GARRY’S BATHURST 1000 SUPPORT WRAP – DAY 3

Despite predictions of rain, Thursday was warm and sunny at Mt Panorama for further track appearances for most of the support categories.

PORSCHE PAYNTER DIXON CARRERA CUP

From lights-out to the chequered flag, David Wall led and won the first race of round four by 4.4 seconds ahead of Cameron Hill. Aaron Love held onto the third despite damage. He came from fourth, passed Harri Jones, then Hill and was just behind Wall when he had a moment at Reid Park on the final lap.

Cooper Murray was fourth ahead of Jones, Craig Lowndes who picked up six places and finished ahead of Nick McBride, Michael Almond, Simon Fallon. David Russell recovered after contact from Matt Payne to take tenth.

Behind the Mobil Pro drivers, the Morris Finance Pro-Am class was taken out by Sam Shahin in front of Tim Miles, Dean Cook who would be relegated to behind Geoff Emery with a 5.0 second penalty.

There were limited opportunities in qualifying where the fastest times would determine the grid for round four and the second-best times for round five. Two red flags curtailed the session, the first when a wayward umbrella jumped the fence at the Chase. The second ended the session when Hill went off at Hell Corner and hit the tyre barrier.

Wall posted the best qualifying lap for the third time at Bathurst, in front of fellow Hill, Jones, Love, Max Vidau, McBride, Russell, Murray and Fallon in tenth. At 14th overall Shahin edged out Emery for Pro Am honours. Miles was third in class from Cook, Indiran Padayachee and Ben Stack.

DUNLOP SUPER2/SUPER3

Broc Fenney topped Super2 qualifying – Image: InSyde Media

Crashes played a significant part in the outcome of qualifying for race one where Broc Fenney (Holden Commodore VF) and Blake Fardell (Commodore VE) were the Super2 and Super3 respective quickest.

Nash Morris had just posted the Super2 benchmark but spun off at high speed, hit the wall, and bunkered at the Chase. The incident triggered a red flag and Morris lost his fastest time. Fardell will start on Super2 pole ahead of Morris, Michael Anderson (FG) and Jim Pollicina (VE).

The remainder of the session, what little was left, was for Super2 only and it didn’t last long as Angelo Mouzouris (VF) crashed in the esses before Forrest Elbow. Feeney’s earlier effort was enough for pole position ahead of Jayden Ojeda (Nissan Altima), Jordan Boys (VF), Zak Best (Ford Falcon FG/X) and Matt Payne (Altima).

The second qualifier (for the second race) went red flag before anyone had turned in a lap. Tyler Everingham had an incident on Mountain Straight which stopped his Nissan Altima. Shortly after the session resumed Jon McCorkindale (VF) spun out of the Dipper and found the wall.

Almost at the same time, Aaron Seton (VF) was on the grass out of the Chase, came across the track and hit the wall on the outside. With the second safety car, the session was not restarted. Feeney’s early time was the best in Super3 ahead of Boys, Matt McLean (VF), Jaylyn Robotham (VF) and the Falcons of Matt Chahda and Best.

None of the Super3 drivers had put down a competitive time. It is likely that qualifying race two will be based on combined practice times.

TOYOTA GAZOO RACING AUSTRALIA 86

Lachlan Gibbons was the pace setter in Toyota’s – Image: InSyde Media

For the second outing in a row Lachlan Gibbons secured pole position for another non-points round with a time of 2 minutes 39.5638 seconds. Initially Cameron Crick set the target time before Gibbons with a tow from Zach Bates, went slightly faster.

Kai Allen was fourth and the only other to get into the 39s. Jobe Stewart was fifth and will have Brad Vaughan alongside while behind them will be Bailey Sweeney, Ryan Casha, Lachlan Dalton and the Toyota guest drivers Harry Bates and Steve Richards.

SHANNONS S5000 TASMAN SERIES

James Golding took the win in S5000 – Image: InSyde Media

In heat one of the second round, Team Valvoline GRM scored a one-two-three with James Golding winning ahead of Nathan Herne and Aaron Cameron.

The race went short of it projected duration and finished under a safety car, brought about by Luis Leeds planting his car into the tyres and Griffin Bend whilst running seventh after he was passed by Jordan Boys.

At the start Tim Macrow made a great launch but clipped John Margin when trying to thread his way forward. Macrow ended up in the outside wall and despite damage, limped the car back to the pits. Meanwhile Martin had front end damage and parked on the Mountain Straight infield.

Golding grabbed lead shortly after the start and led Golding until he was passed by Herne. Fourth was Roberto Merhi ahead of Joey Mawson, Boys, Blake Purdie and Yoshiaki Katayama who started from pit lane.

TURTLE WAX NATIONAL TRANS AM

Nathan Herne continues to be unstoppable in Trans Am – Image: InSyde Media

There was an early safety car in the second of three races because Mustang teammates Hugh McAlister and Matt MacKelden clashed at Griffin Bend with the latter bouncing off into the tyre barrier.

Nathan Herne (Challenger) had won the start and was the leader. After the safety car he resumed at the front and won ahead of Tim Brook (Mustang). Kyle Gurton (Mustang) held third throughout while Edan Thornburrow was next after he made the pass on Ben Grice (Mustang).

Aaron Tebb (Camaro) was sixth while Mark Crutcher (Mustang) picked up seventh after Zach Loscialpo (Camaro) speared off at the Chase on the final lap. Chris Formosa (Challenger) was eighth ahead of Dylan Thomas who picked up spots after an early spin at Murrays Corner.

FANATEC GT WORLD CHALLENGE AUSTRALIA

Christopher Mies was quick straight out of quarantine – Image: InSyde Media

He may have been 72 hours in quarantine and not had any track time, but it didn’t affect Christopher Mies as he passed Fraser Ross with less than six minutes remaining of the hour race to give he and Yasser Shahin the first race win.

Ross and Liam Talbot stayed second and behind the pair of ProAm Audi R8 LMS Evos was Trophy winner Ben Hobson in his Nissan Nismo. Fourth were ProAms Jefri Ibrahim and Peter Hackett (Mercedes AMG) ahead of the AM Audi driven by Gary Higgon and Paul Stokell.

Second in AM and sixth outright were Michael Sheargold and Garth Waldon (Mercedes). Despite two stop/go penalties Stephen and Brenton Grove (Porsche GT3-R) were next. The first penalty was not staying pitted for the required time, and the second for crossing pit entry line.

As the leaders completed the first lap the safety car boards were out for James Koundouris who was hit by Mark Rosser and was bunkered at the Chase. Both Audis did not resume in the race.

GULF WESTERN OILS TOURING CAR MASTERS

Steve Johnson was unchallenged in TCM – Image: InSyde Media

From pole Steve Johnson (Ford Falcon XD) was unchallenged in taking out race two. The battle behind was on with Adam Bressington (Chev Camaro) second initially before he was passed by Ryan Hansford (Holden Torana A9X).

Hansford chased the leader until he stopped at the Cutting with a fuel drama. In the meantime, John Bowe (Torana) dropped to fifth in the early stages, before he moved forward and ultimately finished second.

At the end it was tight for third between Bressington, Cam Mason (Ford Mustang) and Dean Lillie (Torana) with a gap to George Miedecke (Camaro) on seven cylinders and placed sixth after he started at the rear. Next was Jamie Tilley (Mustang) who won his race-long dice with Jim Pollicina (Torana).

Marcus Zukanovic progressed to seventh before his Falcon XD suffered another right front tyre blowout. Cam Tilley was also a DNF when his Valiant Pacer’s gearbox expired on the third lap.

HALTECH SUPERUTES

Race two had the top six reversed where David Sieders (Mitsubishi Triton) was the initial leader as Ryal Harris (Mazda BT-50) moved to second ahead of Ben Walsh (Toyota Hilux) who lost his front bumper on the opening lap.

Harris went to the lead on lap two and showed the way to Sieders for the remainder. The latter’s teammate Cameron Crick held next but conceded third to Aaron Borg (Hilux) when he spun at Forrest Elbow on the last lap.

Fifth went to Craig Woods ahead of his teammate Walsh while Richard Mork (Hilux) held on ahead of Chris Formosa (Ford Ranger). Jaiden Maggs had taken over his dad Gerard’s Triton after crashing his own in race one. Maggs made it a three-way dice until he swiped the wall at Reid Park.

Harris was also first across the line in race three, but a 10-second penalty would drop him to sixth. Crick who had been the race leader until the final lap where he was overtaken by Harris, was declared the race winner over Sieders, Walsh, Richard Mork (Hilux) and Maggs.

Harris was penalised for contact with Borg at Forrest Elbow that saw the latter smack the outside wall. He limped to the pits and didn’t return. The race finished behind a safety car after Woods crashed in the Cutting.

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