GARRY’S PHILLIP ISLAND SUPERSPRINT SUPPORT WRAP – FRIDAY
Thomas Randle won Touring Car Masters Dometic Trophy – Photo: InSyde Media
PAYNTER DIXON Touring Car Masters kicked off the racing at the WD-40 Phillip Island Supersprint today with an entertaining Trophy race while Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia qualified for round three. There were also practice sessions for the rebranded Kumho Tyre Super 3 series and the season open for the Toyota 86 Racing Series.
TOURING CAR MASTERS
A STORMING drive from 21st on the grid, saw Thomas Randle win the Dometic Trophy event today. Piloting the Rusty French-owned 1969 Ford Mustang, Randle finished clear of second-placed Adam Bressington (Whiteline Racing ’69 Chev Camaro) who had to battle to get past initial race leader Tony Karanfilovski (Mustang) before having another great dice with Jeremy Gray in his Ford Capri Perana.
The race, which is for starting and finishing points only, featured a reverse of the top ten from qualifying that are put to the back of the grid. Karanfilovski finished the race fourth, fending off the closely-following Bruce Williams in his Holden Torana SL/R 5000, Jim Pollicina (Torana A9X), Rob Hackwood (Pontiac Trans Am) and Cameron Mason (’65 Mustang).
Earlier in the day, Pro Masters’ Johnson was fastest in qualifying for the fifteenth time with Randle fractionally slower. Pollicina was the best of the Pro Am drivers and third quickest overall ahead of Greg Hansford, Hackwood, Marcus Zukanovic (XD Falcon), Bressington, John Bowe (A9X), Ryal Harris (Camaro) and Geoff Emery (A9X).
PORSCHE CARRERA CUP
Jordan Love qualified fastest in Carrera Cup – Photo: InSyde Media
LATE IN qualifying for round three, Jordan Love surpassed Sonic Racing teammate and series leader Dale Wood to take his first pole position while Liam Talbot also scored his first TAG Heuer Pro-Am top spot.
Round one winner Nick McBride elected to use just one set of tyres to save a set for Saturday’s endurance championship opener and managed to be third fastest overall. Warren Luff qualified fourth for McElrea Racing while Michael Almond and Tomas Maxwell ensured Sonic qualified all four cars in the top six. Cameron Hill, David Wall, Cooper Murray and Josh Hunt completed the top ten.
Battling for Pro-Am fastest went right down to the wire. Initially, it was Talbot before class leader Anthony Gilbertson charged to the top, only to be beaten by Talbot on his final flier. Tim Miles and Roger Lago qualified third and fourth in class, ahead of Sam Shahin and Adrian Flack.
SUPER 3
Broc Feeney set the pace on debut in Super3 – Photo: InSyde Media
DRIVING A Paul Morris Motorsport-prepared Ford Falcon FG, 16-year-old Broc Feeney has gone fastest in practice for the opening round. After a power steering failure in the first session, he posted his best lap of 1 minute 33.0973 seconds, right at the end of session two.
Second fastest was Hamish Ribarits in the best of the three Matt White Motorsport-engineered FGs while Josh Fife elevated his Brad Jones Racing Holden Commodore VE to third, after missing the first session with a flywheel drama.
There was a red flag interruption to the second session when a grass fire ignited at the Southern Loop, just after Emily Duggan spun her Commodore there.
Falcons filled the next five positions. Jayden Ojeda (Anderson Motorsport) was fourth ahead of Nic Carroll (MWM), Matt McLean (Image Racing), Zak Best (MWM) and American Matt Powers. New Zealander Madelin Stewart (BJR VE) climbed to ninth as the second session culminated, pushing Jon McCorkindale (FG) to tenth.
The fastest of the Kumho Cup class competitors was Brad Neill in the Matt Stone Racing-prepped FG, ahead of Mark Tracey (Image Racing FG) and 2018 class winner Jim Pollicina (VE.
TOYOTA 86s
Tim Brook set the pace in Toyota 86 series – Photo: InSyde Media
TOP HONOURS in the one-make series went to the reigning titleholder Tim Brook after the category’s two session today. He led the way ahead of John Iafolla and Ben Grice. Fourth in the field of 40, Luke King ahead of Declan Fraser, Jaden Ransley, Jake Klein, Jaylyn Robotham, Lachlan Gibbons and Zach Loscialpo.
After them, it was Liam McAdam who was the most successful at the corresponding round last year, in front of David Sieders, Aaron Borg, John McLaughlin, Luke van Herwaarde, Andy Simpson, Zane Morse, Peter Vodanovich, Trent Grubel and Jarrod Whitty.
Former Saloon Car racer Harley Phelan had contact with the tyres in session one but managed repairs for the later outing, ultimately placing 36th. In the meantime, the battle for top guest driver honours was between wife and husband Leanne and Garth Tander with the latter 22nd and one spot ahead.
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