Johnson back on the Podium at Winton
Jim Beams Racings’ Steven Johnson finished third to take his first podium this year.
Johnson qualified second earlier in the day to share front row with Team Vodafone’s Craig Lowndes, and got the jump on the pole sitter after a perfect star only to be pulled up by a safety car on lap.
With a solid restart Johnson began to pull away from Holdsworth and Whincup who challenged Johnson for most of the race.
After coming out of his pit stop on lap 14 Johnson nearly came unstuck at Turns 1 and 3 which cost him time in his chase to pull in Holdsworth and Whincup who got the jump on Johnson by taking earlier pit stops.
But Johnson didn’t relent in the back of the race nearly covering Holdsworth at the finish line missing his target by 3/100th to take third.
“Today was a great result for all the team at Jim Beam Racing” said Johnson at the press conference.
“We are making some major in- roads on the pace of the car and we started off the year probably missing more podiums but that is part and parcel of racing”.
"I had a pretty good in lap to pit and then fired down to Turn 1 after the stop and locked it up. I almost went off again at Turn 3 so the two combined cost some time."
“But we are heading in the right direction and the team is working really well.”
Team mate James Moffat qualified in P21 and immediately gained places off the start.
Moffat continued to challenge with consistent lap times coming in later on lap 20. With some minor issues with the rear brakes, Moffat ended the race in P19 after a late race incident on the final lap.
Qualifying is at 10.05 tomorrow with Race 12 to start at 1.05pm.
Jim Beams Racings’ Steven Johnson finished third to take his first podium this year.
Johnson qualified second earlier in the day to share front row with Team Vodafone’s Craig Lowndes, and got the jump on the pole sitter after a perfect star only to be pulled up by a safety car on lap.
With a solid restart Johnson began to pull away from Holdsworth and Whincup who challenged Johnson for most of the race.
After coming out of his pit stop on lap 14 Johnson nearly came unstuck at Turns 1 and 3 which cost him time in his chase to pull in Holdsworth and Whincup who got the jump on Johnson by taking earlier pit stops.
But Johnson didn’t relent in the back of the race nearly covering Holdsworth at the finish line missing his target by 3/100th to take third.
“Today was a great result for all the team at Jim Beam Racing” said Johnson at the press conference.
“We are making some major in- roads on the pace of the car and we started off the year probably missing more podiums but that is part and parcel of racing”.
"I had a pretty good in lap to pit and then fired down to Turn 1 after the stop and locked it up. I almost went off again at Turn 3 so the two combined cost some time."
“But we are heading in the right direction and the team is working really well.”
Team mate James Moffat qualified in P21 and immediately gained places off the start.
Moffat continued to challenge with consistent lap times coming in later on lap 20. With some minor issues with the rear brakes, Moffat ended the race in P19 after a late race incident on the final lap.
Qualifying is at 10.05 tomorrow with Race 12 to start at 1.05pm.