GARRY’S SYDNEY SHANNONS NATIONALS WRAP – SATURDAY

Ryan Suhle took his first Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge win – Photo: InSyde Media

THE OPENING round Shannons Nationals two sprint races for Porsches, the first of two 50-minute outings for Radicals, race one of Prototypes round one, race one of Formula 4’s second round two and the opening event for a big Alfa Challenge field.

Porsche Michelin GT3 Cup Challenge Australia

RYAN SUHLE and Sam Shahin were the winners from race day one of round two. First up though it was Max Vidau who converted pole to a race one victory, his fourth in a row.

Aaron Love scored his best result of the season in second, delivering another Sonic Racing one-two, while Harri Jones and Suhle were third and fourth respectively. Cameron Crick finished fifth, despite a 5s penalty for rolling at the start, while Shahin was the best of the TAG Heuer Pro-Am contingent in sixth.

Brett Boulton had led Shahin for most of the race until a late spin saw him drop down the order, with a post-race penalty for overtaking under yellows seeing him drop further.

A failed clutch saw Vidau stranded at the start of race two as Love assumed the race lead and extend an early margin following the safety car period. But he ran at turn 2 to allow Suhle to take advantage and take the top spot.

Shahin won the TAG Heuer Pro-Am class in both 10-lap races with a career-best second in race 2, defending ahead of Harri Jones, Tom Taplin, Christian Pancione and Crick in a furious five-car battle.

Andrew Goldie won Class B in both races, his older-model 997 GT3 Cup Car finished a strong 12th outright in the second outing.

Formula 4

Luis Leeds led the F4 race from the start – Photo: InSyde Media

FROM LIGHTS out to flag fall Luis Leeds took advantage of his pole position to win the opening encounter. The AGI Sport driver saw off the early challenge of Team BRM’s Lochie Hughes to win by 3.5s and increased his points lead as Ryan Suhle (Team BRM) didn’t figure in the results. Antonio Astuti was third ahead of Tommy Smith while it was nose-to-tail between Jackson Walls and Emerson Harvey for sixth.

Alfa Challenge

Dan Gatto took out the first Alfa race – Photo: InSyde Media

FAR MORE Alfas were present for qualifying than had been on track Friday. Dan Gatto (GTV6) took out the first race, finishing 1.2s ahead of David Capraro (Alfetta) with a 5.7s gap back to third placed Enzo Piazza (GTV6). Michael Musumeci was third across the line but was relegated to fourth due to a 5s penalty. There was a safety car instigated at the end of the opening lap as a result of an incident for Antonio Strano at turn 2.

Australian Prototype

David Barram won the Prototypes – Photo: InSyde Media

IT WAS a battle in the first half, but ultimately David Barram pulled away in his Honda-powered Chiron to win race one by over 12s. Mark Short (Prince/Suzuki) clambered all over the race leader for awhile but didn’t have the straight-line speed to stay with him.

Third place saw the battle of the Wolfs for several laps before Jason Makris emerged third ahead of Daniel Gonzalez and Mark Laucke. John-Paul Drake was in the mix on the opening lap but spun out at turn 10 on lap 1 and then pitted. Behind the Wolfs it was on between the leading Radical SR3s where Peter Paddon came out on top ahead of Stephen Champion and Carmelo Bonaventura.

Radicals

Chris Perini claimed the Radicals win – Photo: InSyde Media

FOR ALL but eight laps of the 30, Chris Perini led leg one of the third round. He opened up a substantial gap on his rivals in the lead up to the compulsory pitstop and once back in front, drove away to a 26.7s victory.

Second place went to Kostinken Pohorukov who had an 8.7s advantage over Stephen Champion at the conclusion while Chris and Max Medland shared the drive to fourth ahead of Rowan Ross and Brad and Mitch Neilson. Peter Paddon and Paul Braico were early casualties after clashing at turn 2 whilst debating second place.

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