The 2008 Gulf Air Desert 400 was the twelfth round of the 2008 V8 Supercar season

2008 V8 Supercar season

The 2008 V8 Supercar Championship Series was the tenth V8 Supercar Championship Series and the twelfth series in which V8 Supercars contested the premier Australian touring car title. The championship began on 21 February at the Clipsal 500 on the streets of Adelaide and finished on 7 December at...

. It was held on the weekend of the 6 to 8 November at the Bahrain International Circuit

Bahrain International Circuit

The Bahrain International Circuit is a motorsport venue opened in 2004 and used for drag racing, GP2 and the annual Bahrain Grand Prix. The 2004 Grand Prix was the first held in the Middle East. Since 2006, Australian V8 Supercar has been raced at the BIC and the V8 races are named as the Desert 400...

 in Bahrain

Bahrain

' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...

.

Race 1

Race 1 was held on Friday 7 November 2008. Whincup leapt away while a fierce dice erupted between Lowndes, Todd Kelly and Tander. A forceful move on the second lap saw Kelly muscle his way past Lowndes and Tander. Steven Johnson slipped into third behind Kelly as Tander and Lowndes were slow away from the hairpin. Further back in the pack a tangle saw Michael Patrizi and Mark Skaife spun backwards, also tangling with Michael Caruso, Jason Richards and Andrew Thompson, bringing out the safety car. Skaife, Richards and Patrizi had too much damage to continue.

At the restart Steven Johnson clawed into second briefly before dropping back behind Kelly again. Lowndes took third from Johnson. Lap 9 saw Whincup, Kelly, James Courtney and Russell Ingall to put of the front runners. The following lap saw Lowndes, Tander, Will Davison and Mark Winterbottom. A slow stop and exit saw Lowndes leap frog Kelly into second place. Tander moved into fourth ahead of Courtney while Davison pulled over at pit exit, overcome by fumes. Fabian Coulthard spun into the turn 4 sand trap after contact from Jason Bright, for which Bright later was given a drive-through penalty. The resultant safety car triggered Johnson's pitstop from the lead with Rick Kelly and Steven Richards also stopping.

At the restart Whincup, Lowndes and Todd Kelly leapt away while further back in the field on the second lap contact between Tander and Winterbottom saw Tander spun in front of the pack. Tander dropped to the tail of the field while Winterbottom was assigned a drive-through penalty. Coulthard stopped out on the track trying to limp a car home with a punctured front right tyre and Patrizi spun Jack Perkins around.

Paul Morris briefly held fourth on pit stop strategy but soon lost places to Lee Holdsworth, Courtney and team-mate Ingall. Todd Kelly was controversially given a drive-through penalty, taking away his, and the team's, best result of the season, for over-taking the safety car at its second deployment.

Team Vodafone continued on to claim a race 1-2, ahead of Holdsworth, Ingall, Courtney, Johnson, Shane Van Gisbergen, Steven Richards, Rick Kelly and Greg Murphy.

Race 2

Race 2 was held on Saturday 8 November 2008. Whincup leap away with Ingall in pursuit ahead of battling pair Courtney and Lowndes with Johnson. Holdsworth overtook Van Gisbergen for sixth.

Paul Dumbrell spun on the second lap after contact with Michael Caruso. Local Bahraini guest driver Fahad Al Musalem stopped with a broken gearbox in the Team Kiwi Ford. Andrew Thompson spun and stopped at turn 1 after the right rear tyre delaminated, triggering a safety car.

At the restart Whincup led from Ingall, Lowndes, Courtney, Holdsworth, Richards, Johnson and Winterbottom. Richards pounced on Holdsworth at turn 1 while further Todd Kelly picked off a few cars including Garth Tander. Van Gisbergen was smoking at the front left corner tyre rubbing after contact Van Gisbergen lost control, hitting Jack Perkins and spinning Rick Kelly. Van Gisbergen later received a drive-through penalty.

A fierce dice between Courtney and Winterbottom saw the Ford Performance Racing driver move into fourth place on lap 23, the following lap Steven Richards got Courtney as well, with Holdsworth and Todd Kelly closing behind. The dice between those three became hard fought with Courtney suffering for tyre grip but still plenty of power with Will Davison joining the fight by lap 26.

Whincup raced on to win from Ingall, Lowndes, Winterbottom, Richards, Todd Kelly, Courtney, Johnson, Morris and Davison.

Race 3

Race 3 was held on Saturday 8 November 2008. Russell Ingall led from the start, fighting with Jamie Whincup for the lead with Lowndes and Winterbottom fighting for third.

Third lap into the first corner and Steven Johnson ran into the back of Todd Kelly, spinning the Jack Daniels Commodore. Will Davison ran into his team-mate Johnson. Jason Bright and Mark Skaife made contact with Skaife then hitting his teammate Garth Tander. Skaife was out on the spot with Tander pitting for a new right rear tyre.

At the restart Ingall again overtook Whincup. Whincup later retook the lead prior to the beginning of the cumpolsory pitstops.

During the stops Craig Lowndes was able to get the better of Mark Winterbottom for what would become third position. Safety was called for Todd Kelly's expired Commodore, the car stopped on the circuit

Rick Kelly and Cameron McConville made contact and spun while the bunched field at the restart allowed James Courtney to pass Winterbottom, then move into third by taking advantage of a slow-out-of-the-corner Russell Ingall who had just lost second to Lowndes. On lap 25 Courtney pounced on Lowndes and brakes for second. Lap 28 saw Winterbottom take fourth from Ingall.

Whincup pulled clear of Courtney who by race end had to defend from Lowndes. The result saw the first ever 1-2 finish for Team Vodafone. Fifth spot behind Winterbottom was enough for Russell Ingall to claim third for the round, the best Holden driver for the weekend.

Qualifying

Pos	No	Name	Car	Team	Part 3	Part 2	Part 1
1	88	Jamie Whincup Jamie Whincup Jamie Whincup is Australian auto racing driver who competes in the V8 Supercar, driving for TeamVodafone. He is a two-time V8 Supercars champion and three-time Bathurst 1000 winner.-Early career:...	Ford BF Falcon Ford BF Falcon The Ford BF Falcon was a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Victoria, Australia. The BF Falcon started production in October 2005 and a MkII update was released in October 2006...	Team Vodafone	1:25.0415
2	888	Craig Lowndes Craig Lowndes Craig Lowndes is a multi-championship winning Australian racing driver. He is a three-time V8 Supercar champion and five-time winner of Australia's most famous motor race, the Bathurst 1000...	Ford BF Falcon Ford BF Falcon The Ford BF Falcon was a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Victoria, Australia. The BF Falcon started production in October 2005 and a MkII update was released in October 2006...	Team Vodafone	1:25.0624
3	7	Todd Kelly Todd Kelly Todd Kelly is a V8 Supercar racing driver, currently living in Melbourne, Victoria. He is the older brother of former V8 Supercar and Bathurst 1000 champion, Rick Kelly. He drove for the Holden Racing Team from 2003 until 2007, and Jack Daniel's Racing in 2008...	Holden VE Commodore	Jack Daniel's Racing	1:25.1556
4	17	Steven Johnson Steven Johnson (motor racing) Steven Johnson is an Australian V8 Supercar racing driver. He is the son of former racer and now team-owner Dick Johnson. He has competed full-time for Dick Johnson Racing since 2000...	Ford BF Falcon Ford BF Falcon The Ford BF Falcon was a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Victoria, Australia. The BF Falcon started production in October 2005 and a MkII update was released in October 2006...	Jim Beam Racing Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing is Australia's oldest operating motor racing team. Founded by Dick Johnson, the team has won seven Australian Touring Car Championship titles and has taken three victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000...	1:25.3874
5	1	Garth Tander Garth Tander Garth Tander is a multiple-championship winning Australian motor racing driver. Since 1998 Tander has been a competitor in touring car racing series V8 Supercar Championship Series. Tander was the 2007 series champion for the HSV Dealer Team and is a three-time winner in Australia's most...	Holden VE Commodore	Holden Racing Team Holden Racing Team The Holden Racing Team is a Melbourne based motor racing team. HRT is the most successful V8 Supercar racing team in the history of the category, having won the drivers championship six times, and the series signature race the Bathurst 1000 seven times...	1:25.4116
6	18	Will Davison Will Davison Will Davison is an Australian racing driver. He currently competes with Ford Performance Racing in the #6 Trading Post FPR Falcon, in the premier Australian touring car class, V8 Supercar.-Early career:...	Ford BF Falcon Ford BF Falcon The Ford BF Falcon was a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Victoria, Australia. The BF Falcon started production in October 2005 and a MkII update was released in October 2006...	Jim Beam Racing Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing is Australia's oldest operating motor racing team. Founded by Dick Johnson, the team has won seven Australian Touring Car Championship titles and has taken three victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000...	1:25.4481
7	39	Russell Ingall Russell Ingall Russell Ingall is an Australian V8 Supercar driver. Ingall won the V8 Supercar Championship for the first time in 2005, he was also the Championship runner up in 1998, 1999 and 2001. Ingall has also won the Bathurst 1000 motor race twice, in 1995 and 1997...	Holden VE Commodore	Supercheap Auto Racing	1:25.4736
8	6	Steven Richards Steven Richards Steven Richards is a New Zealand racing driver, currently competing in the with the team. He previously raced in the V8 Supercar series for Ford Performance Racing....	Ford BF Falcon Ford BF Falcon The Ford BF Falcon was a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Victoria, Australia. The BF Falcon started production in October 2005 and a MkII update was released in October 2006...	Ford Performance Racing Ford Performance Racing Ford Performance Racing is a British-owned Australian-based motor racing team that contests the Australian International V8 Supercars Championship...	1:25.5114
9	5	Mark Winterbottom Mark Winterbottom Mark "Frosty" Winterbottom, is a racing driver who has competed in the V8 Supercar category since 2003. He currently drives for the Ford Performance Racing team...	Ford BF Falcon Ford BF Falcon The Ford BF Falcon was a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Victoria, Australia. The BF Falcon started production in October 2005 and a MkII update was released in October 2006...	Ford Performance Racing Ford Performance Racing Ford Performance Racing is a British-owned Australian-based motor racing team that contests the Australian International V8 Supercars Championship...	1:25.5967
10	4	James Courtney James Courtney James Courtney is an Australian racing driver who competes in the V8 Supercar Championship. He is the current Australian Touring Car Champion after winning the 2010 title for Dick Johnson Racing....	Ford BF Falcon Ford BF Falcon The Ford BF Falcon was a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Victoria, Australia. The BF Falcon started production in October 2005 and a MkII update was released in October 2006...	Stone Brothers Racing Stone Brothers Racing Stone Brothers Racing is an Australian motor racing team competing in the International V8 Supercars Championship, formed in 1998 by experienced New Zealand-born motorsport veterans, Ross Stone and Jim Stone after buying out their partner in their previous racing team...	1:25.7556
11	15	Rick Kelly Rick Kelly Rick Kelly is a current V8 Supercar racing driver, currently living in Melbourne, Victoria. He is the younger brother of former Bathurst 1000 champion, Todd Kelly...	Holden VE Commodore	HSV Dealer Team		1:25.5289
12	25	Jason Bright Jason Bright Jason Bright is an Australian racing driver currently competing in the V8 Supercar series.-Australia:...	Ford BF Falcon Ford BF Falcon The Ford BF Falcon was a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Victoria, Australia. The BF Falcon started production in October 2005 and a MkII update was released in October 2006...	Britek Motorsport Britek Motorsport Britek Motorsport is an Australian V8 Supercar motor racing team. Established in 2005 under the ownership of Bathurst 1000 winning driver Jason Bright, they have struggled in their first two seasons due to testing and licensing restrictions...		1:25.5405
13	9	Shane Van Gisbergen Shane Van Gisbergen Shane Van Gisbergen is a racing driver from Auckland, New Zealand. He currently drives for Stone Brothers Racing in the Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series.-New Zealand racing history:...	Ford BF Falcon Ford BF Falcon The Ford BF Falcon was a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Victoria, Australia. The BF Falcon started production in October 2005 and a MkII update was released in October 2006...	Stone Brothers Racing Stone Brothers Racing Stone Brothers Racing is an Australian motor racing team competing in the International V8 Supercars Championship, formed in 1998 by experienced New Zealand-born motorsport veterans, Ross Stone and Jim Stone after buying out their partner in their previous racing team...		1:25.6020
14	33	Lee Holdsworth Lee Holdsworth Lee Holdsworth was born in Melbourne, Victoria on 2 February 1983. Holdsworth is currently an Australian V8 Supercar racing driver. Holdsworth drives the #33 Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden VE Commodore.-History:...	Holden VE Commodore	Garry Rogers Motorsport Garry Rogers Motorsport Garry Rogers Motorsport is an Australian motor racing team presently competing in V8 Supercar.-The early years:Garry Rogers Motorsport has its origins in Garry Rogers' own exploits in Sports Sedans during the late 1960s and the 1970s. In the mid-1970s Rogers got more serious, running a BDA Escort...		1:25.6282
15	16	Paul Dumbrell Paul Dumbrell Paul Dumbrell , is an Australian racing driver who currently drives for Rod Nash Racing in the V8 Supercar Championship Series...	Holden VE Commodore	HSV Dealer Team		1:25.6311
16	2	Mark Skaife Mark Skaife Mark Stephen Skaife OAM is an Australian motor racing driver. Skaife is a five time winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series, including its predecessor the Australian Touring Car Championship. He is also a six-time winner of Australia's most prestigious domestic motor race, the Bathurst 1000...	Holden VE Commodore	Holden Racing Team Holden Racing Team The Holden Racing Team is a Melbourne based motor racing team. HRT is the most successful V8 Supercar racing team in the history of the category, having won the drivers championship six times, and the series signature race the Bathurst 1000 seven times...		1:25.7070
17	111	Fabian Coulthard Fabian Coulthard Fabian Coulthard is a professional race car driver, currently racing for Walkinshaw Racing known commercially as Bundaberg Racing Team in the Australian V8 Supercar series....	Ford BF Falcon Ford BF Falcon The Ford BF Falcon was a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Victoria, Australia. The BF Falcon started production in October 2005 and a MkII update was released in October 2006...	Glenfords Racing Paul Cruickshank Racing Paul Cruickshank Racing was an Australian motor racing team that competed in several Sports Car and Touring Car categories.-V8 Supercar Championship:...		1:25.7542
18	11	Jack Perkins Jack Perkins (racing driver) Jack 'Perko' Perkins is an Australian V8 Supercar driver for James Rosenberg Racing in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series. He is the son of Australian motor racing legend Larry Perkins, in whose team Perkins Engineering, he drove between 2006 and 2008...	Holden VE Commodore	Jack Daniel's Racing		1:26.0854
19	26	Marcus Marshall Marcus Marshall Marcus Marshall is a former Champ Car driver from Australia. Before that he raced in British Formula Three, where he was generally a running outside the top ten, but took a hard fought win in a wet race. He contested 12 races in 2005 for Derrick Walker's renamed Team Australia Racing...	Ford BF Falcon Ford BF Falcon The Ford BF Falcon was a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Victoria, Australia. The BF Falcon started production in October 2005 and a MkII update was released in October 2006...	Britek Motorsport Britek Motorsport Britek Motorsport is an Australian V8 Supercar motor racing team. Established in 2005 under the ownership of Bathurst 1000 winning driver Jason Bright, they have struggled in their first two seasons due to testing and licensing restrictions...		1:26.1087
20	777	Michael Patrizi Michael Patrizi Michael Patrizi born 4 May 1984 in Kalgoorlie Western Australia, is best known as a professional race driver. Starting off in karts in his native Western Australia, he moved to Formula Ford in 2004, then to Formula BMW in Asia 2005, then UK in 2006. 2007 he joined the competitive ranks for the...	Ford BF Falcon Ford BF Falcon The Ford BF Falcon was a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Victoria, Australia. The BF Falcon started production in October 2005 and a MkII update was released in October 2006...	Ford Rising Stars Racing		1:26.3251
21	14	Cameron McConville Cameron McConville Cameron 'Cam' McConville is an Australian racing driver and motorsport media personality. While retired from full-time competition McConville still races occasionally and is an indemand endurance event co-driver. McConville spent 14 years as a professional driver, ten of those in the largest...	Holden VE Commodore	Brad Jones Racing Brad Jones Racing Brad Jones Racing is an Australian motor racing team centred around brothers Kim and Brad Jones and is based in Albury, New South Wales. Presently the team compete in the V8 Supercar Series, which they joined in 2000. Recently they have also returned to the Australian Formula Ford Championship...			1:25.7938
22	34	Michael Caruso	Holden VE Commodore	Garry Rogers Motorsport Garry Rogers Motorsport Garry Rogers Motorsport is an Australian motor racing team presently competing in V8 Supercar.-The early years:Garry Rogers Motorsport has its origins in Garry Rogers' own exploits in Sports Sedans during the late 1960s and the 1970s. In the mid-1970s Rogers got more serious, running a BDA Escort...			1:25.7999
23	51	Greg Murphy Greg Murphy Greg Murphy is a racing driver, best known as a four-time winner of the Bathurst 1000. Greg Murphy joined Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond presenting Top Gear, when it had its first international Live show at ASB Showgrounds in Auckland from February 12 - 15th 2009, and again when the show...	Holden VE Commodore	Tasman Motorsport Tasman Motorsport Tasman Motorsport was a V8 Supercar racing team. It was formed in 2004 out of what was Lansvale Racing Team V8 Supercar team and is associated with Greg Murphy Racing as a satellite operation....			1:25.8425
24	3	Jason Richards Jason Richards Jason Richards is a motor racing driver, currently on break from full time racing due to his fight with cancer, whilst still providing full engineering support for Brad Jones Racing in the Australian touring car series, V8 Supercar.-Early career:Richards started his motor racing career at the age...	Holden VE Commodore	Tasman Motorsport Tasman Motorsport Tasman Motorsport was a V8 Supercar racing team. It was formed in 2004 out of what was Lansvale Racing Team V8 Supercar team and is associated with Greg Murphy Racing as a satellite operation....			1:25.9215
25	67	Paul Morris Paul Morris (motorsport) Paul Morris is a V8 Supercar racecar driver.-Early career:Paul Morris started his motor racing career at the age of 19 in 1987, driving in the Queensland Gemini Series. He won Rookie of the Year in his debut season, and won the state championship the following year. He spent the next three years...	Holden VE Commodore	Supercheap Auto Racing			1:26.0057
26	50	Andrew Thompson	Holden VE Commodore	Paul Weel Racing			1:26.0388
27	55	Tony D'Alberto Tony D'Alberto Antonio D'Alberto , is an Australian V8 Supercar driver. He drives the #3 Ford FG Falcon for Tony D'Alberto Racing.-Formula Ford:...	Holden VE Commodore	Rod Nash Racing Rod Nash Racing Rod Nash Racing is a V8 Supercar racing entity, owned by Rod Nash. Nash continues to own a V8 Supercar Racing Entitlement Contract and his #55 runs on the flanks of the Ford Performance Racing Ford FG Falcon....			1:26.0600
28	12	Andrew Jones Andrew Jones (Race Driver) Andrew Jones is a racing driver for Brad Jones Racing in the V8 Supercar series. Jones has had success in a number of forms of motorsport in Australia....	Holden VE Commodore	Brad Jones Racing Brad Jones Racing Brad Jones Racing is an Australian motor racing team centred around brothers Kim and Brad Jones and is based in Albury, New South Wales. Presently the team compete in the V8 Supercar Series, which they joined in 2000. Recently they have also returned to the Australian Formula Ford Championship...			1:26.0721
29	021	Fahad Al Musalam	Ford BF Falcon Ford BF Falcon The Ford BF Falcon was a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Victoria, Australia. The BF Falcon started production in October 2005 and a MkII update was released in October 2006...	Team Kiwi Racing Team Kiwi Racing Team Kiwi Racing was a V8 Supercar team that competed in the Australian V8 Supercar series. The team has since returned at much reduced scale, in New Zealand running in domestic one-make series racing...			1:28.8069

Standings

After round 12 of 14.

Pos	No	Name	Team	Points
1	88	Jamie Whincup Jamie Whincup Jamie Whincup is Australian auto racing driver who competes in the V8 Supercar, driving for TeamVodafone. He is a two-time V8 Supercars champion and three-time Bathurst 1000 winner.-Early career:...	TeamVodafone	2916
2	5	Mark Winterbottom Mark Winterbottom Mark "Frosty" Winterbottom, is a racing driver who has competed in the V8 Supercar category since 2003. He currently drives for the Ford Performance Racing team...	Ford Performance Racing Ford Performance Racing Ford Performance Racing is a British-owned Australian-based motor racing team that contests the Australian International V8 Supercars Championship...	2729
3	1	Garth Tander Garth Tander Garth Tander is a multiple-championship winning Australian motor racing driver. Since 1998 Tander has been a competitor in touring car racing series V8 Supercar Championship Series. Tander was the 2007 series champion for the HSV Dealer Team and is a three-time winner in Australia's most...	Toll Holden Racing Team Holden Racing Team The Holden Racing Team is a Melbourne based motor racing team. HRT is the most successful V8 Supercar racing team in the history of the category, having won the drivers championship six times, and the series signature race the Bathurst 1000 seven times...	2624
4	888	Craig Lowndes Craig Lowndes Craig Lowndes is a multi-championship winning Australian racing driver. He is a three-time V8 Supercar champion and five-time winner of Australia's most famous motor race, the Bathurst 1000...	TeamVodafone	2367
5	6	Steven Richards Steven Richards Steven Richards is a New Zealand racing driver, currently competing in the with the team. He previously raced in the V8 Supercar series for Ford Performance Racing....	Ford Performance Racing Ford Performance Racing Ford Performance Racing is a British-owned Australian-based motor racing team that contests the Australian International V8 Supercars Championship...	2178

Support categories

The 2008 Desert 400 of the V8 Supercar Championship had three support categories.

Category	Round winner
Porsche Carrera Cup Asia	Christian Menzel (Porsche 997 GT3 Cup Porsche 911 GT3 The Porsche 911 GT3 is a higher performance version of the Porsche 911 sports car. It is the latest in a line of high performance models, beginning with the 1973 911 RS... )
DHL Gulf Radical Cup	John Stanley (Radical SR8)
Batelco 2000cc Challenge	Mustafa Al Khan (Honda Civic Honda Civic The Honda Civic is a line of subcompact and subsequently compact cars made and manufactured by Honda. The Civic, along with the Accord and Prelude, comprised Honda's vehicles sold in North America until the 1990s, when the model lineup was expanded... )

External links

• Official timing and results