GARRY’S PHILLIP ISLAND SHANNONS NATIONALS WRAP – SUNDAY

Break-through win for the Sherrin brothers in Australian Production Cars – Photo: Dirk Klynsmith

AUSTRALIAN PRODUCTION CAR SERIES

THE SHERRIN brothers finally have the monkey off their back with a break-through win in the fifth round, the Phillip Island four hour enduro. It didn’t come without its moments with a tyre blowout after just eleven laps in and a limp mode glitch after the race was paused following damage to a tyre wall.

In their Class A1 BMW M4, they finished a lap ahead of Chris Lillis and Nathan Callaghan in their Class A2 Holden HSV GTS. Third went to Tyler Everingham and Calum Jones in the Class C Renault Megane, just metres behind the second placed entry.

When Peter Sortwell crashed his Suzuki Swift at turn 2, the remaining cars in the field were stopped for a period on Gardner Straight while repairs were undertaken.

Fourth across the line were Indiran Padayachee and Garth Walden (Mercedes A45 AMG) ahead of Michael Auld/Richard Bloomfield (Class B2, Holden Commodore SSV), Colin Osborne/Hadrian Morrall (Megane) and the Class D winners, Kyle and Blake Aubin (Renault Clio). Class E went to the daughter/father combination of Amy and Mark Griffith in their Toyota Echo.

Attrition was high with five non-finishers and one non-starter with pole sitters Bob Pearson and Rick Bates (Mitsubishi EVO X) ruled out with a gearbox issue.

AUSTRALINA GT TROPHY

Rod Salmon took out the round win in Australian GT Trophy – Photo: Dirk Klynsmith

WHILE THE rain had ceased before the second of the 50-minute races for the penultimate round, the track was still wet where Steve McLaughlan (Audi R8 LMS) charged from eighth to take the win.

He seized the lead during the pit stop cycle to move ahead of team mate and early tearaway leader Rod Salmon who finished second, and with the win in race one yesterday, Salmon won the round overall.

Wayne Mack (Ferrari 458) was third ahead of a tight race-long battle where Jan Jinadasa (Lamborghini) held off Rob Smith (Audi) and Mathew Turnbull (Lamborghini). Previous round winner Richard Gartner (Lamborghini) was forced out of the race after a mix up in the pits where he missed the pit window by six seconds.

Taking out the Challenge Modern Class was Mark Griffith (Ferrari F430) ahead of Scott Hookey (Ferrari 458) and John Nikolovski and Jamie Arratoon sharing another 458.

V8 TOURING CARS

Jon McCorkindale earned his first V8 Touring Car win – Photo: Dirk Klynsmith

IT WAS a dramatic second day of racing in the fourth round of the Kumho Tyre unofficial third tier Supercar series where Jon McCorkindale in an older ex-Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon BF scored his maiden race and round win.

He was on the right tyre at the right time when rain came in race two, sweeping past Jack Smith (Brad Jones Racing Holden Commodore VE) to take the victory, and he was opportunistically placed when Tyler Greenbury (ex-Triple 8 Eggleston Motorsport VE) had a tyre blow at turn 4, speared across the infield and clipped Smith, eliminating both.

After a lengthy Safety Car, McCorkindale assumed the race lead but was instantly under threat from Michael Anderson (ex-Ford Performance Racing Falcon FG), losing the lead in the closing laps. Anderson also won his first race ahead of McCorkindale and Michael Caine (ex-Tasman Motorsport VE).

AUSTRALIAN PROTOTYPE SEIRES

Mark Laucke claimed the Australian Prototype Series title – Photo: Dirk Klynsmith

THE INAUGURAL series has been won by Mark Laucke in his West WX10 following the last two races of the final round.

The fifth round was won by Phillip Hughes in his Radical SR3 who won the first Sunday race, revelling in the wet conditions. Radicals filled the top three spots as he led home home Chris Sutton and David Crampton.

Champion-elect Mark Laucke survived a spin to ultimately finish 10th, needing only to make the flag in the finale’ to seal the title.

Hughes had the early lead in race three, however was passed by Aaron Steer (WX10) on lap five who pulled away for his first win of the season.

Laucke came from the back of the grid to ultimately finish second place – ultimately chasing down a cruising Steer and finishing just behind the victorious West to while Terry Peovitis bounced back from illness to finish third in his RFR 1000.

We’ll have a full details analysis of the weekends Shannons Nationals action in the next issue of Auto Action magazine. In the meantime follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or sign up for our weekly email newsletter for all the latest updates.