19.06.2004 Lamborghini Diablo driver Paul Stokell claimed his fourth straight pole position in qualifying for round four of the Australian Nations Cup Championship at the Winton Motor Raceway

Lamborghini driver Paul Stokell claimed his fourth straight pole position in qualifying for round four of the Australian Nations Cup Championship at the Winton Motor Raceway yesterday.

Stokell posted his time with wet weather tyres on a damp track in the early part of a 30-minute qualifying session and after the rain got heavier around half-time he could not be beaten.

As Lamborghini Australia clock up yet another Nations Cup pole position, forty is proving to be a magic number in the marque's anniversary year. Following hot on the heels of the new Lamborghini Gallardo winning Australia’s Performance Car of the Year award, Team Lamborghini driver Paul Stokell won his 40th Nations Cup race last time out at Sandown.

It’s a race record for the series, with Stokell’s and Lamborghini’s dominance give them a strong grip on the driver's championship having amassed 251 points, a clear 37 points ahead of their nearest rival Nathan Pretty.

In the four years since the series began, Stokell currently holds the record for most front row starts (18), most successive wins (5) and the most fastest qualifying times (13).

For sponsors Clarion and Penrite Oil it’s been a dream run. Gary Padey, National Sales Manager for Penrite Oil, is a first-time sponsor this season and he’s ecstatic about Lamborghini’s success. “We could not have asked for a better start to the season and we’re thrilled to be along for the ride."

Meanwhile in the qualifying session back at Winton, Nathan Pretty was second fastest in his Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Monaro, but was more than 1.6 seconds adrift of Stokell.

Having posted the fastest practice time yesterday, Pretty expressed frustration at missing the pole. “It’s good to be on the front row at Winton because there’s a very short run to the first corner, but it would just be nice to get a pole some time,” he said. “We improved the car during the session, but it was too late to hope for a better time.”

At the season’s halfway point, Pretty is looking the driver most able to thwart Stokell’s run at a second championship title.

The pair are separated in first and second positions by only 37 points and Pretty has proved his potential at Winton by winning last year’s round at the track.

Stokell said he had not been able to find an optimum suspension set-up for his Lamborghini Diablo. “I haven’t quite found the sweet spot and I think that Monaro will be a threat, especially if it’s wet again tomorrow. It seems to put its power down very well out of the tight corners here.”

Sydney driver David Stevens was third-fastest in the best performance yet for his Porsche GT2. Allan Simonsen came fourth outright and first in the Trophy class in a Ferrari 360 Challenge, his usual GT class Ferrari 550 Maranello sidelined with an engine problem.

Peter Brock struggled with his new Holden Monaro, which was completed only at 3am on Thursday, and ended up 10th, while D’Arcy Russell claimed 14th spot in the return of his Chrysler Viper after a year’s lay-off.