Fabian Coulthard: Unfinished business after tough first day

Fabian Coulthard finished last in yesterday's first race and was ninth in the second at Pukekohe. Photo / Getty Images

Opinion

V8 Supercars can be a cruel sport. I found that out after I was run off the track and was last to finish in the first of our two sprint races at the ITM 500 Auckland at Pukekohe Park yesterday.

To be fair, if you don't qualify at the pointy end of the field, you open yourself to idiot moves from some drivers down the pack.

The second race was much better as I qualified well and had a solid race, although I could not challenge for the podium, which is something we will push for in today's 200km race.

Yesterday was disappointing because there are a lot of great reasons for me to race well this weekend.

As a proud Kiwi and Aucklander, it's always awesome to come home. As a race car driver, to compete at Pukekohe and drive on to the front straight in front of that packed hill of Kiwi race fans is really special. Their support was unreal yesterday - the place was packed.

I really love Pukekohe. It is a special race track. It's short, incredibly fast, has good passing opportunities and is so bumpy.

I love the bumps. It's what gives this place so much character and is such a big part of its heritage.

Unfortunately for our Freightliner Racing Holden, we have struggled to get to grips with the track this week.

It's actually been 19 months since we raced here but it's a place the Brad Jones Racing team has done well at in the past.

We haven't been bad but we've just not been able to nail it - and give me the chance to become the first Kiwi to win the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy.

It was definitely a pretty interesting day, with hard tyres for our first sprint race and soft tyres for the second.

And I was following closely behind when Craig Lowndes' tyre exploded, which was a pretty scary moment.

Another great reason to be here this week was the chance to meet Roger Penske for the first time.

While I'm very committed to finish strongly and as the second New Zealander in the V8 Supercars Championship for my Brad Jones Racing team, I am equally excited to be joining DJR Team Penske next year.

He is a legend in motorsport and business, with success on the motor race track in Nascar and Indy Car. And he is such a powerful figure globally in the automotive industry.

It was timely he was here in Auckland where he opened Penske New Zealand's operation.

This is the first year in V8 Supercars for Team Penske and I am fortunate to have the opportunity to join them in 2016 with a two-car team.

But first some unfinished business at Pukekohe today.