GT ENTRY LIST FOR THE BEND REVEALED
A strong 19-car field has entered the third round of GT World Challenge Australia set to take place at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia this weekend.
The fast flowing 4.95km International layout suits the GT cars well, so some good quality racing is expected around the Tailem Bend-based track.
Heading into Round 3 reigning Bathurst 1000 winner Garth Tander and Yasser Shahin lead the championship in their Audi R8 LMS Evo.
Shahin will be quick at The Bend with a distinct home track advantage as a co-owner of The Bend facility.
The duo dominated the opening round at Phillip Island, and took a further race victory at Bathurst, ensuring the pair hold a sizable lead in the four round sprint championship.
Tander and Shahin, along with several other GT competitors enjoyed a test at The Bend recently, leading into the three-day race weekend.
While Tander and Shahin are the runaway leaders, the Triple Eight Race Engineering Mercedes Benz remains within striking distance as it is also yet to finish off the podium this season.
The Am driver Prince Jefri Ibrahim will be joined by Broc Feeney in the silver #888 Merc this weekend – his third different team-mate in as many rounds.
Shane van Gisbergen was set to race alongside the Prince throughout the season, however due to his mountain bike crash the Kiwi was forced to miss the opening round, subbed out by seven-time Supercars champion Jamie Whincup.
Van Gisbergen returned for Round 2, but as the third event takes place at a Supercars round Triple Eight has drafted in one of its Super2 drivers Broc Feeney to take the wheel.
Another Supercars driver unable to race is Chaz Mostert, he will be replaced by TCR Australia frontrunner and most recent pole sitter Dylan O’Keeffe alongside Tony Bates in the Bostik Audi.
Mostert and Bates currently sit third in the standings behind Prince Ibrahim.
In the Amateur class, Tony Quinn has been the man to catch in his Local Legends Aston Martin Vantage.
The GT veteran was undefeated at the recent round at Mount Panorama and currently holds a strong 27-point class lead over Andrew MacPherson and Ben Borter in their Lamborghini Huracan.
The GT Trophy Series is a close title fight, Brad Schumacher in his Audi R8 leads Brett Hobson’s Nissan.
The entire GT field will practice and qualify on Friday, followed by two one-hour races, one on Saturday and the other Sunday.
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