Damien White Clinches Second V8 Utes Crown In Tasmania

SYMMONS PLAINS (Tas.) – Ford Falcon XR8 driver Damien White narrowly V8 Ute Championship in the final round at Symmons Plains circuit today.

After not finishing higher than 12th in any session this weekend, White retained just six points to hold out Marcus Zukanovic, who ripped 50 points out of the defending champion's margin with two firsts, a fifth and pole position that clinched the round for his Action Racing Ford team.

"That was close, but there'll be some big celebrations in my home city of Wollongong tonight," said White, 31.

"After winning the championship in a Holden in 2004 it was my ambition to prove it was no fluke by doing it again in a Ford.

"It's a proud achievement to be able to reward Team IMB, my sponsors, engineers, crew and supporters."

Zukanovic, 25, from Melbourne, expressed mixed emotions over finishing series runner-up for a second time.

"To finish the season on a high by winning the round is awesome," he said.

"But I put up a big fight this weekend and to lose the championship by just six points was pretty heart-breaking."

Zukanovic won the first heat of round eight yesterday and today's third event, while the reverse-grid second race went to James Brock in a Holden SS.

Adelaide Holden driver Gary Baxter displayed his usual consistency, finishing second in the round and third in the series just ahead of Rod Wilson.

For Wilson – Australia's inaugural ute-racing champion in 2001 - a lap record of 1 minute 04.29 seconds in his Kanga Loaders Holden was a fitting way to mark his retirement from a long, varied and successful racing career.

"I've been fortunate to drive an incredible variety of cars over the years, fromFerraris to touring cars to Formula Holdens, but keeping yourself in championship racing can be an incredible strain and I've decided it's time to enjoy some other pastimes," Wilson said.

James Brock led from pole position in the reverse-grid second race but was chased closely all the way to the flag by Melbourne Holden driver Gavin Bullas.

Kiwi teenager Chris Pither held third place until he spun his Holden at turn twoand retired on the last lap, allowing through Dave Griffin and Allan Simonsen.

Then Bullas received a 30-second penalty from stewards after the race for a first-lap incident that sent Yaris Derums' Holden off the circuit and Griffin and

Simonsen moved up the order again to second and third respectively.

Ryal Harris's hopes of a championship podium ended when a missed gear resulted in engine damage to his DBA Holden and retirement on lap six.

Luke May was excluded when his Falcon was found to be underweight.

The race three grid, calculated on combined results from the first two races, saw Zukanovic again on pole, ahead of Baxter, Simonsen and Griffin.

Zukanovic led throughout and was followed, in order, by Baxter, Simonsen and Wilson for the first nine laps.

Then on lap 10 Wilson swooped passed Simonsen and on the next lap claimed Baxter to take second place at the finish.

White, who needed to finish higher than 20th to clinch his driver'schampionship, came home in 12th place, his best of the weekend.

Geoff Emery retired the Team Australia Holden with engine problems and Jack Elsegood went out with differential failure in his Coopers Holden.

Results

Race 2 (12 laps, reverse grid)
1.     James Brock (Vic.) Team Brock Holden SS
2.     Dave Griffin (NSW) Pedigree Big W Ford Falcon XR8\
3.     Allan Simonsen (Vic.) Coopers Ale Ford
4.     Kim Jane (Vic.) Melbourne's Cheapest Cars Holden
5.     Marcus Zukanovic (Vic.) Action Racing Ford Falcon XR8
6.     Rod Wilson (Vic.) Kanga Loaders Holden
7.     Jack Elsegood (NSW) Coopers Ale Ford
8.     Gary Baxter (SA) Sage Automation Holden SS
9.     Matthew O'Grady (Qld) Donut King Holden
10.     Geoff Emery (Vic.) Team Australia Holden
Fastest lap – Wilson 1 min. 04.29 sec. (record)
Pole position – Brock

Race 3 (12 laps *)
1.     Marcus Zukanovic
2.     Rod Wilson
3.     Gary Baxter
4.     Allan Simonsen
5.     Dave Griffin
6.     James Brock
7.     Kim Jane
8.     Chris Pither (NZ) Kanga Loaders Holden
9.     Gavin Bullas (Vic.) Rain City Holden
10.     Kerry Wade (WA) SRT Ford

Fastest lap – Wilson 1:04.59

Pole position - Zukanovic

* Race shortened from scheduled 15 laps due to time constraints

Round 8 pointscore
109 Marcus Zukanovic
93 Gary Baxter
91 Rod Wilson

Championship pointscore (after Rd 8 - final)
634 Damien White
626 Marcus Zukanovic
601 Gary Baxter
596 Rod Wilson
550 Ryal Harris
536 James Brock
523 James Moffat
518 Kim Jane
481 Gavin Bullas
436 Matthew O'Grady

Television
Races from round eight of the Yokohama V8 Ute Series will be shown nationally on Network Ten on Sunday 20 November, on the Trackside program between 2.00 pm and 3.30 pm.

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