The 2008 BigPond 400 was the fourth round of the 2008 V8 Supercar season. It was held on the weekend of 9 to 11 May at Barbagallo Raceway in Wanneroo, north of Perth, Western Australia.
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Saturday 10 May. Mark Winterbottom snatched pole position away from Mark Skaife in the final seconds of qualifying, which had to that point looked like an all-Holden Racing Team front row with Garth Tander just behind his teammate. Craig Lowndes qualified fourth for Triple Eight Race Engineering. James Courtney debuted a new Stone Brothers Racing Falcon in fifth place. Todd Kelly likewise made a stellar debut with a new car, qualifying eighth. Jamie Whincup racing the repaired Craig Lowndes car from the Clipsal 500 was a disappointing 22nd, starting alongside fellow points front runner Lee Holdsworth.
Race 1 Race 1 was held on Saturday 10 May. Mark Winterbottom took his second race victory of the year, a surprisingly comfortable win ahead of the HRT pair of Mark Skaife and Garth Tander. Tander was pushed hard by Steven Richards and Craig Lowndes. A collision at race start saw Jason Bright touch Greg Murphy who in turn made contact with Michael Caruso, sending Bright and Caruso out of control towards turn 7, where crossing the track Caruso struck Shane van Gisbergen. The incident triggered a safety car. Jamie Whincup and Will Davison charged through to seventh and eight positions from poor qualifying places. James Courtney was fighting amongst that group but fading rear tyres led Courtney to attempt defensive moves that raised the ire of race control, leading to first the bad sportsmanship flag, then a black flag drive through penalty which dropped him down field.
Race 2 Race 2 was held on Sunday 11 May. Winterbottom backed it up with a second race victory, pushed all the way by Garth Tander. Jason Richards missed the start with engine problems. A slow start from Mark Skaife off the front row saw a collision with Steven Richards at turn 3 of the first lap. Skaife broadsided the wall but Richards attempted to continue with a punctured left rear tyre, limping back to the pits. Russell Ingall result was caused by a drive-through penalty for pit-lane speeding. Lee Holdsworth was pinged for a drive-through for an unsafe pitstop release, emerging onto the track as rain began to fall and made contact with Paul Dumbrell. Cameron McConville slithered into the stopped cars. Ingall, likewise put down-field by his penalty stop damaged his steering in a clash with race leader Jamie Whincup as Ingall was being lapped. Ingall later picked up a $5,000 fine for careless driving. Whincup stayed out during the brief rain squall, and took advantage of being able to pitstop at a better time, jumping back into the field in third place, right in front of teammate Craig Lowndes, the Triple Eight Race Engineering pair race to the finish together. James Courtney recovered from race 1 dramas to finish seventh while Steven Richards recovered to ninth position falling just short of overtaking Todd Kelly. Shane van Gisbergen's repaired Falcon just made the top ten.
Race 3 Race 3 was held on Sunday 11 May. An early race clash between Russell Ingall and Jason Richards, saw Richards into the pits with a front left puncture and a flapping door for Ingall. Ingall then subsequently picked up his second pit lane speeding infringement of the weekend.
Results Results as follows:
Qualifying Pos No Name Car Team Part 3 Part 2 Part 115 Mark WinterbottomFord BF FalconFord Performance Racing0:56.436222 Mark SkaifeHolden VE CommodoreHolden Racing Team0:56.478631 Garth TanderHolden VE CommodoreHolden Racing Team0:56.58914888 Craig LowndesFord BF FalconTriple Eight Race Engineering0:56.729454 James CourtneyFord BF FalconStone Brothers Racing0:56.8055 66 Steven RichardsFord BF FalconFord Performance Racing0:56.8862715 Rick KellyHolden VE CommodoreHSV Dealer Team0:56.966087 Todd KellyHolden VE CommodorePerkins Engineering0:56.9664916 Paul DumbrellHolden VE CommodoreHSV Dealer Team0:57.0601109 Shane van GisbergenFord BF FalconStone Brothers Racing0:57.3704113 Jason RichardsHolden VE CommodoreTasman Motorsport0:57.02681234 Michael CarusoHolden VE CommodoreGarry Rogers Motorsport0:57.03381314 Cameron McConvilleHolden VE CommodoreBrad Jones Racing0:57.04721439 Russell IngallHolden VE CommodorePaul Morris Motorsport0:57.06191525 Jason BrightFord BF FalconBritek Motorsport0:57.09581651 Greg MurphyHolden VE CommodoreTasman Motorsport0:57.19331718 Will DavisonFord BF FalconDick Johnson Racing0:57.21481812 Andrew JonesHolden VE CommodoreBrad Jones Racing0:57.25491950 Andrew ThompsonHolden VE CommodorePaul Weel Racing0:57.30612026 Marcus MarshallFord BF FalconBritek Motorsport0:57.57352133 Lee HoldsworthHolden VE CommodoreGarry Rogers Motorsport0:57.27792288 Jamie WhincupFord BF FalconTriple Eight Race Engineering0:57.280623111 Fabian CoulthardFord BF FalconPaul Cruickshank Racing0:57.28122417 Steven JohnsonFord BF FalconDick Johnson Racing0:57.28422567 Paul MorrisHolden VE CommodorePaul Morris Motorsport0:57.30502611 Shane PriceHolden VE CommodorePerkins Engineering0:57.317627777 Michael PatriziFord BF FalconFord Rising Stars Racing0:57.09582855 Tony D'AlbertoHolden VE CommodoreRod Nash Racing0:57.745429021 Kayne ScottFord BF FalconTeam Kiwi Racing0:59.0170
Race 1 results Pos No Name Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Points15 Mark WinterbottomFord Performance Racing5053:09.6602110022 Mark SkaifeHolden Racing Team50+2.6s29231 Garth TanderHolden Racing Team50+5.9s38646 Steven RichardsFord Performance Racing50+6.2s6805888 Craig LowndesTriple Eight Race Engineering50+7.7s474615 Rick KellyHSV Dealer Team50+14.7s768788 Jamie WhincupTriple Eight Race Engineering50+15.8s2264818 Will DavisonDick Johnson Racing50+18.0s176097 Todd KellyPerkins Engineering50+22.2s8561014 Cameron McConvilleBrad Jones Racing50+24.3s13521139 Russell IngallPaul Morris Motorsport50+27.6s14481251 Greg MurphyTasman Motorsport50+30.8s16461317 Steven JohnsonDick Johnson Racing50+30.9s24441412 Andrew JonesBrad Jones Racing50+32.0s18421516 Paul DumbrellHSV Dealer Team50+32.8s9401667 Paul MorrisPaul Morris Motorsport50+34.0s253817111 Fabian CoulthardPaul Cruickshank Racing50+36.2s23361811 Shane PricePerkins Engineering50+37.1s263419777 Michael PatriziFord Rising Stars Racing50+42.0s2732204 James CourtneyStone Brothers Racing50+45.4s5302155 Tony D'AlbertoRod Nash Racing50+45.6s28282226 Marcus MarshallBritek Motorsport49+ 1 Lap202623021 Kayne ScottTeam Kiwi Racing49+ 1 Lap29242433 Lee HoldsworthGarry Rogers Motorsport49+ 1 Lap2122DNF3 Jason RichardsTasman Motorsport22Engine11DNF50 Andrew ThompsonPaul Weel Racing7Engine19DNF9 Shane van GisbergenStone Brothers Racing0Collision10DNF34 Michael CarusoGarry Rogers Motorsport0Collision12DNF25 Jason BrightBritek Motorsport0Collision15
Race 2 results Pos No Name Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Points15 Mark WinterbottomFord Performance Racing5053:34.4946110021 Garth TanderHolden Racing Team50+1.6s392388 Jamie WhincupTriple Eight Race Engineering50+4.0s7864888 Craig LowndesTriple Eight Race Engineering50+5.1s580515 Rick KellyHSV Dealer Team50+14.3s674618 Will DavisonDick Johnson Racing50+14.6s86874 James CourtneyStone Brothers Racing50+22.3s206487 Todd KellyPerkins Engineering50+25.0s96096 Steven RichardsFord Performance Racing50+25.1s456109 Shane van GisbergenStone Brothers Racing50+28.3s27521112 Andrew JonesBrad Jones Racing50+32.3s144812111 Fabian CoulthardPaul Cruickshank Racing50+32.7s17461317 Steven JohnsonDick Johnson Racing50+33.7s13441425 Jason BrightBritek Motorsport50+38.7s29421551 Greg MurphyTasman Motorsport50+39.2s12401634 Michael CarusoGarry Rogers Motorsport50+39.7s28381726 Marcus MarshallBritek Motorsport50+47.7s22361850 Andrew ThompsonPaul Weel Racing50+47.9s26341911 Shane PricePerkins Engineering50+52.5s18322055 Tony D'AlbertoRod Nash Racing49+ 1 Lap213021777 Michael PatriziFord Rising Stars Racing49+ 1 Lap19282216 Paul DumbrellHSV Dealer Team49+ 1 Lap15262333 Lee HoldsworthGarry Rogers Motorsport49+ 1 Lap242424021 Kayne ScottTeam Kiwi Racing49+ 1 Lap23222567 Paul MorrisPaul Morris Motorsport45+ 5 Laps1620DNF39 Russell IngallPaul Morris Motorsport17Steering11DNF14 Cameron McConvilleBrad Jones Racing17Collision10DNF2 Mark SkaifeHolden Racing Team0Collision2DNS3 Jason RichardsTasman Motorsport0Engine25
Race 3 results Pos No Name Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Points15 Mark WinterbottomFord Performance Racing5049:06.2004110021 Garth TanderHolden Racing Team50+4.1s292388 Jamie WhincupTriple Eight Race Engineering50+4.8s3864888 Craig LowndesTriple Eight Race Engineering50+17.2s480518 Will DavisonDick Johnson Racing50+19.9s674615 Rick KellyHSV Dealer Team50+20.9s56876 Steven RichardsFord Performance Racing50+21.1s96484 James CourtneyStone Brothers Racing50+23.1s7609111 Fabian CoulthardPaul Cruickshank Racing50+24.7s12561014 Cameron McConvilleBrad Jones Racing50+26.0s26521167 Paul MorrisPaul Morris Motorsport50+26.7s2548129 Shane van GisbergenStone Brothers Racing50+29.5s10461325 Jason BrightBritek Motorsport50+33.6s14441412 Andrew JonesBrad Jones Racing50+35.5s11421517 Steven JohnsonDick Johnson Racing50+42.4s13401616 Paul DumbrellHSV Dealer Team50+42.7s22381734 Michael CarusoGarry Rogers Motorsport50+43.2s16361850 Andrew ThompsonPaul Weel Racing50+43.5s18341926 Marcus MarshallBritek Motorsport50+58.0s173220777 Michael PatriziFord Rising Stars Racing49+ 1 Lap21302151 Greg MurphyTasman Motorsport49+ 1 Lap15282355 Tony D'AlbertoRod Nash Racing48+ 2 Laps20242439 Russell IngallPaul Morris Motorsport48+ 2 Laps2722DNF7 Todd KellyPerkins Engineering38Electrical8DNF021 Kayne ScottTeam Kiwi Racing13Steering24DNF11 Shane PricePerkins Engineering919DNF33 Lee HoldsworthGarry Rogers Motorsport7Steering23DNS3 Jason RichardsTasman Motorsport0Engine28DNS2 Mark SkaifeHolden Racing Team
Standings After round 4 of 14 Pos No Name Team Points11 Garth TanderHolden Racing Team896215 Rick KellyHSV Dealer Team88235 Mark WinterbottomFord Performance Racing872488 Jamie WhincupTriple Eight Race Engineering77656 Steven RichardsFord Performance Racing721
Support categories The 2008 BigPond 400 had four support categories. Category Round winner Australian Carrera Cup Championship Craig Baird (Porsche 997 GT3 Cup) V8 Utes Grant Johnson (Holden VE Ute SS) Mini Challenge Australia Damien White (Mini Cooper S) Historic Touring Cars Paul Stubber (Chevrolet Camaro)
References
External links Official timing and results