Staff, Monday December 4, 2006.
The BA Ford Falcon, the most successful racecar in Australian Touring Car Championship history will take to the track for the last time at the final round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series, the Caterpillar Grand Finale at Phillip Island on 8-10 December.
From 2007 Ford will campaign the BF MkII Falcon on racetracks in the V8 Supercar Championship Series. The Touringcar Entrants Group of Australia (TEGA) has approved the BF MkII for racing from round #1 at Adelaide in March.
Since its debut in 2003, the BA Falcon has set the standard in V8 Supercar racing. It’s taken 29 round wins, three Drivers’ titles, three Teams’ championships, and most importantly to Ford, three Manufacturers’ trophies.
The next best record is the Holden Commodore VT with 26 round wins.
Leading the charge for Ford during this period has been Stone Brothers Racing. With star driver Marcos Ambrose and his Pirtek Racing Falcon winning two titles, 13 round wins and 10 pole positions. Meanwhile his team-mate Russell Ingall (Caltex Racing) took the 2005 Drivers’ title and four rounds wins.
The other star has been without doubt Craig Lowndes. Lowndes is the only driver to win in a BA Falcon for two teams, CAT Ford Performance Racing and Team Betta Electrical. Lowndes has collected nine round wins, including Bathurst this year with Jamie Whincup, and five pole positions. He’s currently just seven-points behind Rick Kelly in the 2006 title chase.
At the most recent round in Bahrain Jason Bright (CAT Ford Performance Racing) scored his second win aboard the BA Falcon and secured the Manufacturers’ title again for Ford.
Developed in-house at Ford during late 2001 and 2002, the BA Falcon was the first factory built racecar since the XA GT Falcon in 1974. Ironically it was the late Howard Marsden who led both programs. It was through his vision of developing a strong group of Ford teams that the BA has enjoyed continued success.
The new BF MkII Falcon will feature an updated aerodynamic package in-line with the introduction of the VE Commodore.
“It’s been a great workhorse for Ford,” said Ford Racing Manager Ray Price.
“Under the leadership of the late Howard Marsden the BA Falcon’s development for racing meant that it really did hit the track running.
“Despite his passing in 2003 his legacy has continued and importantly a lot of the things he put in place continue through to today and the future. This includes a direction in race engineering headed by Steve Hoinville who worked on the BA, the BF MkII and has been part of the group working on the next-generation Falcon.
“The BF MkII was developed with input from all the Ford teams and the result is a racecar that will again be a great competitor against the new Commodore.
“The BF MkII won’t be on track for four seasons like the BA, but it will be a formidable piece of equipment for the Ford teams.
“TEGA is now in the process of finalising all the necessary updates for the BF MkII and that will be supplied to Ford teams to test ahead of the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide on 1-4 March”.
Although not eligible for the V8 Supercar Championship Series, the BA Falcon will continue to be raced in the Fujitsu (Development) V8 Series. The BA Falcon won the 2005 title with Dean Canto and is also the vehicle driven by 2006 Fujitsu Series leader Adam Macrow.
Ford BA V8 Supercar round wins : 2003-2006*2003
Ford – V8 Supercar Manufacturers’ Champion
Marcos Ambrose – V8 Supercar Drivers’ Champion
Stone Brothers Racing – V8 Supercar Teams’ Champion
1. Craig Lowndes – CAT FPR – Rd #2 Phillip Island (Vic)
2. Marcos Ambrose – Pirtek Racing – Rd #3 Eastern Creek (NSW)
3. Marcos Ambrose – Pirtek Racing – Rd #4 Winton (Vic)
4. Marcos Ambrose – Pirtek Racing – Rd #5 Barbagallo (WA)
5. Marcos Ambrose – Pirtek Racing – Rd #6 Hidden Valley (NT)
6. Russell Ingall – Caltex Racing – Rd #7 Willowbank (Qld)
7. Marcos Ambrose – Pirtek Racing – Rd #8 Oran Park (NSW)
8. Russell Ingall – Caltex Racing – Rd #11 Surfers Paradise (Qld)
9. Marcos Ambrose – Pirtek Racing – Rd #13 Eastern Creek (NSW)
2004
Marcos Ambrose – V8 Supercar Drivers’ Champion
Stone Brothers Racing – V8 Supercar Teams’ Champion
10. Marcos Ambrose – Pirtek Racing – Rd #1 Adelaide (SA)
11. Marcos Ambrose – Pirtek Racing – Rd #6 Willowbank (Qld)
12. Marcos Ambrose – Pirtek Racing – Rd #8 Oran Park (NSW)
13. Marcos Ambrose/Greg Ritter – Pirtek Racing – Rd #9 Sandown (Vic)
14. Russell Ingall – Caltex Racing – Rd #12 Symmons Plains (Tas)
15. Marcos Ambrose – Pirtek Racing – Rd #13 Eastern Creek (NSW)
2005
Ford – V8 Supercar Manufacturers’ Champion
Russell Ingall – V8 Supercar Drivers’ Champion
Stone Brothers Racing – V8 Supercar Teams’ Champion
16. Marcos Ambrose – Pirtek Racing – Rd #1 Adelaide (SA)
17. Craig Lowndes – Team Betta Electrical – Rd #4 Eastern Creek (NSW)
18. Craig Lowndes – Team Betta Electrical – Rd #7 Willowbank (Qld)
19. Russell Ingall – Caltex Racing – Rd #8 Oran Park (NSW)
20. Craig Lowndes/Yvan Muller – Team Betta Electrical – Rd #9 Sandown (Vic)
21. Craig Lowndes – Team Betta Electrical – Rd #11 Surfers Paradise (Qld)
22. Marcos Ambrose – Pirtek Racing – Rd #13 Phillip Island (Vic)
2006
Ford – V8 Supercar Manufacturers’ Champion
23.Jamie Whincup – Team Betta Electrical- Rd #1 Adelaide (SA)
24. Craig Lowndes – Team Betta Electrical – Rd #4 Winton (Vic)
25. Craig Lowndes – Team Betta Electrical – Rd #5 Hidden Valley (NT)
26. Craig Lowndes – Team Betta Electrical – Rd #7 Oran Park (NSW)
27. Jason Bright/Mark Winterbottom – CAT FPR – Rd #8 Sandown (Vic)
28. Craig Lowndes/Jamie Whincup – Team Betta Electrical – Rd #9 Bathurst (NSW)
29. Jason Bright – CAT FPR – Rd#12 BIC (Bahrain)
Marcos Ambrose – Pirtek Racing: 13
Craig Lowndes – Team Betta Electrical/CAT FPR : 9
Russell Ingall – Caltex Racing : 4
Jamie Whincup – Team Betta Electrical : 2
Jason Bright – CAT FPR : 2
Mark Winterbottom – CAT FPR : 1
Greg Ritter – Pirtek Racing : 1
Yvan Muller – Team Betta Eletrcial : 1
Podium Results
23 x second placings
18 x third placings
Stone Brothers Racing (Pirtek Racing/Caltex Racing) : 17
Triple Eight Race Engineering (Team Betta Electrical) : 9
Ford Performance Racing (CAT FPR) : 3
Ford has won 29 of 51 rounds contested. Holden has won 22.
Pole positions – 18
Marcos Ambrose : 10
Craig Lowndes : 5
Jason Bright : 3
The BA Falcon has started from second position on the grid 16 times.
*Not including the final round of 2006 – Phillip Island.
Ford.TurboClub.com
Ford continues to lead the V8 Supercar charge claiming the third all-Ford podium in four rounds, with Jamie Whincup, Steven Richards and Mark Winterbottom on the podium in Tasmania today.
Ford today won its second consecutive world title by securing the manufacturers’ crown in the FIA World Rally Championship with the Focus RS World Rally Car 07.
Ford’s V8 Supercar drivers will attack the second last event on the 2007 V8 Supercar calendar this weekend in Tasmania.
TeamVodafone’s MoBros are well on target in the moustache growing stakes with all 25 members sporting more than just a bit of facial fluff.
BP-Ford World Rally Team heads into the final three weekends of the FIA World Rally Championship season in head-to-head fights for both the manufacturers’ and drivers’ titles.
The autosalon Automotive Lifstyle Show Semi Final battle is on this weekend 10th – 11th November, 2007.
The V8 Gala Dinner wil be held at Palladium at Crown, Melbourne, Victoria.
James now only dancing with cars.
TeamVodafone to Raise Money and Awareness for Mens Health
New Ford Mondeo More Than Just Good Looks
Presents Aplenty as Ranger Turns One
Ambrose Visor from Montreal Signed and up For Auction on Ebay
Public Vote Keeps Courtney in Dancing With The Stars
Ford Fights At Indy To Hold Championship Lead
Courtney Hoping To Waltz Through To Next Round
2007 Australian International Motor Show: FPV Unleashes New F6 X
FPV Limited Edition F6 R Spec Typhoon
Back to Back Wins for Ford at Bathurst with a Falcon 1-2-3
Blue Oval to Remain King of the Enduro's