After yesterday’s DNF in race 1 of the Clipsal 500 Dunlop series due to a punctured tire, in today’s race 2, Casey Stoner had to start thirtieth and the former two-time MotoGP World champion (38 victories and 69 podiums) drove to an impressive 14th, in the Adelaide street race.
Asked if he wanted to continue a long term career in V8 racing Stoner said, “I wouldn’t have a clue yet.
I had a real taste for it and in general, we’ve now got more of an idea and things I thought I was going to be nervous about, I’m more OK with than I thought I’d be.
I still need a lot more experience.
There’s still a lot of things going on in the cockpit, set-up, geometry, that’s going to take me a long time to understand after 24 years learning about bikes.
I’ve only finished one race, unfortunately; it could have been two by now.
We couldn’t really get the car working all weekend and yesterday wasn’t really any better.
Today the car was definitely a bit better and I felt more comfortable with it.
Hopefully with a bit of time it’ll slowly start to come, but I just want to have a bit of fun, go and race some guys and see what happens at the end of the year.
“Everybody was giving me as hard a time as I was them – I felt like part of the class,” he continued.
My main goal today was not to flat-spot the tyre [like I did in race one] and bring the car home, and I had a lot of fun.
Everyone was really good to race with, everyone gave racing room and I had a few battles there.
It was very, very enjoyable and I wish we had another race tomorrow.
But unfortunately that’s it for the weekend.
” Triple Eight team boss Roland Dane said of his new driver, “He has that outstanding talent.
You can see it in his feel for the car.
He absorbed all the advice he has been given by others, and he used it.
This is a very difficult place to be thrown into the deep end … if it all falls into place, Casey will be top six all day long.
”Stoner’s next car race will be at Barbagallo Raceway in Perth from May 3-5.
Photos © Getty Images
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