The 2004 V8 Supercars Launceston round was the twelfth round of the 2004 V8 Supercar Championship Series. It was held on the weekend of 12 to 14 November at the Symmons Plains Raceway in Launceston, Tasmania. This marked the championship return to Tasmania for the first time since 1999.
Hometown hero Marcos Ambrose entered the round with an opportunity to wrap up the championship with a round to spare. He appeared on course to do so by claiming second in the first race behind Rick Kelly and winning the second. However, an engine problem in the third race meant the championship would remain alive heading into the Grande Finale at Eastern Creek. David Besnard claimed victory in the third race amidst mass confusion after a safety car order error. Greg Murphy was initially declared the winner of the race but the stewards reversed the decision and handed the win back to Besnard. This was Besnard's second and last V8 Supercar victory as well as WPS Racing's only victory in the category.
Russell Ingall claimed overall round honours with Greg Murphy in second and pole position winner Steven Richards in third.
Background The event was held on the weekend of 12 to 14 November 2004. It was the 32nd ATCC/V8 Supercar event to be held at Symmons Plains Raceway and consisted of three 100 km races with compulsory pitstops each.
During practice, both WPS Racing cars sported windscreen signage displaying the words 'No Money from Ford'. This was done at the behest of team owner Craig Gore in protest of what he perceived to be a lack of support from Ford. Both cars were quickly black-flagged and ordered to promptly remove the signage in accordance to rule B6.5.4 Conduct Prejudicial, which effectively governs the matter of bringing the sport into disrepute. Gore criticised the officials and questioned the motive of the censorship.
Marcos Ambrose entered the round as the championship leader and mathematically in with a chance to clinch the championship with a round to spare.
Entry list
There were 32 drivers entered into the event. It featured mixture of vehicle models - fifteen BA Falcon's, sixteen VY Commodore's, and one VX Commodore.
David Besnard returned to WPS Racing, taking back his drive from John McIntyre. Alex Yoong would be replaced by Owen Kelly for the remainder of the year.
Steven Ellery Racing had lost Supercheap Auto sponsorship preceding this round and thus entered with a blank livery for the final two rounds.
Alex Davison replaced Tony Longhurst at Rod Nash Racing for the remainder of the season.
Race report Qualifying Pos No Driver Team Vehicle Time 1 22 Todd Kelly Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 52.2224 2 2 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 52.3551 3 15 Rick Kelly John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 52.3858 4 888 Max Wilson Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BA) 52.4496 5 11 Steven Richards Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VY) 52.4699 6 34 Garth Tander Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 52.4776 7 50 Jason Bright Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 52.4963 8 1 Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 52.5029 9 6 Craig Lowndes Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 52.5036 10 51 Greg Murphy John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 52.5635 11 9 Russell Ingall Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 52.6413 12 5 Glenn Seton Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 52.6630 13 18 Warren Luff Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 52.6769 14 44 Simon Wills Team Dynamik Holden Commodore (VY) 52.6813 15 8 Paul Dumbrell Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VY) 52.7379 16 21 Brad Jones Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 52.7388 17 20 Mark Winterbottom Larkham Motorsport Ford Falcon (BA) 52.7660 18 10 Jason Bargwanna Larkham Motorsport Ford Falcon (BA) 52.7729 19 17 Steven Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 52.7963 20 29 Paul Morris Paul Morris Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 52.8519 21 88 Paul Radisich Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BA) 52.8790 22 31 Steven Ellery Steven Ellery Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 52.8955 23 33 Cameron McConville Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 52.9076 24 3 Jason Richards Tasman Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 52.9177 25 23 David Besnard WPS Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 52.9459 26 16 Paul Weel Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 52.9460 27 45 Dale Brede Team Dynamik Holden Commodore (VY) 53.0258 28 021 Craig Baird Team Kiwi Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 53.2328 29 7 Alex Davison Rod Nash Racing Holden Commodore (VX) 53.3399 30 75 Anthony Tratt Paul Little Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 53.3813 31 12 John Bowe Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 53.4590 105% time - 54.8335 - 48 Owen Kelly WPS Racing Ford Falcon (BA) no time Source:
Top ten shootout Pos No Driver Team Vehicle Time 1 11 Steven Richards Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VY) 52.9461 2 22 Todd Kelly Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 52.9598 3 2 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 52.9898 4 1 Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 53.1813 5 15 Rick Kelly John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 53.2054 6 34 Garth Tander Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 53.2422 7 6 Craig Lowndes Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 53.4483 8 51 Greg Murphy John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 53.6866 9 888 Max Wilson Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BA) 54.3146 EXC 50 Jason Bright Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VY) time excluded Source:
Race 1 Pos No Driver Team Car Laps Time/Retired Grid 1 15 Rick Kelly John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 42 38:16.1351 5 2 1 Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 2.358 4 3 22 Todd Kelly Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 42 + 2.968 2 4 11 Steven Richards Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VY) 42 + 4.157 1 5 34 Garth Tander Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 42 + 12.561 6 6 6 Craig Lowndes Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 14.757 7 7 9 Russell Ingall Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 16.309 11 8 23 David Besnard WPS Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 21.144 25 9 88 Paul Radisich Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 21.791 21 10 50 Jason Bright Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 42 + 22.380 10 11 51 Greg Murphy John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 42 + 31.170 8 12 21 Brad Jones Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 34.836 16 13 17 Steven Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 40.994 19 14 31 Steven Ellery Steven Ellery Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 41.329 22 15 33 Cameron McConville Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 42 + 43.478 23 16 18 Warren Luff Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 45.900 13 17 12 John Bowe Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 47.424 31 18 16 Paul Weel Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 42 + 48.760 26 19 20 Mark Winterbottom Larkham Motorsport Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 49.041 17 20 7 Alex Davison Rod Nash Racing Holden Commodore (VX) 42 + 49.699 29 21 75 Anthony Tratt Paul Little Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 42 + 50.426 30 22 10 Jason Bargwanna Larkham Motorsport Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 52.748 18 23 48 Owen Kelly WPS Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 41 + 1 lap 32 24 8 Paul Dumbrell Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VY) 41 + 1 lap 15 25 3 Jason Richards Tasman Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 41 + 1 lap 24 26 888 Max Wilson Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BA) 41 + 1 lap 9 27 021 Craig Baird Team Kiwi Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 41 + 1 lap 28 28 5 Glenn Seton Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 41 + 1 lap 12 Ret 2 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 36 Spun off 3 Ret 45 Dale Brede Team Dynamik Holden Commodore (VY) 17 Mechanical 27 Ret 44 Simon Wills Team Dynamik Holden Commodore (VY) 11 Engine 14 Ret 29 Paul Morris Paul Morris Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 0 Accident damage 20 Fastest Lap: Garth Tander (Garry Rogers Motorsport) - 52.8140 on lap 9 Source:
Race 2 Pos No Driver Team Car Laps Time/Retired Grid 1 1 Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 42 40:46.9976 2 2 15 Rick Kelly John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 42 + 1.763 1 3 22 Todd Kelly Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 42 + 2.057 3 4 51 Greg Murphy John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 42 + 3.600 11 5 9 Russell Ingall Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 4.023 7 6 6 Craig Lowndes Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 4.432 6 7 33 Cameron McConville Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 42 + 5.133 15 8 31 Steven Ellery Steven Ellery Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 9.658 14 9 21 Brad Jones Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 11.496 12 10 17 Steven Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 13.224 13 11 10 Jason Bargwanna Larkham Motorsport Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 16.022 22 12 18 Warren Luff Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 16.470 16 13 11 Steven Richards Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VY) 42 + 17.710 4 14 12 John Bowe Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 18.284 17 15 888 Max Wilson Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 18.705 26 16 44 Simon Wills Team Dynamik Holden Commodore (VY) 42 + 19.146 31 17 20 Mark Winterbottom Larkham Motorsport Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 19.530 19 18 45 Dale Brede Team Dynamik Holden Commodore (VY) 42 + 20.175 30 19 5 Glenn Seton Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 20.461 28 20 7 Alex Davison Rod Nash Racing Holden Commodore (VX) 42 + 22.532 20 21 88 Paul Radisich Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 23.927 9 22 48 Owen Kelly WPS Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 42 + 24.518 23 23 8 Paul Dumbrell Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VY) 42 + 25.587 24 24 50 Jason Bright Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 42 + 33.470 10 25 3 Jason Richards Tasman Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 41 + 1 lap 25 26 75 Anthony Tratt Paul Little Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 41 + 1 lap 21 27 16 Paul Weel Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 41 + 1 lap 18 28 34 Garth Tander Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 41 + 1 lap 5 29 23 David Besnard WPS Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 38 + 4 laps 8 30 29 Paul Morris Paul Morris Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 36 + 6 laps 32 Ret 2 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 33 Accident damage 29 Ret 021 Craig Baird Team Kiwi Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 21 Mechanical 27 Fastest Lap: Todd Kelly (Holden Racing Team) - 52.7395 on lap 6 Source:
Race 3