Team CoolDrive Tasmania SuperSprint Supercars Report - Including a Surprise Appearance from Greg Murphy
8 Apr, 2019
In a last-minute call-up, Supercars legend Greg Murphy jumped behind the wheel of the Team CoolDrive Supercar for the opening additional driver session at Symmons Plains.
As there was no additional driver planned for the session, the TV host was offered the chance to drive and commentate his laps as the TV crews watched on. The Supercar veteran said he ‘was too far removed’ from Supercars to really provide any help to Macauley, but really enjoyed the chance to get behind the wheel of the Team CoolDrive Supercar for TV.
THE RECAP AND WORD FROM MACAULEY JONES
Macauley is no stranger to the Symmons Plains circuit, and for him, this weekend was all about working on the one percenters. Macauley and the CoolDrive Supercar showed good speed throughout the qualifying sessions and races, and it was only in Sunday’s qualifying session that Macauley came unstuck.
The rear was locking during qualifying, and on Macauley’s flying lap, it locked and turned him into a spin at the hairpin. With no-where to go, drivers were darting to avoid the parked Macauley, however, Andre Heimgartner and Garry Jacobson had nowhere to go and made contact with the CoolDrive Commodore. Everyone was able to drive off from the incident, but as the red flag was waved, Macauley was forced to start from the back of the grid.
Ultimately Macauley was able to move forward in the weekend races, to finish both of the Symmons Plains battles in 20th.
The team are set to have the tightest turnaround of the year as they will be on track at Phillip Island in less than a weeks’ time. The CoolDrive crew will stay on in Tasmania to work on their cars Monday; before travelling back to the mainland where they will head straight to the Island to continue their preparations for next weekend’s WD-40 SuperSprint event.
MACAULEY JONES
“For us, the weekend was all about working on those one percenters. I had a lot of fun driving around the Symmons Plains circuit, for the smallest track we go to, it may seem simple but its quite technical in the fact you have to get it right, lap after lap. There’s nowhere to make up a tenth if you put a foot wrong.”
“In today’s (Sunday) qualifying I had a lot of rear-locking at the hairpin and lost it on my first flying lap. Andre had nowhere to go and I was parked there. It was very disappointing and frustrating for everyone.”
“Overall I enjoyed the racing and was happy with the car speed across the weekend. I was focusing on managing the tyres here, which the CoolDrive Supercar seemed to do quite well.”
SATURDAY
Qualifying
Qualified: 21st
Race Seven (120kms / 50 Laps)
Finished: 20th
Winner: Scott McLaughlin
SUNDAY
Qualifying
Qualified: 25th
Race Eight (200kms / 84 Laps)
Finished: 20th
Winner: Shane Van Gisbergen
CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
1 – Scott McLaughlin - 770
2 – Fabian Coulthard - 646
3 - Jamie Whincup - 610
4 – Shane Van Gisbergen - 604
5 – David Reynolds - 599
24 – Macauley Jones - 201
COMING UP
Round 4 of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship
WD-40 Phillip Island SuperSprint
Phillip Island Raceway, Victoria
12-14 April 2019
BEHIND THE SCENES
Stay tuned to our Facebook page for updates on Team CoolDrive, CoolDrive Auto Parts, to see photos and videos from upcoming Supercars event!
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