GARRY’S SHANNONS NATIONALS SANDOWN WRAP – SATURDAY

Aaron Love took a win in Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge – Photo: InSyde Media

THE CROWDS were out for the Shannons Nationals round six and not only were they entertained by TCR and S5000 but some close racing on the support program.

PORSCHE GT3 CUP CHALLENGE AUSTRALIA SERIES

THE OPENER for round five was a thriller where Aaron Love weathered the challengers from Harri Jones and Ryan Suhle to take a narrow victory.

Jones led early, pulling away to lead by a couple of seconds before being caught up behind a lapped car and subsequently passed by Love. Max Vidau who started off the front row, languished in fifth at the end of the first lap, behind Christian Pancione and Tom Taplin.

Vidau fought his way back to third but had a moment at turn 7 and lost several places. Meanwhile Love was under challenge from Jones with Suhle also in the mix. On the last lap Suhle slipped past Jones and with two corners left, attempted a pass on the race leader, but slipped off track and finished fourth. Vidau was next ahead of Taplin.

Behind the Pros, Brett Boulton came back from a poor start to win the AMs. He finished ahead of Danny Stutterd and early class leader Sam Shahin.

Love followed up with victory in the second outing as well. He was 1.1s ahead of Suhle with Jones third. Christian Pancione was initially in the lead, showing the way until a moment at turn 6 relegated him to fourth.

Vidau was running fourth in the opening charge but a tap from Taplin dropped him to ninth. He fought back to finish fifth ahead of AM winner Shahin, newcomer Ollie Shannon, AMs Boulton and Michel Hovey.

KUMHO TYRE SUPER 3 SERIES

Hamish Ribarits splashed his way to his first Super3 win – Photo: InSyde Media

MATT WHITE Motorsport’s Hamish Ribarits (Ford Falcon FG) won the very soggy opening encounter of the final round. The race began behind the safety car and finished five laps short of its scheduled length.

Broc Fenney (Paul Morris Motorsport FG) was the early race leader until he was shuffled to third in the end. Josh Fife (Brad Jones Racing Holden Commodore VE) started out of fifth and worked his way to second while Zak Best (MWM FG) was fourth ahead of Jayden Ojeda (Anderson Motorsport FG) who recovered from being bumped off at turn 9 in the early part.

In the Kumho Cup privateers, Steven Page (VE) came out on top, finishing ninth overall, and ahead of class rivals Dean Lillie (VE) and Joel Heinrich (FG).

A brilliant start in race two put Fife straight into the lead – one he would hold throughout and despite becoming quite wet by race’s end. Second place among a fleet of fighting Fords was Feeney ahead of Ribarits. Ojeda and Nic Carroll (MWW FG) both slipped off the bitumen at stages but recovered to fourth and fifth.

Lillee picked up the Kumho Cup honours over Tony Auddino (Falcon BF) and Jim Pollicina (VE). The race ended badly for Neill crashing on the last lap.

MRF TYRES AUSTRALIAN PRODUCTION CAR SERIES

Action at the start of the first Australia Production Cars – Photo: InSyde Media

A PENULTIMATE lap miscue cost Lindsay Kearns a race win in the second of four one-hour events that make up round four. The Class A2 Ford Mustang GT driver held a tentative 2.8 second lead over Iain Sherrin (A1 BMW M4) until he spun after turn 7. That allowed Sherrin to take a comfortable victory despite an earlier ECU issue that stopped him briefly.

Klae Eckhardt brought his B1 BMW 135i home in third, but was penalised and relegated two grid spots for race three as a result of contact with Robert Coulthard at turn 9.

Coulthard (HSV Clubsport) lost third outright and the AM1 class lead as a result, crossing the line fifth behind class rival Chris Lillis (HSV Clubsport). Lillis was stopped on track briefly with a main fuel pump failure.

Race one winner Rick Bates (Mitsubishi EVO X) was excluded for a turbo issue and started at the rear. After charging to tenth he pitted to check boost, losing several laps and electing not to continue.

The second APCS race of the day started behind the safety car due to a downpour and oil on the circuit due to an accident in the previous event.

Once underway it was 4WD benefit with Dimitri Agathos (B1 Subaru Impreza WRX STi) who led for much of the race, only to succumb to the superior straight-line speed of the Mitsubishi EVO X driven by Rick Bates. Bates started rear of field and tentatively worked his way to the front.

Cem Yucel (VW Golf R) produced a giant-killing performance to not only win Class C but to finish third outright. Fourth place was decided on the line with Coleby Cowham (Mustang) pipping Nathan Callaghan (Clubsport). Sherrin struggled in the wet conditions and after leading when the race started, finished ninth.

AUSTRALIAN GTs

Peter Hackett took the win in Australian GT – Photo: InSyde Media

LEG ONE of the three-hour race took its overnight stop with Peter Hackett (Mercedes AMG) leading the way. With an hour in the books the gap back to second stands at nine seconds over Fraser Ross with the Liam Talbot/Joseph Ensabella Lamborghini Huracan 7.3 seconds further adrift.

Hackett led at the outset, until passed by Ross on lap 17. Emery held third until the round of pitstops and finished the leg in sixth position behind Dale Paterson (Chev Camaro) and Brendon Woods (Daytona Coupe). There was one safety car to retrieve the stricken David Crampton KTM X-Bow.

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