This is an interactive exploration of the 2001 Australian V8 Ultimate, based on historical racing data. Explore the source data here. (opens in new tab)

Sandown Showdown

A deep dive into the thrilling conclusion of the 2001 Shell Championship Series at Sandown International Raceway.

Event Details 👇 Race Results 🏆

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Event Overview

Season Finale

The 2001 Australian V8 Ultimate marked the thirteenth and final round of the prestigious 2001 Shell Championship Series. This event was crucial in determining the season's ultimate champions.

Location & Date

The championship culminated on the weekend of 1-2 December 2001, at the iconic Sandown International Raceway in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Weather Conditions

Competitors faced a challenging weekend. Friday and Saturday offered fine conditions, but Sunday's racing was significantly impacted by heavy rain, testing the drivers' skill and the cars' handling.

The Venue: Sandown

Sandown International Raceway

Sandown International Raceway, located in the suburb of Springvale, Victoria, is one of Australia's premier motorsport venues. Known for its challenging layout, it features a mix of fast straights and technical corners, demanding precision and bravery from drivers.

Track Configuration

The circuit typically used for V8 Supercars events is approximately 3.104 kilometers (1.929 miles) in length. Its demanding nature, especially in adverse weather, makes it a true test of driver and machine.

Vehicle Specifications

The series featured powerful V8-powered touring cars, primarily the Holden Commodore (VX) and Ford Falcon (AU) models. These rear-wheel-drive machines are renowned for their thunderous engines and competitive spirit.

Qualifying Performance

Pole Position Battle

The fight for pole position was intense, with drivers pushing their machines to the absolute limit. Mark Skaife of the Holden Racing Team secured the prime starting spot with a blistering lap time.

Pos No Driver Team Vehicle Time
1 1 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VX) 1:11.2564
2 51 Greg Murphy Kmart Racing Team Holden Commodore (VX) 1:11.3574
3 15 Todd Kelly Kmart Racing Team Holden Commodore (VX) 1:11.4480
4 4 Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 1:11.4927
5 2 Jason Bright Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VX) 1:11.5005
6 8 Russell Ingall Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VX) 1:11.7299
7 18 Paul Radisich Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 1:11.7426
8 31 Steven Ellery Steven Ellery Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 1:11.7790
9 5 Glenn Seton Glenn Seton Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 1:11.9256
10 11 Larry Perkins Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VX) 1:12.0316
11 6 Steven Richards Glenn Seton Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 1:12.2845
12 9 David Besnard Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 1:12.2946
13 29 Paul Morris Paul Morris Motorsport Holden Commodore (VX) 1:12.3404
14 00 Craig Lowndes Gibson Motorsport Ford Falcon (AU) 1:12.3617
15 600 Simon Wills Briggs Motor Sport Ford Falcon (AU) 1:12.8046

Race Weekend Action

Race 1: Wet Weather Challenge

The opening race was significantly affected by heavy rain, leading to a tactical battle and a victory for Todd Kelly driving for the Kmart Racing Team. Mark Skaife, who started on pole, finished third, while Craig Lowndes secured second place.

Pos No Driver Team Vehicle Laps Time Grid
1 15 Todd Kelly Kmart Racing Team Holden Commodore (VX) 48 1hr 12min 49.5203sec 3
2 00 Craig Lowndes Gibson Motorsport Ford Falcon (AU) 48 + 10.481 s 2
3 1 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VX) 48 + 18.032 s 1
4 4 Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 48 + 36.186 s 6
5 18 Paul Radisich Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 48 + 37.706 s 20
6 35 Jason Bargwanna Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VX) 48 + 51.329 s 9
7 6 Steven Richards Glenn Seton Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 48 + 59.882 s 15
8 021 Jason Richards Team Kiwi Racing Holden Commodore (VT) 48 + 1:03.875 s 19
9 31 Steven Ellery Steven Ellery Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 48 + 1:07.592 s 11
10 2 Jason Bright Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VX) 47 + 1 lap 5
11 21 Brad Jones Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 47 + 1 lap 10
12 46 John Faulkner John Faulkner Racing Holden Commodore (VT) 47 + 1 lap 29
13 9 David Besnard Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 47 + 1 lap 14
14 600 Simon Wills Briggs Motor Sport Ford Falcon (AU) 47 + 1 lap 18
15 43 Paul Weel Paul Weel Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 47 + 1 lap 21

Race 2: Improved Conditions

As conditions improved, Race 2 saw Todd Kelly claim another victory for Kmart Racing, demonstrating consistent pace. Greg Murphy finished second, and Craig Lowndes completed the podium in third.

Pos No Driver Team Vehicle Laps Time Grid
1 15 Todd Kelly Kmart Racing Team Holden Commodore (VX) 48 1hr 12min 49.5203sec 3
2 51 Greg Murphy Kmart Racing Team Holden Commodore (VX) 48 + 10.481 s 8
3 00 Craig Lowndes Gibson Motorsport Ford Falcon (AU) 48 + 16.660 s 2
4 1 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VX) 48 + 18.032 s 1
5 4 Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 48 + 36.186 s 6
6 18 Paul Radisich Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 48 + 37.706 s 20
7 35 Jason Bargwanna Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VX) 48 + 51.329 s 9
8 6 Steven Richards Glenn Seton Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 48 + 59.882 s 15
9 021 Jason Richards Team Kiwi Racing Holden Commodore (VT) 48 + 1:03.875 s 19
10 31 Steven Ellery Steven Ellery Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 48 + 1:07.592 s 11
11 2 Jason Bright Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VX) 47 + 1 lap 5
12 21 Brad Jones Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 47 + 1 lap 10
13 46 John Faulkner John Faulkner Racing Holden Commodore (VT) 47 + 1 lap 29
14 9 David Besnard Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 47 + 1 lap 14
15 600 Simon Wills Briggs Motor Sport Ford Falcon (AU) 47 + 1 lap 15

Race 3: Season Climax

The final race of the season saw Craig Lowndes of Gibson Motorsport take a commanding victory. Marcos Ambrose secured second place, with Todd Kelly rounding out the podium, capping off a strong weekend for him.

Pos No Driver Team Vehicle Laps Time Grid
1 00 Craig Lowndes Gibson Motorsport Ford Falcon (AU) 48 1hr 11min 05.3245sec 3
2 4 Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 48 + 1.926 s 5
3 15 Todd Kelly Kmart Racing Team Holden Commodore (VX) 48 + 3.003 s 1
4 2 Jason Bright Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VX) 48 + 12.428 s 11
5 29 Paul Morris Paul Morris Motorsport Holden Commodore (VX) 48 + 13.275 s 27
6 8 Russell Ingall Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VX) 48 + 26.345 s 23
7 255 Rick Kelly Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VX) 48 + 47.018 s 22
8 11 Larry Perkins Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VX) 48 + 47.868 s 30
9 600 Simon Wills Briggs Motor Sport Ford Falcon (AU) 48 + 48.137 s 15
10 46 John Faulkner John Faulkner Racing Holden Commodore (VT) 48 + 48.901 s 13
11 21 Brad Jones Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 48 + 49.902 s 12
12 35 Jason Bargwanna Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VX) 48 + 50.483 s 7
13 17 Steven Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 48 + 1:03.520 s 28
14 31 Steven Ellery Steven Ellery Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 48 + 1:10.273 s 11
15 9 David Besnard Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (AU) 48 + 1:11.937 s 14

Championship Standings

Season Title Secured

The 2001 Shell Championship Series concluded with Mark Skaife dominating the championship standings, a testament to his consistent performance throughout the season.

Pos No Driver Team Points
1 1 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team 3478
2 8 Russell Ingall Perkins Engineering 2875
3 2 Jason Bright Holden Racing Team 2819
4 51 Greg Murphy Kmart Racing Team 2724
5 17 Steven Johnson Dick Johnson Racing 2532

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References

References

A full list of references for this article are available at the 2001 Australian V8 Ultimate Wikipedia page

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Disclaimer

Important Notice

This page has been generated by an AI and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The content is derived from historical motorsport data and may not reflect all nuances or official records.

This is not official race commentary or analysis. The information provided is a summary and should not be used as a substitute for official race reports or professional motorsport analysis. Always consult official sources for definitive results and data.

The creators of this page are not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for any actions taken based on the information provided herein.