By Matthew Agius

The partnership ♎of Russell Ingall, the 2005 V8 Supercar Champioꦓn and his team of five years, Stone Brothers Racing, ended disappointingly today after the Caltex Falcon driver endured a difficult final race of the championship.

Ingall was penalised in race three a driving infring꧋ement on Greg M🌊urphy's Rockstar Commodore.

The forme𓃲r champion was forced to complete a d༺rive through penalty that ended a solid charge in the final race of the 2007 championship.

"I had nothing to lose and w൩as out there having a go. That's howꦅ I have always approached racing," said Ingall.

Russell Ingall's c🔥ontract with SBR and Ford has been terminated with a year remaining - allowing him to pursue new pathways in 2008.

Those pathways appear destined towards Paul 🅠Morris Motorsports, with Ingall expected to take up lead driver duties at the Queensland based Holden team.

🦂"Today's result was not how I hoped to 🔴finish my five years at SBR," he said.

"I've had a great innings with🅰 SBR and I will never forget winning the championship with them.

"I've really appreci🉐ated all the effort from everyone over this year and for the past five years. Now I look forward to the future to see what that 💫brings."

T๊oday's race also marks the end of Caltex Australia's association with the team after eight years in V8 Supercars.

James Courtney fared better than his departing team mate, claiming eighth overall for the round and end🥂ing his championship campaign for 2007 in ninth place.

"We finished inside the top ten in the Championship this year which was the general aim but we were not in the tཧop three as we thought that we should be so we haven't achieved our goals," sa♑id Courtney.

"On the positive side, we do know what we need ꦬto work on to get up there.

"We wilꦅl come out with guns blazing in the New Year and hopefully kick off with ꦆanother pole position at the Clipsal 500 and get that first race win."

SBR expects to announce its replacement for Ingall, and replacement spons🅰or for Caltex in the coming months.