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Chris Pither has labelled a solo career-best fifth place finish a “massive confidence booster” at the BetEasy Darwin Triple Crown.
The Team Sydney driver was 18th and 16th quickest in the morning’s practice sessions and went on to qualify 19th for Race 13 of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship.
Two Safety Car interventions packed the field up and allowed Pither to make the most of a soft-soft tyre strategy that saw him charge through late in the shortened 34-lap affair.
Ultimately, Pither made his way through to fifth, making up the most places of anyone in the race with 14 positions gained.
Speaking after the race, Pither said the team made the most of the delay to the Darwin double-header.
“We’re enjoying it,” said Pither.
“We came into the weekend a whole lot more prepared.
“The delay of one week has been put to use well by the whole team, they put a lot of effort in over the last few days and we made a strategy call to use softs for the most part of that race.
“Everyone’s got the same tyres at the end of the day and everyone can cut it up differently but that’s a massive confidence-booster for the team and for me.
“It was good to get out there, turn some good laps and pull some passes.”
The fifth place finish is Pither’s best result as a solo driver.
Prior to that, his best result in Supercars was a fourth place finish alongside Dale Wood in the 2017 edition of the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.
Supercars is back on-track today at 11:40 local time/12:10 AEST for a pair of qualifying sessions ahead of Races 14 and 15 of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship.
