Hi-Tec Oils Racing driver Mark McNally has suffered an early end to his fourth V8 Supercar race with contact leading to steering failure in the Norton 360 Sandown Challenge in Melbourne today.

McNally made contact with Michael Patrizi on the approach to Turn 2 on lap 7, resulting in broken steering and suspension on the front right corner of the #16 Hi-Tec Oils Holden Commodore.

The damage saw McNally unable to negotiate the Turn 3 left-hander, subsequent contact with the guardrail bringing out a Safety Car.

The West Aussie was able to bring his car back into the garage, but the damage was too great for the Hi-Tec Oils Racing crew to repair.

Garth Tander won today’s race ahead of Will Davison and Jamie Whincup.

The next event in the 2009 V8 Supercar Championship Series will be at Queensland Raceway in Ipswich on 21-23 August 2009.

WHAT MARK HAD TO SAY …

Mark McNally – #16 Hi-Tec Oils Holden Commodore:

“We were looking forward to a reasonably strong race there,” said Mark McNally.

“On the fourth lap we were in amongst it in about 26th or so battling with some other cars

“I did a lap four tenths better than my best race time yesterday and I still have the soft tyres to run later in the race.

“On the restart I got passed by Jason Bright and the next lap around (Michael) Patrizi went for a look past and I gave him some room. He ran off on the exit of Turn 1 and when he came back on the track he still had the inside for the next corner, but he ran me off the road on the left.

“The contact right there on the approach to Turn 2 broke a fair few components in the front right corner, including the steering and the suspension, so the car just failed to take the left hander at Turn 3 and I ended up in the guard rail as it wouldn’t turn.

“We really could have had a strong race today. We were finally mixing it with some other guys and moving forward. Our race pace was good and as soon as we put the soft tyres on later in the race we would have been right in the think of things.

“It’s a disappointing day but we’ve learned a fair bit and we should be in a lot better shape for the next one at QR.”

2009 V8 Supercar Championship Standings
Championship Points – After Race 14 of 26
1. Jamie Whincup – 1791 points
2. Will Davison – 1674
3. Garth Tander – 1416
4. Craig Lowndes – 1350
5. Steven Johnson – 1194
6. Lee Holdsworth – 1116
7. Mark Winterbottom – 1083
8. Rick Kelly – 992
9. Russell Ingall – 989
10. Michael Caruso – 984
31. Mark McNally – 102

RESULTS: Sandown Race Two
1. #2 Garth Tander
2. #22 Will Davison
3. #1 Jamie Whincup
4. #14 Cameron McConville
5. #888 Craig Lowndes
6. #8 Jason Richards
7. #55 Tony D’Alberto
8. #18 James Courtney
9. #3 Jason Bargwanna
10. #10 Paul Dumbrell
DNF #16 Mark McNally

RESULTS: Sunday Qualifying
1. #22 Will Davison 1:09.7472
2. #18 James Courtney 1:09.8677
3. #17 Steven Johnson 1:09.9279
4. #15 Rick Kelly 1:09.9397
5. #111 Fabian Coulthard 1:09.9407
6. #2 Garth Tander 1:09.9818
7. #33 Lee Holdsworth 1:09.9876
8. #34 Michael Caruso 1:09.9967
9. #1 Jamie Whincup 1:09.9972
10. #51 Greg Murphy 1:09.0508
29. #16 Mark McNally 1:11.5833