Melbourne, Australia — Ford Racing is primed for the 2004 V8 Supercar season, with the aim of starting the season on a high with victory at this weekend's Australian Grand Prix support event. Ford's 13-man line-up was unveiled at the Broadmeadows Head Quarters of the Ford Motor Company in Australia today. Ford enjoyed one of its most successful seasons in 2003 with nine wins from 13 championship rounds. Leading the charge was champion winner Marcos Ambrose [Pirtek Racing], who took the 2003 championship with six wins.

“It's been great to celebrate the championship over the last three months, now it's time to get on with it and make it back-to-back,” said Ambrose. “This weekend is not part of the championship, but it's still important to do well. If you can come away from the Grand Prix on a high the season will hopefully go on from there.

“It's going to be a good battle at Albert Park, we have three races including a 100 km race on the Saturday, so the fans will get more V8 action than ever before at the Grand Prix.”

The man to watch will be Ambrose's Stone Brothers Racing teammate Russell Ingall [Caltex Havoline Racing]. Ingall has won eight individual races at the Grand Prix, including a great debut for Ford last year with a win on the Saturday. He was in front on Sunday when the race was stopped after two laps because of an accident in the middle of the field.

“There are tracks at which you just click and this is one of them for me,” said Ingall. “I'm looking forward to this weekend and to the entire season. Our Stone Brothers Racing team is really strong and now that I've driven the Falcon for a year, I'm more comfortable with it and the crew.

“I have a great challenge in beating my teammate, not to mention the other Ford teams which have stepped up this year.”

The visit to Broadmeadows was highlighted with the announcement of the Ford Racing Grid of Fame by Vice President of Sales and Marketing Bruce McDonald. Different to most sporting Halls of Fame, the Ford Racing Grid of Fame recognises not just a person, but also an iconic car that has played a major role in Ford's racing heritage. Announced by outgoing President of Ford Australia Geoff Polites, the 2004 inductees are the late Howard Marsden and Ford's famous GT-HO Falcon were Known as the father of Ford Racing in Australia, Marsden masterminded Ford's racing operation in the early 1970s including the GT-HO era. After running programs for other manufacturers in the late 1970s and '80s, he returned to Ford in the 1990s becoming Ford Racing general manager in 1999. Following Ford's lean spell on the track, Marsden focused his attention on making the BA Falcon a winner. The championship success of Marcos Ambrose and Stone Brothers Racing in 2003 was true testimony to that. The name Howard Marsden was part of motor racing for more than 40 years and his passing in August 2003 was felt throughout the world.

The XW and XY GT-HO Falcon was a fixture on Australian racetracks from 1969 through to 1973. The phase 1, 2 and 3 was the backbone of Ford's attack and it scored back-to-back wins for Allan Moffat at Bathurst in 1970 and '71. The GT-HO took six championship round wins and Moffat drove it to the 1973 Touring Car title.

On display at Broadmeadows was the late Ian “Pete” Geoghegan's GT-HO Super Falcon. This was one of two cars built by Ford Special Vehicles [the other for Moffat] in 1970.

Even today the GT-HO Super Falcon program is remembered as one of Ford's most ambitious projects in Australian motor racing. Renowned Queensland car enthusiast David Bowden who owns the GT-HO Super Falcon was on hand for the event. Of Bowden's extensive collection of famous Australian race cars, this is his favourite. Since getting his hands on the GT-HO Super Falcon in 1983 Bowden has spent in excess of $100,000 restoring it to original condition, completed in 1995.

The V8 Supercars hit the Albert Park track on Thursday for practice, qualifying and for the first time at this event a Top-10 Shootout at 4 p.m. (local time). The opening 10-lap race is set down for 3:25 p.m. Friday, the 100 km (19-lap) second race is on Saturday at 4 p.m., with the final 10-lap race on Sunday morning at 10:35 a.m. Ford Racing V8.

SUPERCAR LINE-UP FOR THE AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX SUPPORT EVENT
No. 1 Marcos Ambrose — Pirtek Racing
No. 5 Glenn Seton — Ford Performance Racing
No. 6 Craig Lowndes — Ford Performance Racing
No. 9 Russell Ingall — Caltex Havoline Racing
No. 10 Jason Bargwanna — Orrcon Steel Racing
No. 20 Mark Winterbottom — Orrcon Steel Racing
No. 12 John Bowe Brad — Jones Racing
No. 21 Brad Jones Brad — Jones Racing
No. 17 Steven Johnson — Shell Helix Racing
No. 18 Warren Luff — Shell Helix Racing
No.31 Steve Ellery — Super Cheap Auto Racing
No. 77 Max Wilson — Team Betta Electrical
No. 88 Paul Radisich — Team Betta Electrical

DETAILS FOR AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX SUPPORT EVENT TOP-10 SHOOTOUT
March 4 – 4 p.m. Race 1 (10 laps – 53 km) - March 5 – 3:25 p.m. Race 2 (19 laps - 100.7 km) - March 6 – 4 p.m. Race 3 (10 laps – 53 km) - March 7 10:35 a.m.

CIRCUIT
Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Victoria Length: 5.3 km Estimated top speed: 275 km/h - Pit Straight Estimated average speed: 145 km/h.