2009 Falken Tasmania Challenge


The 2009 Falken Tasmania Challenge was the fourth race meeting of the 2009 V8 Supercar Championship Series. It contained Races 7 and 8 of the series and was held on the weekend of May 29-31 at Symmons Plains Raceway, near Launceston, in northern Tasmania.

Rule change

The new race formats for 2009 saw a 100 kilometre race held as Race 7 on Saturday, with a 200 kilometre race held on Sunday as Race 8.

Race 7

The first race was held on Saturday May 30. Garth Tander was able to break the year long stranglehold Team Vodafone has held on the 2009 series, taking a narrow victory over Russell Ingall after an innovative use of tyre tactics saw Ingall get much better tyre life out of his set of soft, sprint, tyres. Instead of changing tyres at his pitstop to a set of the harder, slow tyres, Ingall rotated his tyres, swapping the tyres diagonally front/rear and left/right, giving him the best grip of any of the front runners in the races late stages and it was only Tander's ability to put lapped traffic between himself and Ingall that gave the Holden Racing Team driver the race victory.
Steven Johnson continued his best ever V8 Supercar season with a third place, and best of the Ford drivers. It was Johnson's second podium result of the year after claiming third at Race 4 at the Hamilton 400. Will Davison backed up Tander's win in fourth place, making it the best day of the season for HRT ahead of Todd Kelly, his best result of the year to date, and Stone Brothers race Shane van Gisbergen. Team mates Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup followed with a much improved Greg Murphy ninth and a disappointing Lee Holdsworth scraping into the top ten.
James Courtney had a miserable day, involved in several on track skirmishes, including receiving a puncture and pitting on the very lap that his team mate Steven Johnson was already in the pits having his scheduled pitstop, forcing Courtney to lose yet more time waiting for his team to service Johnson's #17 Ford. He finished, but finished last on a day when all 30 cars saw the chequered flag. His championship hopes are effectively extinguished and his hopes for a good season will now hinge on his ability to win races.

Race 8

Race 8 was held on Sunday May 31.

Results

Qualifying Race 7

PosNoNameCarTeamTop TenPart 2Part 1
12Garth TanderHolden VE CommodoreHolden Racing Team51.704351.6615
251Greg MurphyHolden VE CommodoreSprint Gas Racing51.757451.5554
317Steven JohnsonFord FG FalconJim Beam Racing51.850951.5289
439Russell IngallHolden VE CommodoreSupercheap Auto Racing51.895651.6319
518James CourtneyFord FG FalconJim Beam Racing51.935251.5702
615Rick KellyHolden VE CommodoreJack Daniel's Racing52.023851.6595
79Shane van GisbergenFord FG FalconStone Brothers Racing52.041451.5525
81Jamie WhincupFord FG FalconTeam Vodafone52.089051.4661
96Steven RichardsFord FG FalconFord Performance Racing52.208051.5381
10888Craig LowndesFord FG FalconTeam VodafoneEXC51.5795
117Todd KellyHolden VE CommodoreJack Daniel's Racing51.6648
125Mark WinterbottomFord FG FalconFord Performance Racing51.6909
1333Lee HoldsworthHolden VE CommodoreGarry Rogers Motorsport51.6992
1422Will DavisonHolden VE CommodoreHolden Racing Team51.7076
15111Fabian CoulthardFord FG FalconPaul Cruickshank Racing51.7363
1634Michael CarusoHolden VE CommodoreGarry Rogers Motorsport51.7609
174Alex DavisonFord FG FalconStone Brothers Racing51.8326
1825Jason BrightFord BF FalconStone Brothers Racing51.8722
1977Marcus MarshallFord BF FalconTeam IntaRacing51.9777
2011Jack PerkinsHolden VE CommodoreDodo Racing Team51.9952
2167Tim SladeHolden VE CommodoreSupercheap Auto Racing52.1462
228Jason RichardsHolden VE CommodoreTeam BOC52.1608
233Jason BargwannaHolden VE CommodoreSprint Gas Racing52.1620
2410Paul DumbrellHolden VE CommodoreTeam Autobarn52.2415
2516Dale WoodHolden VE CommodoreHi Tech Oils Racing52.2837
2624David ReynoldsHolden VE CommodoreBundaberg Red Racing52.3269
2755Tony D'AlbertoHolden VE CommodoreRod Nash Racing52.3567
28333Michael PatriziFord BF FalconPaul Cruickshank Racing52.4432
2912Dean FioreHolden VE CommodoreTriple F Racing52.4716
3014Cameron McConvilleHolden VE CommodoreWOW Racing52.5021

Race 7

PosNoNameTeamLapsTime/RetiredGridPoints
12Garth TanderHolden Racing Team4237:13.966210150
239Russell IngallPaul Morris Motorsport42+0.1s8138
317Steven JohnsonDick Johnson Racing42+8.7s2129
422Will DavisonHolden Racing Team42+10.6s14120
57Todd KellyJack Daniels Racing42+11.2s11111
69Shane van GisbergenStone Brothers Racing42+14.9s4102
7888Craig LowndesTriple Eight Race Engineering42+16.4s796
81Jamie WhincupTriple Eight Race Engineering42+21.4s190
951Greg MurphyTasman Motorsport42+22.2s584
1033Lee HoldsworthGarry Rogers Motorsport42+22.5s1378
1115Rick KellyJack Daniels Racing42+22.9s972
1234Michael CarusoGarry Rogers Motorsport42+33.6s1669
1314Cameron McConvilleBrad Jones Racing42+34.4s3066
14111Fabian CoulthardPaul Cruickshank Racing42+41.2s1563
156Steven RichardsFord Performance Racing42+41.4s360
165Mark WinterbottomFord Performance Racing42+42.0s1257
174Alex DavisonStone Brothers Racing41+ 1 lap1754
188Jason RichardsBrad Jones Racing41+ 1 lap2251
193Jason BargwannaTasman Motorsport41+ 1 lap2348
2024David ReynoldsWalkinshaw Racing41+ 1 lap2645
2111Jack PerkinsKelly Racing41+ 1 lap2042
2277Marcus MarshallTeam IntaRacing41+ 1 lap1939
2310Paul DumbrellWalkinshaw Racing41+ 1 lap2436
2467Tim SladePaul Morris Motorsport41+ 1 lap2133
2555Tony D'AlbertoRod Nash Racing41+ 1 lap2730
2625Jason BrightStone Brothers Racing41+ 1 lap1827
27333Michael PatriziPaul Cruickshank Racing40+ 2 laps2824
2816Dale WoodKelly Racing40+ 2 laps2521
2912Dean FioreTriple F Racing40+ 2 laps2918
3018James CourtneyDick Johnson Racing40+ 2 laps415

Qualifying Race 8

PosNoNameCarTeamTime
11Jamie WhincupFord FG FalconTriple Eight Race Engineering51.4898
27Todd KellyHolden VE CommodoreJack Daniel's Racing51.5662
351Greg MurphyHolden VE CommodoreTasman Motorsport51.5862
422Will DavisonHolden VE CommodoreHolden Racing Team51.5895
55Mark WinterbottomFord FG FalconFord Performance Racing51.6190
66Steven RichardsFord FG FalconFord Performance Racing51.6388
7111Fabian CoulthardFord FG FalconPaul Cruickshank Racing51.6515
818James CourtneyFord FG FalconDick Johnson Racing51.6597
917Steven JohnsonFord FG FalconDick Johnson Racing51.6625
102Garth TanderHolden VE CommodoreHolden Racing Team51.7207
119Shane van GisbergenFord FG FalconStone Brothers Racing51.7229
1239Russell IngallHolden VE CommodorePaul Morris Motorsport51.7271
1333Lee HoldsworthHolden VE CommodoreGarry Rogers Motorsport51.7409
1415Rick KellyHolden VE CommodoreJack Daniel's Racing51.7573
153Jason BargwannaHolden VE CommodoreTasman Motorsport51.8179
16888Craig LowndesFord FG FalconTriple Eight Race Engineering51.8907
1716Dale WoodHolden VE CommodoreKelly Racing51.9163
1825Jason BrightFord BF FalconStone Brothers Racing51.9731
194Alex DavisonFord FG FalconStone Brothers Racing51.9978
208Jason RichardsHolden VE CommodoreBrad Jones Racing52.0411
2134Michael CarusoHolden VE CommodoreGarry Rogers Motorsport52.0981
2211Jack PerkinsHolden VE CommodoreKelly Racing52.1052
23333Michael PatriziFord BF FalconPaul Cruickshank Racing52.1309
2424David ReynoldsHolden VE CommodoreWalkinshaw Racing52.1570
2510Paul DumbrellHolden VE CommodoreWalkinshaw Racing52.1759
2614Cameron McConvilleHolden VE CommodoreBrad Jones Racing52.2187
2755Tony D'AlbertoHolden VE CommodoreRod Nash Racing52.2422
2867Tim SladeHolden VE CommodorePaul Morris Motorsport52.2766
2977Marcus MarshallFord BF FalconTeam IntaRacing52.2767
3012Dean FioreHolden VE CommodoreTriple F Racing52.6140

Race 8

PosNoNameTeamLapsTime/RetiredGridPoints
11Jamie WhincupTriple Eight Race Engineering841:22:07.82191150
222Will DavisonHolden Racing Team84+0.4s4138
3111Fabian CoulthardPaul Cruickshank Racing84+0.6s7129
45Mark WinterbottomFord Performance Racing84+3.6s5120
533Lee HoldsworthGarry Rogers Motorsport84+4.4s13111
639Russell IngallPaul Morris Motorsport84+7.8s12102
725Jason BrightStone Brothers Racing84+8.9s1896
83Jason BargwannaTasman Motorsport84+9.5s1590
9333Michael PatriziPaul Cruickshank Racing84+10.0s2384
10888Craig LowndesTriple Eight Race Engineering84+11.6s1678
114Alex DavisonStone Brothers Racing84+12.0s1972
122Garth TanderHolden Racing Team84+12.2s1069
1314Cameron McConvilleBrad Jones Racing84+13.1s2666
1467Tim SladePaul Morris Motorsport84+9.7s*2863
156Steven RichardsFord Performance Racing84+13.4s660
1634Michael CarusoGarry Rogers Motorsport84+51.0s2157
1710Paul DumbrellWalkinshaw Racing84+ 1 lap2554
1817Steven JohnsonDick Johnson Racing83+ 1 lap951
1955Tony D'AlbertoRod Nash Racing83+ 1 lap2748
209Shane van GisbergenStone Brothers Racing83+ 1 lap1145
2111Jack PerkinsKelly Racing83+ 1 lap2242
2251Greg MurphyTasman Motorsport82+ 2 laps339
238Jason RichardsBrad Jones Racing82+ 2 laps2036
2477Marcus MarshallTeam IntaRacing83+ 1 lap*2933
2512Dean FioreTriple F Racing81+ 3 laps3030
2624David ReynoldsWalkinshaw Racing81+ 3 laps2427
2715Rick KellyJack Daniels Racing79+ 5 laps1424
DNF18James CourtneyDick Johnson Racing598
DNF16Dale WoodKelly Racing5817
DNF7Todd KellyJack Daniels Racing432

* Penalties were applied to Tim Slade and Marcus Marshall. Slade was relegated from ninth to 14th. Marshall was relegated from 22nd to 24th.

Standings

PosNoNameTeamPoints
11Jamie WhincupTriple Eight Race Engineering1044
222Will DavisonHolden Racing Team948
317Steven JohnsonDick Johnson Racing753
42Garth TanderHolden Racing Team723
433Lee HoldsworthGarry Rogers Motorsport723