GARRY’S AMRS WAKEFIELD PARK WRAP – SATURDAY
The Mazda RX8 Cup put on some great racing at Wakefield Park – Photo: InSyde Media
WIND, RAIN and cold conditions played into the results of the opening day for the eight categories competing in round four of the Australian Motor Racing Series at Wakefield Park today.
The Mazda RX8 Cup and Legend Cars were the most entertaining, each having two races, as did Miniature Race Cars and the Formula Vees. There was one race in the fifth round of the Performax TA2 Muscle Cars while GT-1 Australia had a two-part qualifying session for their two 50-minute races on Sunday.
Stephen McLaine qualified fastest for the first race in round three for the Mazdas, but threw the front-running away when spearing off the track before Turn 9. Will Harris took over the lead through to the flag while Nick Dunkley passed the previously-unbeaten Ric Shaw for second.
On the last lap, Shaw snatched second from Dunkley while McLaine recovered for fourth ahead of Will Cauchi. The latter was involved in a great dice with Kiwi Aaron Prosser who ended up beached off Turn 2. Terry Lewis finished sixth, having started 17th.
The second race saw Shaw jump to an immediate lead and narrowly head home McLaine and Harris. In a multi-car scrap for fourth, Lachlan O’Hara emerged ahead of Cauchi and Matt Butters who started last after losing a lap when bunkering on the opening lap of race one. He was elevated a further spot when Cauchi copped a 5s penalty for a starting infringement.
James Burge leading in the Legend Cars – Photo: InSyde Media
FOR THE first time this year James Burge was beaten on-track. Brendan Hourigan took on the wet and tricky conditions best, passing Burge for the win in the initial outing. Third went to Ben Jagger with Zane Morse fourth just in front of Stephen Chilby.
Burge retaliated in the second race, grabbing the lead from the outset and winning, clear of Morse. Hourigan challenged early but slipped down the order. He came back to ultimately finish a close fourth behind Chilby and just in front of Jagger.
Aaron Seaton was the man to beat in TA2 – Photo: InSyde Media
AARON SETON was an all-the-way winner in the first of four races, the Mustang driver clear of Ashley Jarvis in his Camaro. Behind them was a three-way battle between the Mustangs driven by series leader Russell Wright, Hugh and Ian McAlister. In the end, Hugh McAlister passed Wright for fourth. Mark Crutchers (Camaro) would have been next but for a spin on the final lap at Turn 8 which allowed Cameron Sendall (Camaro) to get by.
Matt Stoupas set the pace in GT1 qualifying – Photo: InSyde Media
THE WEATHER certainly had its effect on GT-1 qualifying. But track conditions improved as the second session wore on and Matt Stoupas (Audi R8 LMS) made the most of it to snare pole for race one. Jake Camilleri (MARC 1 Mazda) went close but would have to settle for a share of the front row.
Rod Salmon (Audi) was next best ahead of Jason Busk (MARC 1), Jamie Arratoon (Ferrari 458), Steve McLaughlan (Audi), John Goodacre and Geoff Taunton in their MARC 1s, and the best of the Porsche drivers Peter Boylan.
OF THE other categories Sven Burchartz was an easy winner in the two IROC and Classic Porsche races. Dylan Thomas (Stinger) had opposition early from Geoff Bennett (Jacer) before taking both Formula Vee wins comfortably. In Miniatures Craig McWhite (Future Busa) was untroubled for two wins.
In the combined Outlaw V8s/Stock Cars/Aussie Utes/Super 6s, Richard Mork (Holden Commodore Ute) was the fastest qualifier in the wet conditions – in what was a topsy-turvy session. However, it was dry for the race and Michael Coulter (OzTruck) beat his similarly-mounted dad Steve with Shane Harris and David Hender next in their respective Chev Monte Carlo and Pontiac Grand Prix). Mork was sixth.
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