Stone Brothers Racing (SBR) is one of the
motorsportMotorsport is the collection of sports which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles.Motorsport includes all forms of motor racing as well as non-racing motorized sports.-Motor racing:...
teams competing in the Australian V8 Supercar series, formed in 1998 by experienced
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
-born motorsport veterans, Ross Stone and Jim Stone after buying out their partner in their previous racing team. The team enjoyed a period of considerable success in the
2003align="right"|-|The 2003 V8 Supercar Championship Series was a motor racing series for V8 Supercars. The series, which was the eighth V8 Supercar Championship Series, began on March 22, 2003 in Adelaide and ended on November 30 at Eastern Creek Raceway after 13 rounds...
,
2004align="right"|-|The 2004 V8 Supercar season featured the sixth running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. It began on March 21, 2004 in Adelaide and ended on December 5 at Eastern Creek Raceway after 13 rounds...
and
2005align="right"|-|The 2005 V8 Supercar season was the seventh running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. It began on March 18, 2005 in Adelaide and ended on November 27 at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit after 13 rounds.-Teams and drivers:...
seasons, in which it was the dominant team of V8 Supercar racing.
SBR has won three drivers championships, with
Marcos AmbroseMarcos Ambrose is an Australian racing driver. He was the Australian V8 Supercar champion in 2003 and 2004, and is credited for virtually single-handedly reviving Ford Racing in Australia, after years of Holden domination.In 2006 he raced in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, piloting the #20...
in
2003align="right"|-|The 2003 V8 Supercar Championship Series was a motor racing series for V8 Supercars. The series, which was the eighth V8 Supercar Championship Series, began on March 22, 2003 in Adelaide and ended on November 30 at Eastern Creek Raceway after 13 rounds...
/
2004align="right"|-|The 2004 V8 Supercar season featured the sixth running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. It began on March 21, 2004 in Adelaide and ended on December 5 at Eastern Creek Raceway after 13 rounds...
; and
Russell IngallRussell 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 iconic Bathurst 1000 motor race twice, in 1995 and 1997...
in
2005align="right"|-|The 2005 V8 Supercar season was the seventh running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. It began on March 18, 2005 in Adelaide and ended on November 27 at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit after 13 rounds.-Teams and drivers:...
.
style="font-size: larger; margin: inherit;" | Stone Brothers Racing
 |
| Full name |
Stone Brothers Racing |
| Base |
Yatala Yatala may refer to*Yatala Labour Prison, a maximum security prison in Adelaide, South Australia*Yatala, Queensland Australia*Yatala Pies* Yatala, a genus of harvestman...
, QueenslandQueensland is a state of Australia that occupies the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory to the west, South Australia to the south-west and New South Wales to the south. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
|
| Team principal |
Ross Stone |
| Team manager |
David Stuart (#4 & #9)
Barry Hay (#25) |
| Race drivers |
4. Alex Davison Alex Davison, born 3 November 1979, in Melbourne, Australia, is best known as a race driver. Davison preesently races for Stone Brothers Racing driving a Ford Falcon in the V8 Supercar Championship Series....
9. Shane Van GisbergenShane Van Gisbergen is a racecar driver from Auckland, New Zealand. Van Gisbergen has raced in the New Zealand, Toyota Racing Series in 2007...
25. Jason BrightJason Bright is an Australian racing driver currently competing in the V8 Supercar series for Britek Motorsport, a team he also owns.-Australia:...
|
| Model |
Ford FG FalconThe Ford FG Falcon is a full-size car produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia since 2008. The FG series is the current model of the Ford Falcon and is the seventh generation of the car. It was first previewed at a press event on February 17 2008...
|
| Engine |
SBRE 5.0L V8 |
| Debut |
1998 |
| Constructors' Championships |
2 (2004,2005) |
| Drivers' Championships |
3 (Marcos AmbroseMarcos Ambrose is an Australian racing driver. He was the Australian V8 Supercar champion in 2003 and 2004, and is credited for virtually single-handedly reviving Ford Racing in Australia, after years of Holden domination.In 2006 he raced in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, piloting the #20...
in 2003/2004; Russell IngallRussell 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 iconic Bathurst 1000 motor race twice, in 1995 and 1997...
in 2005) |
| Round Wins |
21 |
| Race victories |
37 |
| Pole positions |
26 |
| 2008 Placing |
5th (4056 pts) |
Bathurst 1000The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. The race was traditionally run on the first Sunday in October but is now held on the second Sunday. The race traces its lineage to the 1960 Armstrong 500...
Wins |
1 (1998) |
| Website |
http://www.stonebrothersracing.com.au |
(SBR) is one of the
motorsportMotorsport is the collection of sports which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles.Motorsport includes all forms of motor racing as well as non-racing motorized sports.-Motor racing:...
teams competing in the Australian V8 Supercar series, formed in 1998 by experienced
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
-born motorsport veterans, Ross Stone and Jim Stone after buying out their partner in their previous racing team. The team enjoyed a period of considerable success in the
2003align="right"|-|The 2003 V8 Supercar Championship Series was a motor racing series for V8 Supercars. The series, which was the eighth V8 Supercar Championship Series, began on March 22, 2003 in Adelaide and ended on November 30 at Eastern Creek Raceway after 13 rounds...
,
2004align="right"|-|The 2004 V8 Supercar season featured the sixth running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. It began on March 21, 2004 in Adelaide and ended on December 5 at Eastern Creek Raceway after 13 rounds...
and
2005align="right"|-|The 2005 V8 Supercar season was the seventh running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. It began on March 18, 2005 in Adelaide and ended on November 27 at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit after 13 rounds.-Teams and drivers:...
seasons, in which it was the dominant team of V8 Supercar racing.
SBR has won three drivers championships, with
Marcos AmbroseMarcos Ambrose is an Australian racing driver. He was the Australian V8 Supercar champion in 2003 and 2004, and is credited for virtually single-handedly reviving Ford Racing in Australia, after years of Holden domination.In 2006 he raced in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, piloting the #20...
in
2003align="right"|-|The 2003 V8 Supercar Championship Series was a motor racing series for V8 Supercars. The series, which was the eighth V8 Supercar Championship Series, began on March 22, 2003 in Adelaide and ended on November 30 at Eastern Creek Raceway after 13 rounds...
/
2004align="right"|-|The 2004 V8 Supercar season featured the sixth running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. It began on March 21, 2004 in Adelaide and ended on December 5 at Eastern Creek Raceway after 13 rounds...
; and
Russell IngallRussell 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 iconic Bathurst 1000 motor race twice, in 1995 and 1997...
in
2005align="right"|-|The 2005 V8 Supercar season was the seventh running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. It began on March 18, 2005 in Adelaide and ended on November 27 at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit after 13 rounds.-Teams and drivers:...
. SBR has won the Teams Championship (combined points of both cars) in 2004 and 2005, the former being a 1-2 finish with the aforementioned Ambrose and Ingall respectively. 2003 also saw SBR win the V8 Development Series with
Mark WinterbottomMark "Frosty" Winterbottom, is a racing driver in the V8 Supercar series.-Early career:He started his motor racing career in 1989 at the age of 8, racing 50cc and 80cc motorbikes, and then moved on to go-karts at the age of 10...
at the wheel. In 1998, SBR won the
Bathurst 1000The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. The race was traditionally run on the first Sunday in October but is now held on the second Sunday. The race traces its lineage to the 1960 Armstrong 500...
with
Jason BrightJason Bright is an Australian racing driver currently competing in the V8 Supercar series for Britek Motorsport, a team he also owns.-Australia:...
and
Steven RichardsSteven Richards is a New Zealand racing driver, currently competing in the V8 Supercar series for Ford Performance Racing....
at the wheel of the team's Falcon.
SBR began with, and continue to campaign Ford Falcons. The team is also one of the leading engine builders in the V8 Supercars, supplying
Paul Cruickshank Racing-Introduction:Paul Cruickshank Racing or currently know as Wilson Security Racing is a V8 Supercar racing team that competes in the V8 Supercar series in Australia.-V8 Supercar Championship:...
with the powerful 5.0L SBRE V8. Recently, SBR has also agreed to a technical alliance with
Team Kiwi RacingTeam Kiwi Racing was a V8 Supercar team that competed in the Australian V8 Supercar series.Although the majority of races in the V8 Supercar series are run in Australia, Team Kiwi Racing was the only team to be headquartered in New Zealand...
after the latter fell out with previous partner
Ford Performance RacingFord Performance Racing is one of the premier motorsport teams contesting the V8 Supercar Championship Series. The team currently campaigns two FG Falcon racecars, driven by Steven Richards and Mark Winterbottom...
.
With
James CourtneyJames Courtney is an Australian racing driver who competes in the V8 Supercar series in Australia for Dick Johnson Racing....
and title sponsor
Jeld-WenJeld-Wen is a corporation with over 150 divisions and 20,000 employees worldwide. The business manufactures building products, including windows, interior and exterior doors, and garage doors. Jeld-Wen owns several distribution facilities and operates several resort properties...
departing the team at the conclusion of the
2008 seasonalign="right"|-|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 February 21 at the Clipsal 500 on the streets of Adelaide and finished on...
, the driver #4 Falcon will be driven by
Alex DavisonAlex Davison, born 3 November 1979, in Melbourne, Australia, is best known as a race driver. Davison preesently races for Stone Brothers Racing driving a Ford Falcon in the V8 Supercar Championship Series....
.
Shane Van GisbergenShane Van Gisbergen is a racecar driver from Auckland, New Zealand. Van Gisbergen has raced in the New Zealand, Toyota Racing Series in 2007...
will continue to drive the #9 car with
Jason BrightJason Bright is an Australian racing driver currently competing in the V8 Supercar series for Britek Motorsport, a team he also owns.-Australia:...
returning to the team he won the
Bathurst 1000The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. The race was traditionally run on the first Sunday in October but is now held on the second Sunday. The race traces its lineage to the 1960 Armstrong 500...
with in a third #25 Ford.
SBR uses
Queensland RacewayQueensland Raceway nicknamed "the paperclip" is a motor racing circuit located near Ipswich in Queensland, Australia.The circuit plays host to V8 Supercars, the Australian Superbike Championship, Drifting as well as club level racing and ride days....
in
IpswichIpswich is a city situated on the Bremer River in South East Queensland, Australia. It is located approximately 40 kilometres south-west of the state capital, Brisbane.-History:...
as their test track.
History
The team was originally formed as Alan Jones Racing in 1996, with Ross and Jim each holding a one-third ownership stake along with the team's lead driver, 1980 Formula One World Champion, Alan Jones. Racing initially under the Pack Leader Racing identity with Paul Romano as #2 driver, the team moved through several names during 1996 and 1997 before the Stone brothers bought out Jones' ownership stake.
Now a single car team under the name Stone Brothers Racing signed
Jason BrightJason Bright is an Australian racing driver currently competing in the V8 Supercar series for Britek Motorsport, a team he also owns.-Australia:...
to drive a Pirtek-sponsored EL Falcon for the
1998 seasonalign="right"|-|The 1998 Shell Australian Touring Car Championship was the 39th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship and was run for cars eligible to V8 Supercar specifications. It began on February 1, 1998 at Sandown Raceway and ended on August 2 at Oran Park Raceway after 10...
. The team also ran the
Larkham Motor SportLarkham Motor Sport was a motorsport team contesting the V8 Supercar Championship. The team ceased operations at the end of 2005, with the owner Mark Larkham selling the team to WPS Racing- History :...
Falcon of Mark Larkham, essentially as a full team-mate to Bright. Bright and Larkham had a mixed year, with the highlight being a win in the
Bathurst 1000align="right"|-|The 1998 FAI 1000 Classic was the second running of the Australia 1000 race, first held after the organisational split over the Bathurst 1000 the previous year. It was the 41st race that traces its lineage back to the 1960 Armstrong 500 held at Phillip Island...
with co-driver
Steven RichardsSteven Richards is a New Zealand racing driver, currently competing in the V8 Supercar series for Ford Performance Racing....
, which was almost a team 1-2 result as the team displayed excellent strategy and teamwork during the day, only a battery problem slowing the satellaite car of Larkham and Brad Jones who still managed to finish fourth. The team continued to show promise in 1999, with Bright scoring three poles, and three podiums including a win at the
Hidden Valley RacewayHidden Valley Raceway is part of the Hidden Valley Motorsports Complex from Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. At the complex is a 14 turn race track which is long, with a main straight. The race track is used as the sixth round of the V8 Supercar series...
round.
Bright left the team as it expanded to a two-car operation, with
Craig BairdCraig Baird is a race car driver. Baird is a very successful driver in his homeland, winning three consecutive New Zealand Formula Atlantic championship titles , and then four consecutive New Zealand Touring Car Championship titles .Since then Baird has raced in Australian Super Touring...
taking his seat in the Pirtek car, while
Tony LonghurstTony Longhurst is an Australian former racing driver and Australian Champion water skier. He is most noted for his career in the Australian Touring Car Championship and V8 Supercar series....
drove the new Caltex-sponsored entry. In a lean year, the team's best finish was a podium for Baird at
Phillip IslandPhillip Island Grand Prix Circuit is a racing circuit in Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia-Old Track:The first races on Phillip Island took place in 1926 with the running of the 100 Miles Road Race, an event which has since become known as the first Australian Grand Prix...
.
SBR then opted for some young talent for the 2001 season, with
Marcos AmbroseMarcos Ambrose is an Australian racing driver. He was the Australian V8 Supercar champion in 2003 and 2004, and is credited for virtually single-handedly reviving Ford Racing in Australia, after years of Holden domination.In 2006 he raced in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, piloting the #20...
and
David BesnardDavid Besnard, , in Sydney, Australia is a professional race car driver. Starting in Karts in 1981, he quickly proceeded into Formula Ford in 1995. After initial success, he had a major accident at Eastern Creek Raceway and broke his leg. In 1996 he made a comeback and won the Australian title...
taking over the driving duties in the Pirtek and Caltex Falcons respectively. Ambrose won a round, took two podiums, and impressed with his qualifying speed. Besnard had a mixed year, taking one podium. Both drivers remained with the team for the 2002 season, and took three round wins between them; including a Queensland 500 enduro victory for Besnard, and a dominant win at
Sandown RacewaySandown International Raceway is a motor racing circuit in Melbourne, Victoria, approximately south east of the city centre.-History:Sandown Racecourse was first built as a horse racing facility, dating back into the 19th century, but closed in the 1930s in a government run rationalisation...
for Ambrose.
In 2003, Ambrose continued to drive the Pirtek-sponsored SBR Falcon, but star driver
Russell IngallRussell 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 iconic Bathurst 1000 motor race twice, in 1995 and 1997...
took over for the FPR-bound Besnard in the Caltex car. 2003 saw the introduction of the Project Blueprint parity rules, and the new BA Falcon for Ford, and the VY Commodore for Holden. On this new playing field, SBR was the dominant force, with Ambrose winning the championship and Ingall finishing 7th. Between them they won eight of thirteen rounds (6 to Ambrose, 2 for Ingall). Ambrose took 5 pole positions. Meanwhile,
Mark WinterbottomMark "Frosty" Winterbottom, is a racing driver in the V8 Supercar series.-Early career:He started his motor racing career in 1989 at the age of 8, racing 50cc and 80cc motorbikes, and then moved on to go-karts at the age of 10...
won the Level Two Development Series in an SBR Falcon.
This dominance continued in the 2004 season, with Ambrose winning a second championship and Ingall finishing 2nd overall, giving SBR a historic 1-2 championship finish. The team recorded 6 round wins - 5 to Ambrose and 1 to Ingall.
Among these round victories was an outstanding
Sandown 500The Sandown 500 was an endurance motor race staged at the Sandown Raceway, near Melbourne in Victoria, Australia between 1964 and 2007. It was typically held in September, the month before Australia’s other main endurance race, the Bathurst 1000, however the race was not run in 1966, 1967, 1999 and...
victory to Ambrose and co-driver Greg Ritter - a race where Ambrose reset the lap record. The same race saw Ingall and his co-driver Cameron McLean come in 2nd for a 1-2 race finish.
In 2005, Ingall won the championship, finally shedding the dubious "bridesmaid" tag. Consistency and strategy, rather than outright speed and wins were crucial to Ingall's win. Ambrose had led the championship until he was involved in an incident in the
Bathurst 1000The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. The race was traditionally run on the first Sunday in October but is now held on the second Sunday. The race traces its lineage to the 1960 Armstrong 500...
with
Greg MurphyGreg Murphy is a racing driver, best known as a four-time winner of the Bathurst 1000 on the Mt Panorama Circuit where he has held the outright lap record since 2003....
. He went on to finish 3rd behind Ingall and
Craig LowndesCraig Lowndes is an Australian racing driver, three time V8 Supercar champion and four time Bathurst 1000 winner.-Racing career:...
. Ingall won a single round, while Ambrose took victories in the first and last rounds of the year. Both took multiple podiums, while Ambrose managed a pair of pole positions.
In both 2004 and 2005, SBR won the Team's Championship by comfortable margins.
2006 saw Ambrose leave V8 Supercar to pursue a career in
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947-48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
, and Pirtek withdrew its sponsorship. Former F1 Test Driver
James CourtneyJames Courtney is an Australian racing driver who competes in the V8 Supercar series in Australia for Dick Johnson Racing....
was signed to drive the #4 car, now sponsored by
JELD-WENJeld-Wen is a corporation with over 150 divisions and 20,000 employees worldwide. The business manufactures building products, including windows, interior and exterior doors, and garage doors. Jeld-Wen owns several distribution facilities and operates several resort properties...
. Ingall continued in the Caltex entry, but couldn't defend his title - eventually finishing a disappointing eighth. Courtney improved throughout the season to finish 11th, and won Rookie of the Year. The highlight of the year was the team's performance at Bathurst, with Courtney and co-driver
Glenn SetonGlenn Seton is an Australian racing driver.Seton retired from full time racing after the 2005 V8 Supercar season, and is only one of five drivers to have competed in over 200 rounds in the series. The other drivers are Dick Johnson , John Bowe , Mark Skaife and the late Peter Brock . In the past...
third, with Ingall and co-driver Luke Youlden coming in fourth.
Ingall and Courtney continued driving for SBR in 2007, which proved to be an inconsistent season. Courtney scored round podiums in Adelaide, Bathurst and Bahrain, and a pole position in Adelaide; while Ingall managed a podium on the Gold Coast. Along with these strong results came disappointing ones.
It was announced that both
CaltexCaltex is a petroleum brand name of Chevron Corporation used in more than 60 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, and southern Africa.-History:...
and driver of car #9
Russell IngallRussell 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 iconic Bathurst 1000 motor race twice, in 1995 and 1997...
would leave the team after the completion of the 2007 series. The new driver for the 2008 season is
Shane Van GisbergenShane Van Gisbergen is a racecar driver from Auckland, New Zealand. Van Gisbergen has raced in the New Zealand, Toyota Racing Series in 2007...
and SP Tools will be the new title sponsor on car #9. Courtney and JELD-WEN continue to be the driver and title sponsor respectively on car #4.
2008 was an average year for SBR, with Courtney and Van Gisbergen doing well in the series. Courtney broke through for his first race win in the series at the team's test track,
Queensland RacewayQueensland Raceway nicknamed "the paperclip" is a motor racing circuit located near Ipswich in Queensland, Australia.The circuit plays host to V8 Supercars, the Australian Superbike Championship, Drifting as well as club level racing and ride days....
although round wins still proved elusive for the high profile driver. Courtney and Bathurst team mate David Besnard finished third, while Van Gisbergen and Jonathon Webb finished the weekend in the wall at McPhillamy Park.
Courtney left the team at seasons end with formerly European based sportscar racer
Alex DavisonAlex Davison, born 3 November 1979, in Melbourne, Australia, is best known as a race driver. Davison preesently races for Stone Brothers Racing driving a Ford Falcon in the V8 Supercar Championship Series....
returning home to steer the #4 Falcon. The team will prepare a car in 2009 for one of SBR's two
Bathurst winningalign="right"|-|The 1998 FAI 1000 Classic was the second running of the Australia 1000 race, first held after the organisational split over the Bathurst 1000 the previous year. It was the 41st race that traces its lineage back to the 1960 Armstrong 500 held at Phillip Island...
drivers,
Jason BrightJason Bright is an Australian racing driver currently competing in the V8 Supercar series for Britek Motorsport, a team he also owns.-Australia:...
as Bright's team
Britek MotorsportBritek Motorsport is one of the motorsport teams contesting the V8 Supercar Championship. Established in 2005 under the ownership of Jason Bright , they have struggled in their first two seasons due to testing and licensing restrictions...
becomes a customer of SBR.
The Stone Brothers
Ross and Jim Stone, two New Zealand-born brothers, are the team manager and chief engineer of SBR respectively. Ross won the New Zealand Formula Ford Championship twice in the 1970's. Since then, the Stone Brothers have been behind several winning teams, before forming Pack Leader Racing with former world champion, Alan Jones in 1996. The brothers bought out Jones' share in the team after two seasons and the team was re-named Stone Brothers Racing in 1998. A highlight of their pre-SBR career was engineering the winning Falcon with
Dick Johnson RacingDick Johnson Racing is Australia's oldest touring car team. Founded by legendary driver Dick Johnson, the team has won 6 Australian Touring Car Championship titles and has taken 3 victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000...
at Bathurst in 1994.
External links