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South Australian Holden Commodore VT driver Kevin Weeks continued his outstanding practice form to qualify quickest for the first of two races comprising the opening round of the 2008 Supaloc Australian Saloon Car Series at Bathurst’s Mt Panorama today.

His Holden which is also backed by Supaloc was over three seconds faster than anyone in the morning practice session, but the margin was a lot closer when it counted. He set the precedent early in the latter session, narrowly heading NSW’s Peter Dane in his Apollo Gas Ford Falcon AU before carving out the pole winning time of 2 minutes 38.3484 seconds.

Right at the end of the session two times runner up in the series, Queensland’s Kris Walton, grabbed a share of the front row with a 2:38.6735 in his Talbrace Falcon AU, pushing Dane back to the second row alongside SA’s Steve Kwiatkowski in the Westport Cars AU.

Row three will comprise 2004 series victor Clint Harvey (WA) in the Strategic Transport AU and five times series winner Bruce Heinrich (SA). Heinrich won each of those in Falcons but this year debuts a Commodore in the series.

The Commodores of Tim Rouse (Victoria) and John Goodacre were seventh and eighth but the latter blew two engines today and is already heading back to his home in South Australia. Another Victorian Ryan Miller was next in his earlier mode EA Falcon, just ahead Matt Lovell’s AU which was third overall in 2007.

Round one of the Supaloc Australian Saloon Car Series will be contested over two 30 minute races tomorrow Saturday February 9, the first scheduled for a 9:35 am start, and the second for 4:10 pm. The Bathurst entry is the largest in the Ford verse Holden category’s history with 47 qualifying. Ford Falcon AU models have the strongest numbers with 20, followed by 16 Holden Commodore VT’s, five each of the Ford Falcon EA and Holden Commodore VN, and one Holden Commodore VP.

The Australian Saloon Car Company (TASCCO) is a foundation member of the CAMS National Racing Championship, one of the core categories (Production Cars, F3, Saloon Cars and Commodore Cup) in partnership with CAMS that now make up the Shannons Nationals.

The popular six cylinder Holden Commodore verse Ford Falcon category is supported by Supaloc Steel Building Systems, Pedders Suspension, Kumho Tyres, Xtreme Clutch, EMS Fuel Injection, Cebco Brakes and CSA Alloy Wheels.

2008 Supaloc Australian Saloon Car Championship Round One Qualifying

1 Kevin Weeks (SA) Holden Commodore VT 2:38.3484

2 Kris Walton (QLD) Ford Falcon AU 2:38.6735

3 Peter Dane (NSW) Ford Falcon AU 2:39.4848

4 Steve Kwiatkowski (SA) Ford Falcon AU 2:40.0112

5 Clint Harvey (WA) Ford Falcon AU 2:41.4401

6 Bruce Heinrich (SA) Holden Commodore VT 2:41.8603

7 Timothy Rowse (VIC) Holden Commodore VT 2:42.8873

8 John Goodacre (SA) Holden Commodore VT 2:43.1158

9 Ryan Millier (VIC) Ford Falcon EA 2:43.4407

10 Matthew Lovell (SA) Ford Falcon AU 2:43.4662

11 David Rogers (NSW) Ford Falcon AU 2:44.1381

12 Rodney Dawson (QLD) Ford Falcon AU 2:44.4227

13 Shawn Jamieson (SA) Holden Commodore VT 2:44.4596

14 Brad Piggott (NSW) Ford Falcon AU 2:44.6370

15 Malcolm Niall (WA) Ford Falcon AU 2:44.6795

16 Brenton Burr (SA) Ford Falcon AU 2:45.2766

17 Michael Seal (NSW) Ford Falcon AU 2:45.4899

18 Luke Westall (NSW) Ford Falcon AU 2:45.7870

19 Lindsay Merritt (QLD) Holden Commodore VT 2:45.9697

20 Troy Hoey (QLD) Ford Falcon AU 2:46.2104

21 Daniel Gate (WA) Ford Falcon AU 2:46.7119

22 Nathan Callaghan (WA) Holden Commodore VT 2:46.8230

23 Dion Panizza (WA) Holden Commodore VT 2:46.9093

24 Paul Pennisi (VIC) Holden Commodore VT 2:46.9375

25 Tony Shanks (QLD) Ford Falcon AU 2:47.2073

26 Brian French (NSW) Holden Commodore VT 2:47.3529

27 Brett Carrington (VIC) Ford Falcon AU 2:47.6017

28 David Mitchell (NSW) Ford Falcon AU 2:47.7331

29 Geoff Brown (VIC) Ford Falcon AU 2:47.7619

30 Tony James (WA) Holden Commodore VT 2:48.0555

31 Justin Garnett (SA) Ford Falcon AU 2:48.2920

32 Tim Young (QLD) Ford Falcon EA 2:48.4459

33 Lindsay Kearns (QLD) Ford Falcon EA 2:48.4983

34 Brett Niall (WA) Ford Falcon AU 2:48.5284

35 Coleby Cowham (QLD) Ford Falcon EA 2:48.7099

36 Ryan Dane (NSW) Ford Falcon EA 2:49.8705

37 Brett Stewart (WA) Holden Commodore VT 2:50.3377

38 Basil Stratos (VIC) Holden Commodore VT 2:50.9028

39 John Van Gilst (QLD) Holden Commodore VN 2:52.6085

40 Mark Pilatti (WA) Holden Commodore VT 2:52.7515

41 John Townsend (QLD) Holden Commodore VN 2:54.8143

42 Wayne Christie (NZ) Holden Commodore VN 2:54.8478

43 Glenn Kenny (NSW) Holden Commodore VP 3:02.2443

44 Naomi Maltby (SA) Holden Commodore VN 3:02.9818

45 Wayne Patten (QLD) Holden Commodore VN 3:06.1356

46 Robert Lonie (SA) Holden Commodore VT 3:10.6694

47 Gavyn Croft (NSW) Holden Commodore VT 3:16.1405

Supaloc Australian Saloon Car Series 2008 Calendar

Round 1 – Bathurst February 8-10

Round 2 – Oran Park April 26-27

Round 3 – Eastern Creek July 12-13

Round 4 – Phillip Island August 9-10

Round 5 – Mallala November 1-2

Round 6 – Sandown November 29-30

Supaloc Australian Saloon Car Past Champions

Heinrich 2007, Heinrich 2006, Heinrich 2005, Harvey 2004, Heinrich 2003, Heinrich 2002.