GARRY’S QUEENSLAND SHANNONS NATIONALS WRAP – SUNDAY
The second 300km Australian Production Car Series race closed out the Shannons Nationals – Photo: Rhys Vandersyde
IT WAS Bob Pearson’s sixth race win in a row when together with Rick Bates, he won the second leg of the Australian Production Car Series at Queensland Raceway.
Teamed up in the Pro Duct Mitsubishi EVO X, they won the 300km event that headlined the Shannons Nationals fifth round by 8.2s over Beric Lynton and Tim Leahey (BMW 1M).
Nathan Morcom and Chaz Mostert (Ford Focus RS) were also on the lead 96th lap and third overall as well as in Class A1.
A lap behind was the pre-race favourites Iain and Grant Sherrin with their BMW M4 delayed by a brake pad change, an additional stop for fuel and a drive-through for passing behind the safety car.
Fifth was the first of the A2 cars in the BMW E92 M3 piloted by Gerry Murphy and Jim Pollicina, finishing ahead of Dimitri Agathos/Lachlan Gibbons (A1 Subaru Impreza) and Class B1 winners Michael Sherrin/Stephen Champion.
Class C and eighth went to Colin Osborne/Hadrian Morrall (Renault Megane) ahead of the sister car and team mates Tyler Everingham/Calum Jones. Class D went right down to the wire with the Michael James/Troy Rolley Toyota GT86 passing the Ellexandra Best/Michael Gray within a couple of minutes of the end of the race.
Richard Gartner scored two wins in Australian GT Trophy Series – Photo: Dirk Klynsmith
LAMBORGHINI DRIVER Richard Gartner cracked for not only his first GT Trophy Series race wins but took out round three as well.
He had to hold off a race-long challenge from Rod Salmon in his Audi R8 Ultra in race one and crossed the line 1.5s ahead. Gartner led the 50-minute plus one lap opener from the outset with Jake Camilleri bounding into third spot in his MARC Australia Mazda V8 but gearbox issues would put him out of contention.
Third went to Stephen McLaughlan (Audi) while Wayne Mack (Ferrari 458) displaced Rod Smith (Audi) on the final lap. Next was Rick Mensa (Audi) ahead of Jan Jinadasa (Lamborghini) and the best of the MARCs was eighth placed Aaron Cameron (Ford Focus V8) despite a drive-through penalty.
Salmon went a little too early at the start of race two, leading Gartner through to the pitstops. But the latter emerged with the lead after the mandatory stops. Mack was in second ahead of Smith with Salmon fourth.
Within minutes of the flag, Smith was out with an engine fire and Salmon went to second, only to cop a 5s penalty for his start misdemeanor and finished third. McLaughlan was next ahead of Cameron, Jinadasa and John Goodacre (MARC Focus V8).
Mark Laucke won the final Australian Prototype Series race – Photo: Rhys Vandersyde
CONTINUING HIS winning way in the Prototype Series, David Barram was unchallenged through the second race of round four, winning by over 20s in his Chiron LMP3 but failed to finish the final race, thus giving the round to Mark Laucke.
Without Jason Makris’ West WX10 which wouldn’t fire up, Laucke (WX10) looked to have second in his keeping in race two until pressured by Terry Peovitis (RFR 1000) over the final laps. John-Paul Drake (WX 10) was in the mix for second from the start but was out of the race after taking a wild ride across the turn 2 gravel trap.
Fourth fell to Chris Sutton (Radical SR3) ahead of Michael Whiting (West WR1000) who battled all race long with Brian Pettit in his Minetti SSV1 as David Rodgie (JMW Clubman) followed them home.
It was a battle of survival in the last with just three finishers. Laucke won from Sutton and Pettit. Makris didn’t start, neither did Drake while Peovitis, Whiting and Rodgie were all retirees.
Jordan Love was unstoppable in Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge – Photo: Dirk Klynsmith
THERE WAS no beating Jordan Love off the line in race two or three for the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge fifth round where he went on to comprehensively win both.
Anthony Gilbertson went to second off the start or the day’s first race but was passed at turn 4 by Brenton Grove. The latter finished second but Gilbertson spun at turn 6 on lap eight and impeded the progress of fourth-placed Sam Shahin who had nowhere to go.
That allowed John Karytinos to take third spot ahead of John Morriss. Shahin was next as Gilbertson recovered to cross the line just in front of Ross McGregor.
In the last Grove again could only chase Love throughout while Shahin led Karytinos, Gilbertson and Boulton. By the flag Gilbertson had worked his way to third, crossing the line ahead of Shahin while Karytinos held off McGregor.
Cameron Bartholomew held off John Robotham to win X3 Series – Photo: Rhys Vandersyde
RACES TWO and three for the Queensland X3 Series Invitational were taken out by Cameron Bartholomew as he held off Jaylyn Robotham in both.
In the first of the day, the winner had to fend off Robotham following a late safety car. Cousins Dan and Richard Peasey were next and Ashley Wright held off Maxim Erickson. Brett Parrish who started last, finished eighth behind Ross Street. Initial race leader Brock Giblin fell out of contention with a pit lane drive-through penalty.
In their final outing, the two front runners ran nose-to-tail for the entire duration of the 12 lapper. For just half a lap Robotham managed to get ahead with a move at turn 4 but at turn 1 on the following lap, Bartholomew regathered the front position for the remainder.
The two were well ahead of the rest where the race for third was a lottery between eight cars. Giblin headed the pack until going off at turn two. Dan Peasey came through to hold out Parrish but later copped a 30s penalty for contact on Giblin. That elevated Wright, Erickson, Street and Donnelley.
We’ll have a full wrap of the Shannons Nationals action from Queensland Raceway in the next issue of Auto Action, on sale Thursday. In the meantime, follow us on social media, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all the latest updates before the new issue comes out.
