Paul Dumbrell has topped the time sheets after the first practice session at the Townsville street circuit this morning.
The Bottle-O Racing driver set a time of 1m14.3241s, narrowly beating six-time Bathurst 1000 winner Mark Skaife, driving Craig Lowndes’ army-inspired TeamVodafone Commodore.
Dumbrell and Skaife edged out Greg Murphy (Pepsi Max Crew), Steve Richards (Orrcon Steel FPR), Karl Reindler (Fair Dinkum Sheds Racing), Craig Baird (Bundaberg Racing), Andrew Thompson (TeamVodafone), Steve Owen (VIP Petfoods Racing), Tony D’Alberto (Wilson Security Racing) and Jason Bargwanna (Jana Living Racing).
The first and second practice sessions are open to participation from endurance co-drivers.
Those non-regulars involved included Thompson and Skaife (TeamVodafone), Marcus Marshall (Fujitsu Racing), Richards and Luke Youlden (Ford Performance Racing), Daniel Gaunt (Lucky 7 Racing), Dale Wood (Wilson Security Racing), Nick Percat (Toll Holden Racing Team) Baird (Bundaberg Racing), Andrew Jones (Team BOC) Owen Kelly (Jack Daniel’s Racing) and John McIntyre (SP Tools Racing).
The second practice session will be held at 11.40am.
Results; Practice 1; Townsville
| 1 | 55 | Paul Dumbrell | The Bottle-O Racing Team | Ford Falcon FG | 1:14.3241* |
| 2 | 888 | Mark Skaife | TeamVodafone | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:14.3529 |
| 3 | 11 | Greg Murphy | Pepsi Max Crew | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:14.3776 |
| 4 | 95 | Steven Richards | Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon | Ford Falcon FG | 1:14.9124 |
| 5 | 21 | Karl Reindler | Fair Dinkum Sheds Racing | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:14.9161 |
| 6 | 61 | Craig Baird | Bundaberg Racing | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:14.9855 |
| 7 | 88 | Andrew Thompson | TeamVodafone | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:15.0181 |
| 8 | 49 | Steve Owen | VIP Petfoods | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:15.0796 |
| 9 | 3 | Tony D’Alberto | Wilson Security Racing | Ford Falcon FG | 1:15.0837 |
| 10 | 14 | Jason Bargwanna | Jana Living Racing | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:15.0941 |
| 11 | 2 | Nick Percat | Toll Holden Racing Team | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:15.1300 |
| 12 | 1 | James Courtney | Toll Holden Racing Team | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:15.1420 |
| 13 | 39 | Russell Ingall | Supercheap Auto Racing | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:15.1833 |
| 14 | 16 | David Reynolds | Stratco Racing | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:15.3054 |
| 15 | 34 | Marcus Marshall | Fujitsu Racing GRM | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:15.3597 |
| 16 | 7 | Todd Kelly | Jack Daniel’s Racing | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:15.3678 |
| 17 | 19 | Jonathon Webb | Mother Energy Racing Team | Ford Falcon FG | 1:15.5599 |
| 18 | 6 | Luke Youlden | Trading Post FPR Falcon | Ford Falcon FG | 1:15.5970 |
| 19 | 47 | Daniel Gaunt | Lucky 7 Racing | Ford Falcon FG | 1:15.6199 |
| 20 | 18 | James Moffat | Jim Beam Racing | Ford Falcon FG | 1:15.7672 |
| 21 | 12 | D.Fiore/M.Patrizi | R and T Pumps | Ford Falcon FG | 1:15.7737 |
| 22 | 8 | Andrew Jones | Team Boc | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:15.8998 |
| 23 | 15 | Owen Kelly | Jack Daniel’s Racing | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:16.6890 |
| 24 | 9 | John McIntyre | SP Tools Racing | Ford Falcon FG | 1:16.8054 |
| 25 | 30 | Warren Luff | Gulf Western Oil Racing | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:17.1823 |
See below for Speedcafe.com’s Townsville V8 Race Guide
