The 2004 V8 Supercars Darwin round was the fourth round of the 2004 V8 Supercar Championship Series. It was held on the weekend of 21 to 23 May at the Hidden Valley Raceway in Darwin, Northern Territory. It was the seventh V8 Supercar event to be held at Hidden Valley Raceway and consisted of one 50 km opener followed by two 100 km races with compulsory pitstops in each.
Todd Kelly claimed the Holden Racing Team's first round victory of the season with a strong, consistent campaign that included a win in the final race of the weekend. Teammate Mark Skaife took pole position for the first race and was on course to win before contact at the final corner with Marcos Ambrose gifted the win to Russell Ingall. Rick Kelly was the winner of the second race with brother Todd finishing a close second.
Steven Richards reclaimed the championship lead from Ambrose through a consistent weekend that saw him finish second overall.
Background The event was held on the weekend of 21 to 23 May 2004. It was the seventh V8 Supercar event to be held at Hidden Valley Raceway and consisted of one 50 km opener followed by two 100 km races with compulsory pitstops in each. As entrant numbers did not breach the field capacity, no pre-qualifying was necessary.
Marcos Ambrose entered the round as the championship leader by four point lead over nearest competitor, Steven Richards. The defending event winner from 2003 was Ambrose.
Entry list
There were 32 drivers entered into the event. It featured mixture of vehicle models - thirteen BA Falcon's, fifteen VY Commodore's, and two VX Commodore's.
Having purchased the hardware from the now-defunct 00 Motorsport, WPS Racing debuted a second car into the championship to be driven by Mark Noske starting from Darwin onwards.
Race report Qualifying Jason Bright claimed provisional pole position over Mark Skaife five hundredths of a second. Mark Noske was excluded from the results owing to a technical infringement.
Pos No Driver Team Vehicle Time 1 50 Jason Bright Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 1:09.2821 2 2 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 1:09.3303 3 22 Todd Kelly Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 1:09.3771 4 11 Steven Richards Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VY) 1:09.4194 5 1 Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:09.4279 6 15 Rick Kelly John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 1:09.4307 7 9 Russell Ingall Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:09.5978 8 888 Max Wilson Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BA) 1:09.6209 9 44 Simon Wills Team Dynamik Holden Commodore (VY) 1:09.6804 10 10 Jason Bargwanna Larkham Motorsport Ford Falcon (BA) 1:09.7297 11 6 Craig Lowndes Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:09.7590 12 12 John Bowe Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:09.7626 13 88 Paul Radisich Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BA) 1:09.7629 14 20 Mark Winterbottom Larkham Motorsport Ford Falcon (BA) 1:09.8025 15 34 Garth Tander Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 1:09.8677 16 29 Paul Morris Paul Morris Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 1:09.8944 17 51 Greg Murphy John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 1:09.9283 18 21 Brad Jones Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:09.9631 19 17 Steven Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:09.9752 20 5 Glenn Seton Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:09.9867 21 16 Paul Weel Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 1:10.0353 22 021 Craig Baird Team Kiwi Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 1:10.0578 23 8 Paul Dumbrell Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VY) 1:10.1262 24 18 Warren Luff Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:10.1331 25 33 Cameron McConville Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 1:10.1524 26 31 Steven Ellery Steven Ellery Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:10.1704 27 3 Jason Richards Tasman Motorsport Holden Commodore (VX) 1:10.2020 28 23 David Besnard WPS Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:10.2027 29 75 Anthony Tratt Paul Little Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 1:10.4130 30 7 Tony Longhurst Rod Nash Racing Holden Commodore (VX) 1:10.5515 31 45 Dale Brede Team Dynamik Holden Commodore (VY) 1:10.6418 EXC 48 Mark Noske WPS Racing Ford Falcon (BA) time excluded Source:
Top ten shootout Pos No Driver Team Vehicle Time 1 2 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 1:09.1188 2 22 Todd Kelly Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 1:09.3113 3 50 Jason Bright Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 1:09.4812 4 1 Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:09.5602 5 9 Russell Ingall Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:09.6116 6 11 Steven Richards Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VY) 1:09.6541 7 15 Rick Kelly John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 1:09.7914 8 888 Max Wilson Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BA) 1:09.9293 9 44 Simon Wills Team Dynamik Holden Commodore (VY) 1:10.0153 10 10 Jason Bargwanna Larkham Motorsport Ford Falcon (BA) 1:10.2656 Source:
Race 1 Pos No Driver Team Car Laps Time/Retired Grid 1 9 Russell Ingall Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 17 20:16.6910 5 2 22 Todd Kelly Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 17 + 0.610 2 3 1 Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 17 + 0.774 4 4 50 Jason Bright Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 17 + 1.753 3 5 11 Steven Richards Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VY) 17 + 2.236 6 6 15 Rick Kelly John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 17 + 3.899 7 7 10 Jason Bargwanna Larkham Motorsport Ford Falcon (BA) 17 + 4.637 10 8 12 John Bowe Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 17 + 6.635 12 9 88 Paul Radisich Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BA) 17 + 6.909 13 10 888 Max Wilson Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BA) 17 + 7.575 8 11 20 Mark Winterbottom Larkham Motorsport Ford Falcon (BA) 17 + 10.409 14 12 6 Craig Lowndes Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 17 + 10.636 11 13 51 Greg Murphy John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 17 + 12.851 17 14 2 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 17 + 12.853 1 15 34 Garth Tander Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 17 + 14.220 15 16 021 Craig Baird Team Kiwi Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 17 + 14.775 22 17 16 Paul Weel Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 17 + 15.286 21 18 5 Glenn Seton Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 17 + 17.004 20 19 23 David Besnard WPS Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 17 + 17.628 28 20 8 Paul Dumbrell Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VY) 17 + 20.041 23 21 31 Steven Ellery Steven Ellery Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 17 + 20.184 26 22 18 Warren Luff Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 17 + 25.172 24 23 33 Cameron McConville Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 17 + 25.506 25 24 75 Anthony Tratt Paul Little Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 17 + 26.242 29 25 3 Jason Richards Tasman Motorsport Holden Commodore (VX) 17 + 26.933 27 26 7 Tony Longhurst Rod Nash Racing Holden Commodore (VX) 17 + 27.365 30 27 48 Mark Noske WPS Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 17 + 28.743 32 28 45 Dale Brede Team Dynamik Holden Commodore (VY) 17 + 29.204 31 29 29 Paul Morris Paul Morris Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 17 + 43.782 16 30 44 Simon Wills Team Dynamik Holden Commodore (VY) 16 + 1 lap 9 Ret 21 Brad Jones Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 16 Retired 18 Ret 17 Steven Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 9 Retired 19 Fastest Lap: Paul Radisich (Triple Eight Race Engineering) - 1:10.4320 on lap 5 Source:
Race 2 Pos No Driver Team Car Laps Time/Retired Grid 1 15 Rick Kelly John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 35 42:21.2095 6 2 22 Todd Kelly Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 35 + 0.511 2 3 11 Steven Richards Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VY) 35 + 1.113 5 4 51 Greg Murphy John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 35 + 5.693 13 5 6 Craig Lowndes Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 35 + 6.098 12 6 12 John Bowe Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 35 + 7.235 8 7 10 Jason Bargwanna Larkham Motorsport Ford Falcon (BA) 35 + 10.684 7 8 16 Paul Weel Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 35 + 11.714 17 9 2 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 35 + 19.541 14 10 20 Mark Winterbottom Larkham Motorsport Ford Falcon (BA) 35 + 20.673 11 11 9 Russell Ingall Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 35 + 22.099 1 12 5 Glenn Seton Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 35 + 22.927 18 13 1 Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 35 + 23.402 3 14 8 Paul Dumbrell Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VY) 35 + 33.390 20 15 21 Brad Jones Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 35 + 35.803 31 16 88 Paul Radisich Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BA) 35 + 36.382 9 17 50 Jason Bright Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 35 + 36.809 4 18 33 Cameron McConville Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 35 + 38.673 23 19 17 Steven Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 35 + 44.143 32 20 34 Garth Tander Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 35 + 44.344 15 21 48 Mark Noske WPS Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 35 + 45.807 27 22 18 Warren Luff Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 35 + 47.649 22 23 7 Tony Longhurst Rod Nash Racing Holden Commodore (VX) 35 + 47.995 26 24 29 Paul Morris Paul Morris Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 35 + 48.934 29 25 44 Simon Wills Team Dynamik Holden Commodore (VY) 35 + 48.985 30 26 31 Steven Ellery Steven Ellery Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 35 + 58.881 21 27 3 Jason Richards Tasman Motorsport Holden Commodore (VX) 35 + 59.222 25 28 23 David Besnard WPS Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 35 + 1:06.115 19 29 45 Dale Brede Team Dynamik Holden Commodore (VY) 34 + 1 lap 28 30 75 Anthony Tratt Paul Little Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 34 + 1 lap 24 31 021 Craig Baird Team Kiwi Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 34 + 1 lap 16 Ret 888 Max Wilson Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BA) 0 Retired 10 Fastest Lap: Russell Ingall (Stone Brothers Racing) - 1:10.1633 on lap 6 Source:
Race 3