Scott Pye puts the Xbox Falcon into seventh place in a wet final Shootout at the Bathurst 1000
October 10, 2015
BATHURST, NSW, 10 OCTOBER 2015: A wet track with the threat of more rain greeted Scott Pye and the other nine drivers in the final shootout before the start of Sunday's Bathurst 1000km. Pye and his DJR Team Penske crew had made all the right calls in the Qualifying session that was run earlier in the day to finish in P5.
The Qualifying for the full field was rescheduled to today following the Chaz Mostert crash yesterday, and the threat of rain was very high as the cars rolled out onto Mt Panorama. The DJR Team Penske Xbox Falcon went straight out on new tyres and immediately banked a time which would guarantee a spot in the Top 10 shootout. Some big names such as Lowndes, Winterbottom and Tander all missed the cut, and Pye's early lap was smooth and very quick. As the rain came, the team pitted the car and watched the rain close in.
A huge downpour prior to the start of the Top 10 ensured that all cars would have to fight for their grid spot on a wet and treacherous track. The first five cars ran without more rain falling, but Scott was the first in the queue to see more rain as he ventured out. A solid lap saw him finish in P7 and put the team in a very good starting position.
The Supercheap Auto 1000 Bathurst 1000 starts at 11.00am on Sunday and will cover 161 laps of Mt Panorama.
Scott Pye – No 17 Xbox Falcon FG X
"Coming into the week the first goal was to make the Top 10 Shootout, so it was very rewarding to be there. The weather did make it a bit disappointing. For me, I wanted the track to be dry so I could really give it my best crack, but the conditions were against us.
"I rolled a 2.32 in the Xbox Falcon and frankly was embarrassed by the lap, but then as most of the other guys after me also went slower, it showed how bad the conditions had become.
"At the end of the day to make the ten and then do the Shootout was unreal and it is a credit to everyone at DJR Team Penske who have worked so hard to get us here."
Marcos Ambrose – No 17 Xbox Falcon FG X
"Scott did a great job today in the Xbox Falcon. The team were on a good qualifying strategy and it gave us the Top 10 berth we wanted. The condition were pretty ordinary in the Shootout, but we are in a very good starting position for tomorrow.
"My run in the morning Practice session all went to plan and I am feeling really comfortable in the car. Long race tomorrow and we will work through our driver and race strategy tonight."