AUSTRALIAN FORMULA FORD, 2005

PRESS RELEASE: SEPT 11, 2005

MARTIN WINS ACTION-PACKED SANDOWN

Reigning Victorian Formula Ford champion Queenslander John Martin was declared the overall winner of the final round of the 2005 Ford Racing Australian Formula Ford Championship at Sandown Raceway. Martin, driving the G K Martin Pty Ltd Spectrum 010b, won the first two races and finished fourth in race three to claim the round win.
Second place in the round was filled by Victorian Shane Price (Caltex Havoline Spectrum 010b) whose fourth place in race one, second in race two and race three win saw him overtake David Sieders (Sonic Motor Racing Services/All-Trans Deals on Wheels Van Diemen RF04) on the points table to take second place in the national championship, 25 points ahead of the New South Welshman. Price had already wrapped up the prestigious 2005 Avon Tyres Rookie of the Year award at the previous round.
Fellow Victorian Dale Wood, driving the Andy’s Earthmovers G-Force Mygale SJ04 claimed third overall for the round, with a fifth, a fourth and a second place. Wood plans to make the move to the national championship in 2006 in a new Mygale chassis. Martin will also be contesting the 2006 championship in a Spectrum.

RACE 1, Saturday, 10.10am, 7 Laps: MARTIN’S FIRST NATIONAL RACE WIN

Queenslanders John Martin and Shannon O’Brien (O’Brien Motorsport Van Diemen RF03) were side by side off the line but as the field headed into turn one O’Brien was able to pull away slightly to lead the field out of the corner for the first time. He was unable to increase his lead however and had a tightly bunched pack, made up of Martin, Dean Fiore (Landscape Developments Van Diemen RF04) and Dale Wood (Andy’s Earthmovers/G-Force Mygale SJ04), in close pursuit.
O’Brien was able to maintain his lead while Martin, Fiore and Wood swapped places in an effort to haul him in. Martin briefly led O’Brien as the field headed into turn one at the start of lap three, claiming the inside line on the corner entry. O’Brien regained the lead at turn four while Martin found himself back in third after being passed by Fiore.
Jack Perkins (Perkins Motorsport Van Diemen RF92) was sitting in fifth place when the safety car came out while a car which had come to grief at turn six was retrieved. When the race resumed at the start of lap six Fiore was hounding O’Brien as they headed into turn one. O’Brien’s car locked up under braking, allowing Fiore through into the lead, closely followed by Martin.
At the start of lap seven turn one was again the scene of the action as Fiore, Martin and Wood headed side-by-side into the corner, with Fiore eventually claiming the racing line. Following his lock-up O’Brien had dropped back to eighth position and as the field continued around the circuit he tangled with Brett Hobson, resulting in both cars leaving the track at the high-speed turn six. The incident saw the safety car back on the track until the officials decided to call the results at the end of lap seven.
Although Fiore had crossed the line ahead of Martin, officials deemed that he has passed Martin under a yellow flag, resulting in their finishing positions being reversed; Martin was subsequently declared the winner ahead of Fiore. In third place was Perkins, his highest finish in a national championship event.

RACE 2, Saturday, 1.00pm, 10 Laps: MARTIN CONTROLS THE WET

A wet and slippery track greeted the field for race two. John Martin was again in control as they headed into turn one, followed by Dean Fiore and Shane Price. As they approached turn three Martin lost control and ran off across the grass but was able to regain the track ahead of the following pack to retain his lead. He maintained his lead for the remainder of the race but not before another two off-track excursions… on both occasions he managed to get back onto the track at the front of the field.
Dean Fiore also suffered an ‘off’ on lap two which allowed Price to move into second. But David Sieders was after that second spot and he and Price engaged in an enthralling battle for most of the race until Sieders also fell victim to the slippery conditions, exiting the track at turn six on lap nine. He rejoined the track to eventually finish in fifth place.
Price’s second place put him just four points behind Sieders in the battle for second in the championship. Fiore finished in third place ahead of Wood, followed by the fifth-placed Sieders.

RACE 3, Sunday, 9.00am, 10 Laps: PRICE TAKES THE WIN

John Martin again led the way into turn one with Shane Price and Dean Fiore in hot pursuit. When a mid-field car came to grief at turn four the safety car came out to control the field while the car was retrieved.
At the start of lap four Price took the inside line into turn one, taking over the lead from Martin. Fiore spun in the corner but was able to continue, crossing the line at the end of lap four in 19th place. Dale Wood had taken over Fiore’s third spot and as the race continued the pair was soon joined by David Sieders, desperate to get in front of Price to protect his slim points lead over the Victorian. Sieders overtook Price on lap seven and the pair continued to race side-by-side, putting on an excellent display of race driving.
Unfortunately for Sieders it all came unstuck on lap nine when he lost control and spun off the track at turn seven. Wood was able to grab the lead and led over the line as the field started the final lap. Price was able to get past Wood as they headed up the back straight and held off Wood to the chequered flag.
In third place was Victorian driver Cade Southall (Collex/Davies Craig Van Diemen RF01). Southall had started from 11th place on the grid and had steadily climbed through the field to claim national championship points. John Martin finished in fourth place after dropping back to 11th place on lap four following a spin.