PB but I think you were the first one of a long list to say OK. And who does he pair PB with, an IMPORT! Eggs and baskets should get a run here.

Reference to Ritter "spearing off". If being a part timer was contributing .... what was Todd Kelly's excuse?

Another classic 'foot in mouth via the nose job' from mark (a fortunate life) skase!!! Where's WALLY!!!!!!!!!

[1200Datto27]

Cosidering how many "regular" drivers speared off, and got themselves into much greater trouble, then I don't think that MS can really say that much, other than admit that he deliberatly did this to bait people into responding.

[racer69]

They could have paired Ingall and Ambrose together and i'd still find it hard to believe they'll be in contention at the end of the day.

In terms of the Bathurst 1000, SBR are unproven in my book. Before everyone attacks me, here's my take...

Where have SBR been results wise bar their 1 win and 1 near miss? The cars have been alright in qualifying, but have lacked race pace and bar once strategy to get to the end in first place.

In 1998 they gambled. Admittedly it paid off, but they had crashed on the Friday, started 15th, and had to try something. Bear in mind though it took the dominent Commodore to strike tyre problems and the Mitre10 car to strike problems before they hit the lead.

In 2000, luck was all that got Tony Longhurst anywhere near the lead. 8 stops or however many they made and they wind up in the lead, all thanks to the safety car.

As for the Sandown 1-2, sure its a good lead-up, but Sandown is pretty straightforward strategy wise.

Maybe (hopefully) SBR can convince me otherwise this Sunday.

[mac]

Unfortunately for Mark's analysis I think there is every chance that Ritter will be quicker than Rusty at the Mountain.

[Crowestar]

Come On!!!! From what I have gathered there are a lot of Skaifey haters on this forum. The guy deserves his opinion like everyone else and we should respect that.

Ritter might have more miles under his belt than Brocky's in 2004 but Brocky has done more miles than anyone that lines up this weekend. Experience counts for a lot of things and I think a guy who has competed in 31 Bathurst 500/1000's would be valuable to a team.

I like many Holden fans will be going for BOTH the HRT cars this weekend.

[peckstar]

i think i will be reminding mark of his comments come sunday night.

But he does make a fair point, if someone with mark skaifes experience drives off the track at every 2nd race (he missed sandown so he is due) what hope does a part timer have

didnt see mclean on the dirt at all at sandown. probably the only car to keep its nose clean all day.

[peckstar]

the good thing is though SBR can go 1-2, i doubt any other time can achieve this. if one fails the other is their to clean up the mess.

Thought holden would have learnt about putting all their eggs in the one basket after the TWR fiasco.

guess some people never learn

[brendan24688]

Crowestar i aint haven a go at holden or HRT but skaify brings it upon himself. i never had a problem with mark until Eastern Creek last year. but he has made stupid comments and i was just sharing that with everyone.

[pete55]

Originally posted by Camaroz
Q. Where are Skaife's credentials re co-driver spottings?

Reference to Ritter "spearing off". If being a part timer was contributing .... what was Todd Kelly's excuse?

Another classic 'foot in mouth via the nose job' from mark (a fortunate life) skase!!! Where's WALLY!!!!!!!!!

That's what i was gonna say.

[Crowestar]

If you want to go back to then i think that Mr Ingall was half to blame for that.

[pigsy]

So Skaifes playing mind games again, big deal. He hasn't got a hope in the championship he might as well try something. Not that he's driving has been too flash this year.
He's actually probably putting a bit of pressure on his team knowing he's not going to take a conserative strategy.

Oh and we all know why Brock is back for the merchandise buck only.

[Camaroz]

Pete55. Great minds.....

[Crowestar]

Oh and we all know why Brock is back for the merchandise buck only.

The guy got offered a drive with one of the best teams in the country and he wants to have a 'Red Hot Go'. Skaife has stated in the media and in his book that was released a couple of years ago that he felt sorry about the way Brock was sent out with the car not finishing in 1997. Skaife wanted to give him the oppotunity to finish on a better note. I think Skaife has more brains in his head to give someone he doesn't trust in the car but returns a big sum of merchandise funds.

I just only hope Brock will all show you a thing or too this weekend that he still has it.

[Camaroz]

Originally posted by Crowestar
Come On!!!! From what I have gathered there are a lot of Skaifey haters on this forum. The guy deserves his opinion like everyone else and we should respect that.

Ritter might have more miles under his belt than Brocky's in 2004 but Brocky has done more miles than anyone that lines up this weekend. Experience counts for a lot of things and I think a guy who has competed in 31 Bathurst 500/1000's would be valuable to a team.

I like many Holden fans will be going for BOTH the HRT cars this weekend.

Crowestar, go for it! By all means. I hope PB has a good result (after all I have one of his old Bathurst cars and a good result can only add to the legend). The point here is Skase is canning co-driver selection but has forgotten to look into bay 2 at HRT before talking to the media!

Again, Where's WALLY!

[Chappelli]

Skaife is dead right!!! Where were either of the SBR cars at Sandown with part timers aye???

I think all you 'part time' critics should take heed of what he says, do you really think he would have won 2 of the last 5 Great Races without fulltime V8 Supercar drivers as partners?

[Boss330]

If the Stones get the set up right - ala Sandown, then Donald Duck could be the co-driver for all I care, car 1 will run away with it!!!!!!!!

[1200Datto27]

Ummm First and Second with "part-time" drivers at Sandown.

[Luke Plaizier]

Thank goodness someone is speaking up. Going through ther Newcastle Morning Herald last week the Horse Racing appeared to be more important than a Bathurst that is a week away.

They are out there drumming up publicity. In my opinion, the guys are not being controversial enough!

A top Ford guy needs to stand up there and talk about how poorly Skaife has been driving this year, and how Murphy's car has been off the pace.


Lukeyson

[woodbine]

Surely all Mark is doing is just raising the profile of the race and HRT. He picks one difference in SBR's approach and the forms go beserk.

[Bimmerhead]

Conjecture about MS's motives is purely that - conjecture! Having said that, I hope he doesn't think that Greg Ritter and Cam McLean will be shaking in their boots at the thought of his pontifications. Its never a good idea to bag the opposition before the contest starts - more often than not you end up looking foolish. With his results thus far this season you wouldn't think he'd want to draw attention to himself would you...........

[peckstar]

As chapelli pointed out

Skaifes two most recent bathurst wins came when he had drivers who were not full time HRT drivers in the car.

and last year when he had a full time driver he finished, i think it was last, somewhere unimportant