A clash between V8 Supercar ch♌ampion Marcos Ambrose and Mark Skaife handed victory to probably the last person Skaife would have wanted to benefit, Russell Ingall.

In the opening race of the fourth round of the 2004 🔴V8 Supercar Championship Series at Darwin's Hidden Valley, Ambrose and Skaife's coming together gifted Ingall the win.

While charging for the lead, Ambrose got alongside Skaife on the final cor💃ner of the final lap♈, with the ensuing contact between the two rivals damaging both cars.

Am꧅brose brought his Falcon home 𒆙in third, while Skaife fell from first back to 14th.

Both cars stopped just after the finish line, with both drivers reporting damaged steering f🔯rom the incident.

It was the final chapter in one of the best races in recent history. Despite being just 17-laps in length, po🔜sitions changed throughout with a number of drivers sliding wide on corners.

Despite his nickname as the 'Enforcer', Ingall kept out of all the dramas and brought home a straight car for a popular victory. It was his first individual race win since the Gold Coast last year🌃.

"That was a cracker race, it ꦜhad everything and I seemed to have the best seat in the house," said Ingall. "The car was a great toy in that race, and with a few very minor improvement overnight it'll be a weapon tomorrow.

"We qualified really well ൩earlier today, and racing at the front usually means you don't get caught up in the mess. It was pretty messy, but I'm glad I was not the one in the middlꦜe of it.

"I wouldn't call it a 🗹lucky win. I was right on Marcos's hammer and it all opened up.

"The move by Marcos was brilliant. He's a true racer and the whole deal about the championship leader having to be conservative i🌜s not what he's about. It's great for our team, Ford🍷 and the sport."

Ambrose was disappointed to finish third, but was adamant that t♏he move to pass Skaife was on. "I got a great run and dived to the inside, got side-by-side and we touched," said Ambrose.

"Mark wanted to fight for the corner and that's what happened. I wouldn't expect anything less from him. It was fair, but certainly tough rꩲacing and that's what V8 Supercars is all about.

"I'm sure Ross and Jimmy Stone would be a little disap🦂pointed with the outcome, but I'm a racer and I won't be changing anything. It's brought me success to this point in my career and I'll keep it that way.

"In terms of the𒐪 championship, we got a small points gap on rivals Steve Richards (5th place) and Greg Murphy finished in 14th. That'⛦s important for the overall picture.

"You know I don't like losing a race,⛎ but 𝓡for Russell to win and Stone Brothers Racing having two cars in the first three is a top result.

"I'm now focusing on tomorrow's two races and making sure we have the opportunꦐity to win the round. I'm sure Russellꦓ will have something to say about that and it will be a good fight".

Ford finished the race with six cars in the top-10, with places seven through to 10 being Jason Bargwanna, J⛄ohn Bowe and Team Betta Electrical teammates 🐟Paul Radisich and Max Wilson rounding out the ten.

Top ten

1. Russell Ingall Caltex Havoline Racing - Ford Falcon BA
2. Todd Kelly Holden Race Team - Holden Commodore
3. Marcos Ambrose Pirtek Racing - Ford Falcon BA
4. Jason Bright PWR Racing - Holden Commodore
5. Steven Richards Castrol Perkins Motorsport - Holden Commodore
6. Rick Kelly KMart Racing - Holden Commodore
7. Jason Bargwanna Orrcon Steel Racing - Ford Falcon BA
8. John Bowe OzEmail Racing - Ford Falcon BA
9. Paul Radisich Team Betta Electrical - Ford Falcon BA
10. Max Wilson Team Betta Electrical - Ford Falcon BA