BATHURST 6 HOUR SUPPORT WRAP – SATURDAY

Brad Shiels and Andrew Macpherson won the opening Production Sports race – Photo: Rhys Vandersyde

PRODUCTION SPORTS CARS

FOLLOWING AN early setback, Brad Shiels and Andrew Macpherson won the first of two one-hour CUE races at Mt Panorama.

Starting from pole position, their Porsche GT3-R stalled on the grid at the standing start, Macpherson able to get it going and was tenth at end of the first lap. After the mandatory pitstop and two safety car periods, Shiels was third with seven and half minutes to go.

He systematically worked past the Keith Kassulke and Tim Macrow (MARC 2 V8 Ford Mustang) and then nabbed race leader Daniel Stutterd (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car) at Hell Corner on the penultimate lap.

Fourth went to Xavier West (Porsche Cup Car) while Bart Mawer and Nick Kelly (Audi R8 Ultra) lost time in the pits due to a puncture but salvaged fifth from Vince Muriti (Audi) on the final lap.

The first safety car was out when the Greg Woodrow/Guy Gibbons Porsche crashed, and the second was almost immediately after the race went green again. This time it was an incident involving Emanuel Mezzasalma (Porsche) and Richard Gartner (Lamborghini R-EX) tangled.

HISTORIC TOURING CARS

Brad Tilley dominated the Historic races – Photo: Rhys Vandersyde

ALTHOUGH THE results may not show it, Brad Tilley and his Ford Mustang dominated the two Saturday races.

In the first race Tilley led from start to finish and was up to ten seconds ahead before coasting to the line just in from of Darryl Hansen (Mustang) who was second early before a moment at Murrays Corner, put him down the order for a while.

Andrew Taite (Chev Camaro) also had a moment there, recovering to fourth behind Andrew Whiteside (Mustang). Just behind the V8s was Elliot Barbour (Holden Torana XU-1) who finished ahead of Darren Collins (Camaro), Chris O’Brien (Ford Falcon XY GT), John Harrison (Mustang) and Les Walmsley (Valiant Charger) who passed Wayne Potts (Holden Monaro HT) on the final lap.

In the second race Hansen was again second while third was a tight battle where O’Brien held off Collins and Walmsley. Taite was in that group as was Barbour but both failed to go the five-lap distance.

HISTORIC FORMULA FORDS

The dual for the lead in the Historic Formula Ford race – Photo: Rhys Vandersyde

BATHURST FIRST-TIMER Englishman Oliver White won races one and two, just beating Tom Tweedie on both occasions.

White (Reynard) led race one from the outset, lost the lead on lap four before regathering it ahead of Tweedie (Van Diemen) a lap later. Third went Richard Davison (Van Diemen) who snatched the position off Garry Watson (Mawer) on the final lap.

Fifth was tight in the end with Henry Thoms-Kircher (Ray) just ahead of Tim Berryman (Van Diemen) and Steven Willing (Swift). Cameron Walters (Van Diemen) was ahead of that group but retired with a dead engine.

In the second race, White led all the way, finishing 0.3s ahead of Tweedie. Third went to Andrew McInnes (Van Diemen) who started ninth and just held off Watson, Davison, Berryman.

HYUNDAI EXCELS

Ben Bargwanna taking the win in the second Hyundai Excel race – Photo: Rhys Vandersyde

THERE WERE two races and two winners with Cameron Wilson taking out the first and Ben Bargwanna the second.

In their opener Wilson led all the way, repelling all the challengers. Bargwanna was second in the early part, then Brock Giblin and lastly Adam Bywater over the last couple of laps. Cameron Bartholomew was third, then Bargwanna, Asher Johnson, David Wood, Nathan Blight and Giblin who crossed the line backwards after spinning out of the last corner.

At the end of the day, there was another hectic battle in the one-make category. Bywater led Bargwanna and Bartholomew until the safety car was sent out when Ashleigh Kerwood crashed out of Forrest Elbow.

On race resumption, Bartholomew soon went to the front ahead of Bargwanna who then nabbed the lead on the last lap and won ahead of Bartholomew, Bywater, Johnston, Wilson, Giblin and Wood.

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