News: Russell Ingall fifth at Grand Prix while team boss Paul Morris hails his rising Supercheap Auto Racing team

Russell Ingall has scored an overall top five finish for the new Supercheap Auto Racing Holden V8 Supercar team in the inaugural Sprint Gas V8 Supercar Manufacturers Challenge at the ING Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

The result in the non-championship event comes just one week after Ingall finished seventh at the second round of the '08 season at Sydney's Eastern Creek Raceway.

In sweltering heat for today's final showdown, Ingall - who moved forward one row on the grid overnight after fellow Holden driver Cameron McConville was given a post race penalty for Race 2 - again made a storming start, moving from ninth to seventh by the end of lap 1.

Ingall then moved another spot further forward when Ford drivers Jamie Whincup and Mark Winterbottom became involved in a stoush over racing room, Winterbottom's car coming to rest against the safety barriers. The Enforcer subsequently inherited fifth when Whincup received a drive-thru penalty and retired from the race - Ingall pressuring the Toll Holden Racing Team's Mark Skaife until the chequered flag fell two laps early on lap 17.

Team owner Paul Morris didn't enjoy as good a day, the #67 SCAR Commodore suffering brake dramas - a common problem this weekend - Morris retiring his car after six laps rather than risking unnecessary damage.

Holden dominated the inaugural Manufacturer's Challenge, winning with 2012 points to Ford' s 1568 - Toll HRT's Garth Tander clean sweeping qualifying, the top 10 shootout and the three races. Ford driver and Eastern Creek winner Will Davison finished second in all three races, while former champion Rick Kelly claimed the final podium spot today.

The next round of the 2008 V8 Supercar Championship Series is the inaugural Hamilton street race in New Zealand on 18-20 April.

Russell Ingall, #39 Supercheap Auto Racing Holden Commodore VE:
"Fifth today and fifth overall for the weekend is another good result for our new Supercheap Auto Racing team. We're mixing it with the top half dozen cars and this weekend proved Eastern Creek wasn't a fluke. We're ready to take the next step and that's challenging for front row spots and podiums - so we're ahead of schedule. We're hoping to test before Hamilton (New Zealand) and the fact no one has any data for that race could work to our favor. The three weeks before then will be put to good use; our boys have been on the gas for the past couple months and the past two weeks on the road away from home - the past month has definitely been harder on the Queensland based teams. Development stops a little, but we'll get back to the shop recharge the batteries - that alone will make a difference - and get back into getting an even better handle on our cars and come out fighting in NZ."

Paul Morris, #67 Supercheap Auto Racing Holden Commodore VE:
"The weekend was great for Supercheap Auto Racing, awesome! Considering Russell kept moving forward and the silly rules kept putting him back on the grid it was a bloody good job. We had our problems - in today's race I pushed hard early and smoked the brakes, and they didn't come back, so there really wasn't any point risking the car - but from the team's point of view overall we've proved the cars are capable. We've got work planned to continue our development before Hamilton, some of it from our trip to the US in January, so to come away from Albert Park without any damage is good. There were a couple guys out there doing unnecessary damage, so it was good to stay away from all that. On another note, Russell's engineer, James Small ran our Supercheap Auto Aussie Racing Car this weekend and did a fantastic job. James has put a lot of work in since he joined the team and his first passion is driving, so we gave him a bit of a reward by letting him race this weekend. To come away with a podium and two race wins was awesome!"

Sprint Gas V8 Supercar Manufacturers Challenge - Race 3 (Results)
1. Garth Tander, Toll Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VE
2. Will Davison, Jim Beam Racing Ford Falcon BF
3. Rick Kelly, Opes Prime HSV Dealer Team Holden Commodore VE
4. Mark Skaife, Toll Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VE
5. Russell Ingall, Supercheap Auto Racing Holden Commodore VE
6. Steven Richards, Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon BF
7. James Courtney, Jeld-Wen Motorsport Ford Falcon BF
8. Cameron McConville, WOW Sight & Sound Racing Holden Commodore VE
9. Steven Johnson, Jim Beam Racing Ford Falcon BF
10. Craig Lowndes, Team Vodafone Ford Falcon BF
18. Todd Kelly, Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore VE
21. Shane Price, Jack Daniel's Racing Holden Commodore VE
dnf. Paul Morris, Supercheap Auto Racing Holden Commodore VE

Sprint Gas V8 Supercar Manufacturers Challenge - Top 10 (Overall Points): 1. Tander - 300; 2. Davison - 276; 3. R Kelly - 252; 4. Skaife - 228; 5. Ingall - 176; 6. McConville - 172; 7. Johnson - 160; 8. Winterbottom - 160; 9. Holdsworth - 150; 10. J Richards - 148; 29. Morris - 30.