GARRY’S DARWIN SUPERCARS SUPPORT WRAP – FRIDAY
A FIRST session best of 1 minute 8.2685 seconds has David Wall fastest over two practice sessions for the fourth round of the Porsche Carrera Cup, being the major support on the CrownBet Darwin Triple Crown at Hidden Valley this weekend.
After notching up his first round win ever in the category in the third outing at Phillip Island in late May, Wall held onto the top spot by 0.18 seconds over Alex Davison who was fastest in session two.
Third and fourth quickest were the Sonic Racing team mates Nick McBride and Andre Heimgartner although the latter missed the second session after crashing out of turn 2 earlier. The car suffered engine and gearbox damage but is expected to be out for qualifying tomorrow.
The next places were filled by Professional Class drivers Dylan O’Keeffe, Jaxon Evans, Michael Almond, James Abela and Cameron McConville ahead of the best of the Challenge drivers Sam Shahin, Tim Miles, Stephen Grove and Simon Ellingham.
OVER TWO sessions of practice for the third round of the Touring Car Masters, it was John Bowe’s first session effort that stood the test of Steve Johnson’s second outing charge to be fastest overall.
Bowe posted a best of 1 minute 12.8222 seconds in his Holden Torana SL/R 5000 while a flu-stricken Johnson mustered a competitive time that was 0.1155 seconds off with his Ford Mustang.
Third fastest was Jason Gomersall (Torana A9X) ahead of Bruce Williams (SL/R 5000), Adam Bressington (Chev Camaro), Eddie Abelnica (Ford Falcon XB Coupe), Ryan Hansford (SL/R 5000), Tony Karanfilovski (Mustang), Andrew Fisher (Ford Falcon XY GTHO) and Adam Garwood (SL/R 5000).
In the first session Fisher lost his bonnet, which was subsequently run over by Karanfilovski. After being involved in the huge accident at Winton, the Camaro of Mark had its mechanicals transferred over to the leased Nigel Benson Holden Monaro. The car had a wheel stud failure and lost the right rear.
In the second session, Jim Richards was an early casualty with his Ford Falcon Sprint stopped out of turn 5 with a mystifying fuel/electrical issue that shut the car down. Michael Cannon (Falcon GTHO) suffered a puncture before Gomersall and Hansford had harmless spins.
COMBINED SEDANS, the local categories with the influx of some interstaters who want to get out of the southern states’ winters, qualified for the first of their three races with Adam Uebergang, Peter Cusato, Bryce Fullwood and Brett Osborn heading up the classes.
Queenslander Uebergang was fastest overall as well as in Improved Production Over Two Litre in his Mazda RX3, ahead of class rivals and local Territorians Tim Playford (Mazda 808), Barry Smith (Holden Commodore VP) and Simon Bulasch (turbo Ford Escort).
Behind fifth placed Keven Stoopman (Datsun 120Y turbo) was the best of the Commodore Cup runners in Fullwood while Cusato placed his Escort overall and best of the U2L IPs. Next best in CC was Adam Champion in 11th.
The largest contingent in the group are the HQ Holdens where NSW’s Osborn, the current (nationwide) Nationals title holder, was 21st and fastest, less than a tenth of a second ahead of Andrew Williams with fellow Victorian Andrew McLeod third.
STADIUM SUPER Trucks, a demonstration event last year, had their first race today. The high jumpers were led away by Greg Gartner until bumped off by Bill Hynes. Matt Brabham then led until he ran wide and that allow series creator Robbie Gordon to take over the front running until he was pipped in the end by Paul Morris.
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