Darwin hard times for WPS.

WPS Racing's Craig Baird and David Besnard couldn't take a trick during the opening race of Darwin's Skycity V8 Supercar event at Hidden Valley Raceway, despite positive signs during qualifying that had both drivers believing they possessed the overall car speed to progress up the leaderboard.

Starting from 18th, Baird cut a dominant figure in the middle of the pack and had shot himself up to 13th on the timesheets by the end of another drama-charged opening lap. But that advantage was quickly stolen away when the New Zealander received a black flag from officials as his rear bumper became increasingly detached.

"The first turn during that opening lap was always going to be dicey as drivers jostled for position, so we were intent on just keeping our nose clean," the Kiwi said, "I'm not sure what happened behind us, but we've copped some damage - it's one of those things that you just don't have control over.

"The car's set-up was good for qualifying, and I always believed it was a better race proposition. I've got no doubt that, had we enjoyed better fortune, things could have been a lot different but, once you're forced to pit during such a short race,, your chances and opportunities are limited."

It was a similar story for Besnard, who had very little control over his outcome after jumping seven positions during the first lap. Sitting comfortably in 25th position, 'Bezza' was forced to pull out of the race after completing just six laps.

"We looked at things after the race and found that the crank sensor was cracked right through," he revealed, "That's what controls spark to the engine, so it's just one of those things - we've just got to grin and bear it. The most important thing is we know what the problem is, so we'll fix it overnight and be back tomorrow ready to have another shot."