Motorsport: PRA look on Bright side to celebrate milestone

Chaz Mostert leads Mark Winterbottom at Phillip Island. Photo / Getty Images

They've become almost the forgotten outfit in the 2017 Supercars battle but Prodrive Racing Australia is determined to get back in the fight at the front of the field in Townsville this weekend.

The Ford team have fallen well behind the battle at the front between the DJR Team Penske crew of Kiwis Fabian Coulthard and Scott McLaughlin and the Red Bull Holden Racing Team duo Jamie Whincup and Shane van Gisbergen.

But with a history of good results in North Queensland, and celebrating a milestone weekend, the Ford team are chasing a big result.

PRA will compete at its 200th round in Townsville while driver Jason Bright celebrates his 250th round start at the Reid Park facility that combines a park course with street circuit for two 200km races across the weekend.

"Townsville is a different sort of track," 2015 champion Mark Winterbottom said. "We're back into street circuit form and a stop-start type of car instead of a fast, flowing track. You've just got to stay confident. Back yourself, back the team and go forward."

Winterbottom has had a tough season. He is sixth-equal on the standings but 400 points behind leader Coulthard and was uncompetitive at the last round.

"From a form guide point of view, Darwin doesn't replicate results in Townsville so we've just got to keep going," Winterbottom said. "We've got good people. We've just got to try and make some new bits, set a new direction and a new sort of track will also hopefully gives us results.

"In 2015, we had the double win on Saturday and Sunday. Last year, we were on the podium and got a pole so it's been a good track for us but you need the car to be underneath you to get the results and I think we can do that."

Teammate Chaz Mostert remains the only Australian to secure a race win this season with the three Kiwis winning 11 of the 12 races so far. He, too, is coming off a disappointing weekend in the Northern Territory but is returning to a place he enjoys - even if it is a challenging track.

"Townsville will probably be pretty tough," Mostert said.

"Darwin wasn't one to remember for us but I know we can turn it around."

Saturday sees qualifying before a 70-lap race. Sunday adds a top 10 shootout before a second 70-lap race.

Townsville: Reid Park

Track facts

The Reid Park circuit is effectively two tracks in one - half park circuit and half street race.

Length: 2.86km.
Average Speed: 144km/h.
First used: 2009.
Lap record: Mark Winterbottom (2012).

Most race wins: Jamie Whincup (8 of 17 races).

Predictions

Most likely to win: Scott McLaughlin is on a roll.
Dark Horse: Chaz Mostert - PRA have been fast here in recent seasons.
Dance of the desperate: Jamie Whincup is desperate for a first win of the season while James Courtney needs a big performance at a happy hunting ground.
Under pressure: Shane van Gisbergen - the Kiwi fell back in the championship race in Darwin.