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GARRY’S WINTON SUPERCARS SUPPORT WRAP – FRIDAY

Tyler Greenbury fastest of the V8 Touring Cars at Winton - Photo: Dirk Klynsmith

By Bruce Williams

Tyler Greenbury fastest of the V8 Touring Cars at Winton - Photo: Dirk Klynsmith

Tyler Greenbury fastest of the V8 Touring Cars at Winton – Photo: Dirk Klynsmith

KUMHO V8 TOURING CARS

A SECOND practice session time of 1 minute 42.8621 seconds has Tyler Greenbury fastest overall in the two very wet outings for the Kumho Tyre V8 Touring Cars at Winton on day one.

Driving an Eggleston Motorsport Holden Commodore VE, Greenbury took the top spot away from session one’s fastest Jon McCorkindale and his ex-Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon BF ahead of tomorrow’s qualifying and race one.

Third fastest was Jack Smith (Brad Jones Racing VE) from debutant Aaron Seton (BF) who endured the second session with a blown slave cylinder, and round one fastest qualifier Michael Anderson (ex-Ford Performance Racing Falcon FG).

Returning in a one-off drive is Tony Evangelou, sixth in Mark Primmer’s ex-FPR BF which is the car Evangelou won the series in 2010. Seventh and eighth were the ex-Tasman Motorsport team VEs of Michael Caine and Jim Pollicina ahead of round one winner Jordon Boys and his Image Racing team mate Josh Smith, both in FGs.

David Wright (ex-Paul Morris Motorsport Commodore VZ), Warren Millet (ex-HRT VZ), Chris Smerdon (ex-SBR FG), Gary Collins (ex-Perkins Engineering VE), Brad Niell (ex-PE Commodore VS), Troy Stapleton (ex-Dick Johnson Falcon EL) and Chris Delfsma (ex-FPR BF) followed.

Both 20-minute sessions had red flags, the first for when Anderson and Collins went off separately at turn 3, and the second was delayed when Josh Smith came off the road at high speed at turn one.

TOURING CAR MASTERS

Ryan Hansford fastest in the wet during Touring Cars Masters - Photo: Rhys Vandersyde

Ryan Hansford fastest in the wet during Touring Cars Masters – Photo: Rhys Vandersyde

IN BOTH very wet Touring Car Masters practice sessions on the rural Victorian circuit, Ryan Hansford was fastest, reaping the dividends of changes to the peddle box and seating in his Holden Torana SL/R 5000 for round two.

“I was really cramped in the car at the Adelaide first round and they have given me as much room as they can without changing the rollcage,” said the lanky Queenslander.

His 1 minute 49.1391 second fastest lap would have him 22nd among the Supercars after their preceding session and he was 1.7 seconds faster than the Fords of Steve Johnson (Mustang), Eddie Abelnica (Falcon XB Coupe) and Tony Karanfilovski (Mustang).

Fifth fastest on the Friday of the Winton Super Sprint meeting was Sven Burchartz in his IROC Porsche 911 ahead of Jason Gomersall (Torana A9X Hatchback) and Rohan Little (Porsche).

With their SL/R 5000s now running as a A9X sedans due to the adding of wheel arch flares and larger bonnet scoops, John Bowe and Adam Garwood were the next best, with Andrew Fisher (Falcon XY GTHO), Cam Tilley (Valiant Pacer) and Bernie Stack (Porsche) ensuing.

After an out-lap excursion by Stack in practice session one, the remainder, as well as session two ran red flag-free. Keeping the windscreens from misting up was a major issue for some, including Bruce Williams (SL/R 5000) in his first outing in a year.

Leo Tobin (Mustang) had an alternator failure at the end of the first session, Adam Bressington (Chev Camaro) blew a header in the same session and Melinda Price (Falcon XA) didn’t get to notch a lap.

FORMULA FORD

Aaron Cameron qualified on pole in Formula Ford - Photo: Rhys Vandersyde

Aaron Cameron qualified on pole in Formula Ford – Photo: Rhys Vandersyde

FOLLOWING TWO red flag-restricted practice sessions, it was relatively dry on track for the Formula Ford Series round three qualifying but very wet off the bitumen as several found out.

The important session came under an almost immediate red flag when Ben D’Alia (Spectrum) speared off at turn 3 and then went uninterrupted to the chequer.

With an impressive 30-car field, Aaron Cameron (Spectrum) took a last-gasp pole away from Hunter McElrea (Mygale) who was subsequently bumped by Max Vidau (Mygale), Jayden Ojeda and Cooper Hunter, both steering Spectrums.

Adrian Lazzoro (Spectrum), Nick Carroll (Spectrum) Cameron Sheilds (Mygale) Harri Jones (Spectrum and Angelo Mouzouris (Mygale) filled out the top ten while Mitchell Maddren was the best of the Kent-engined cars ahead of Kane Coleman by 0.06 seconds.

V8 UTES

Ryal Harris set the pace in the V8 Utes - Photo: Dirk Klynsmith

Ryal Harris set the pace in the V8 Utes – Photo: Dirk Klynsmith

SEASONED V8 UTE campaigners Ryal Harris, Kim Jane and Mason Barbera are set to continue at the head of the opening round of the 2017 and final series at Winton following two wet practice sessions.

Harris (Ford Falcon) who won the three Phillip Island non-series races recently, headed Jane (Holden Commodore) by 0.18 seconds with Barbera (Falcon) third.

Next was Matt Splatt (Commodore) ahead of Marcus Zukanovic (Falcon) and the Commodores of Mick Sieders and Cameron Crick, Tony Auddino (Falcon) and Richard Mork (Commodore).

Tenth and eleventh were the Falcons of Blake Sciberras and Keven Stoopman who only did a handful of laps due to steering issues. They headed Maxim Erickson (Falcon) and the Ross Stone-mentored Chris Formosa (Commodore).

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