CHALLENGE BATHURST SPRINTS FINISH WITH YOULDEN ON TOP

Challenge Bathurst Sprints finish with Youlden on top – Photo: Challenge Bathurst Photo/InSyde Media

Two more sessions on Mt Panorama finished off the fastest group – the GTs – at Challenge Bathurst with many of them, as well as the several Radicals and Porsche Cup Cars going faster.

By GARRY O’BRIEN

Consolidating his position at the quickest was Luke Youlden in Vince Muriti’s ex-Scotty Taylor Mercedes-Benz AMG when he posted a 2mins 4.388s in the opening morning session – the coolest in what became a hot day.

“I am here to help out Vince and he went out first and I took over for the remainder of the session on old tyres,” said Youlden. “The biggest problem was to get a clear lap.”

Second best with a 2mins 5.028s flyer was Yasser Shahin in his Porsche GT3-R and he echoed Youlden’s sentiments and added, “There were many out there with quick cars but no experience.” After competing in the event previously in an Audi and Mercedes, Shahin labelled the Porsche as “Confidence inspiring – it might lack a little up and down the hill, but its stability, brakes and handling are just amazing.”

Next best were GFMS stable mates Nick Kelly and Neale Muston in their Radical SR8s with the former scoring a high 2mins 5 and the latter in a low 2mins 6. The pair jump ahead of the David Wall/Paul Tresidder Porsche GT3-R that ran in the exact trim that it did when winning the 2019 Bathurst 12 Hour.

“We had an electronic issue with the car and didn’t go out in today’s first session,” Wall said. He added that felt the weekend was done, but he and Tresidder did manage some laps in the final outing.

From outside the GT group, Harri Jones jumped up to seventh in the McElera Racing Porsche 991 Carrera Cup Car and he was also faster than the Tony Bates, and Dimitri and Theo Koundouris Audi R8 LMS-EVOs.

All three of them edged ahead of the trio of Aaron Love, Max Vidau and Michael Almond in the Sonic Racing Porsches that were ninth through to 11th ahead of Jones’ team mates Ryan Suhle and Tim Miles, and Sam Shahin in his Buik-run Porsche.

Best of the Radical SR3s – in 19th and 21st – were GWR team mates and rivals Chris Perini and Peter Paddon. Jeff Morton who was also being looked after by the crew, threw his Porsche GT2 RS around the mountain in 2mins 14.238s, the fastest time ever in a Production Car, beating the previous best of 2mins 16.5s set by Bernd Schneider in 2017. “He will also be driving the car home on the same tyres,” said GWR’s Garth Walden.

Some that did not fare so well were Gary Higgon who ran off at Hell Corner and put his Melbourne Performance Centre Audi into the tyres. Marcel Zalloua went off similarly but only did minimal damage to his Jose Fernandez-run Porsche.

Brad Neil also brought a session to a halt when he crashed his ex-SBR Ford Falcon FG at McPhillamy Park. “I just got the rear right wheel over the ripple strip and it fired me across into the wall,” he said.