GARRY’S GOLD COAST SUPERCARS SUPPORT WRAP – SUNDAY
Jaxon Evans won the last Carrera Cup race of the year – Photo: Rhys Vandersyde
PORSCHE CARRERA CUP
SUNDAY AT the Vodafone Gold Coast 600 opened with race two of the Porsche Carrera Cup round eight and the final part of the three-leg Endurance Cup.
Andre Heimgartner led throughout, warding off the challenge of Jaxon Evans, ultimately drawing away to win by over six seconds. Evans took out the last race but David Wall did enough to secure the Carrera Cup for 2017.
For much of the race Wall held third, but when he was slowed by a lapped car just a few laps from the culmination of the 28 laps, that allowed Michael Almond and Alex Davison to get past.
Davison then challenged Almond for third, edging ahead as they crossed the line which was just enough to take out the Endurance Cup. Davison and Heimgartner finished equal on points, each had a win, a second and a third before it came down to who won the first round.
Just behind them were Wall, Dylan O’Keeffe and Cameron McConville who chalked up numerous curb strikes. He was subsequently pinged 15 seconds and relegated behind Nick McBride, Jordan Love and James Abela.
Simon Ellingham picked up the Tag Heuer Challenge race win, finishing ahead of Dean Cook and Marc Cini. Stephen Grove and Max Twigg were expected to be at the forefront, but tangled at Turn 4 on the opening lap and took no further part.
An awesome start from Evans won him race three as he led all the way. Davison also executed an excellent lift-off as Heimgartner began poorly, dropping to fourth briefly. Almond had third but straight-lined the first chicane and couldn’t get back into the line quickly enough.
Davison held off Heimgartner for the duration while Almond slipped down the field and was chasing O’Keeffe, Wall, Abela who started tenth, and McBride, to the flag. Cook led the Challenge class until displaced by Ellingham while Cini was third.
FORMULA 4
Liam Lawson took out the third F4 race on the Gold Coast – Photo: Rhys Vandersyde
PROVING THAT he is as good in the dry as his noteworthy performances in the wet, New Zealand’s Liam Lawson took out the third race of the Australian Formula 4 Championship final round at the Gold Coast 600.
The Team BRM driver was beaten away by the newly-crowned champions AGI Sport’s Nick Rowe but ultimately found a way through to the lead at Turn 11 after a better run out of the beachside chicane on the second last lap.
That ensured the Kiwi finished second in the title hunt, particularly as the previously second-placed Cameron Shields (Team BRM) could only manage sixth after two DNFs yesterday.
Simon Fallon (Team BRM) finished just behind the lead pair and clear of Luis Leeds (Zagame Autosport) who was lucky to escape damage after early contact from team mate Ryan Suhle at turn four. That altercation delayed Shields who finished behind team mate Aaron Love.
AUSSIE RACING CARS
The race start for the fourth Aussie Race Cars race on the Gold Coast – Photo: Rhys Vandersyde
IN THE final hit-out for the Aussie Racing Car Championship Series, at their penultimate round, Jaie Robson came out the winner in his Mustang-bodied racer.
He had an enormous battle with Kel Treseder (Camaro) before getting to the finish line just 0.147 seconds ahead. But it was the latter who took the overall round honours ahead of Blake Sciberras (Mustang) and Joel Heinrich (Cruze).
Sciberras and Heinrich were third and fourth in the final race ahead of Ben Wilcox (Mustang), the Camaros driven by Leigh Bowler and Brendon Tucker, and Craig Woods (Mustang).
Points leader before the Gold Coast, James Duckworth (Camaro) limped home 18th after a suspension failure when leading in the early stages.
V8 UTES
Ryal Harris won the third V8 Utes race – Photo: Rhys Vandersyde
THE LAST race for the Utes finished behind a safety car. But not before Ryal Harris came off third grid position to take the lead, the race win and the round victory.
Kim Jane (Holden Commodore) was the leader from the outset before falling to Harris and then getting tagged and spun around by Peters Motorsport Ford Falcon team mate Mason Barbera.
Shortly after Matt Splatt (Falcon) who was fourth behind Craig Dontas (Commodore) slowed and stopped out of the way on the back straight.
That left Marcus Zukanovic battling with Gus Robbins battling for fourth until the pair at contact out of Turn 11. Robbins got through but slid in the tyres at the next corner and came back across the story causing Matt Nolan to be squeezed into the wall.
Harris’ win increased his series lead over Jane who ultimately finished tenth. Dontas picked up second ahead of Zukanovic with third as Barbera was pinged with a 30-second penalty and was classified 16th.
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