News: Ingall runs hard then punted back to 14th, Small wins Aussie Race Cars for SCAR

Supercheap Auto Racing's Russell Ingall has finished 14th in today's first race for the Sprint Gas V8 Supercar Manufacturers Challenge at Albert Park in Melbourne.

Ingall had been running strongly in sixth position for the majority of the race, having started 11th, pressuring leading Ford driver Mark Winterbottom despite being hampered by a brake problem.

The Enforcer looked set to finish in the top half dozen, comfortably leading seventh placed Cameron McConville's Commodore, but was shuffled back on a lap 12 restart following a Safety Car period - Ford driver Jamie Whincup clipping the Supercheap Auto Racing Commodore's front wheel and bending the steering.

Ingall is again hard done by with the grid rules, as the ninth best Holden today he will line up 17th for tomorrow's race - three spots further back than his finishing spot!

Team-mate Paul Morris did not finish the race, his Supercheap Auto Racing Commodore suffering from a sticking throttle and forcing him to retire at half race distance.

Holden drew first blood in the Manufacturers Challenge, with the Toll Holden Racing Team's Garth Tander winning the race from Ford's Will Davison and the HSV Dealer Team's Rick Kelly.

Holden scored 678 points to Ford's 504 to take a convincing lead in the inaugural Manufacturers Challenge with two races remaining, one Saturday afternoon (15 laps), the final 19 lap contest Sunday afternoon just prior to the ING Australian Formula One Grand Prix.

On another bright note for the new Supercheap Auto Racing team, Ingall's race engineer, James Small, who is doing double duty by driving team owner Morris' SCAR Aussie Legend this weekend, won last night's first race and finished second in today's crashed fest contest.

Small's win follows Morris' triumph in the first round at Eastern Creek last weekend.

Russell Ingall, #39 Supercheap Auto Racing Holden Commodore VE:
"That was a disappointing end to the race; on the restart I gave Whincup enough room but he decided he wanted to be a little too ambitious and took all of it plus more. He hit the left front wheel and bent the steering and I got pushed back. It would have been nice to be further up the front to keep out of harm's way tomorrow. But, the car has been handling good and without the brake drama we could have given Winterbottom a good run. Holden won today, which was great, and we're hoping to add to the red side's points total tomorrow, although we've lost a couple grid spots again..."

Paul Morris, #67 Supercheap Auto Racing Holden Commodore VE:
"Today was a little disappointing for me, but overall we're making strides with the development of these new Supercheap Auto Commodores. Russell's doing a great job and everyone's working together well. James is also doing a ripper job in the Aussie Legend."

Sprint Gas V8 Supercar Manufacturers Challenge - Race 1 (Results)
1. Garth Tander, Toll Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VE
2. Will Davison, Jim Beam Racing Ford Falcon BF
3. Rick Kelly, HSV Dealer Team Holden Commodore VE
4. Mark Skaife, Toll Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VE
5. Mark Winterbottom, Orrcon Ford Falcon BF
6. Jamie Whincup, Team Vodafone Ford Falcon BF
7. Steven Johnson, Jim Beam Racing Ford Falcon BF
8. Cameron McConville, WOW Sight & Sound Holden Commodore VE
9. Jason Richards, Sprint Gas Racing Holden Commodore VE
10. Greg Murphy, Sprint Gas Racing Holden Commodore VE
14. Russell Ingall, Supercheap Auto Racing Holden Commodore VE
dnf Paul Morris, Supercheap Auto Racing Holden Commodore VE