GARLAND OUT OF RACE TASMANIA
TCR Australia rookie Kody Garland is out of the Race Tasmania weekend after crashing into the wall in the opening practice session at Symmons Plains.
Garry Rogers Motorsport (GRM) Team Principal Barry Rogers confirmed to AUTO ACTION that Garland was in good health after the substantial hit, however the car would not return to the track this weekend.
Garland was on his second lap when he hit the wall on the run to the famous Turn 4 hairpin.
It brought out an early red flag and a delay to the session
“Not what we wanted at all,” Garland said after the crash.
“I’m devastated for the team; they’ve put on such a great and for something like that to happen it’s not what we want.
“It was just a mistake on my part, I made contact with the wall and was a passenger from there.
“I’m pretty upset with myself on that one.”
Returning TCR Australia Series winner and Supercars Championship driver Will Brown topped the session in his Audi RS3, racing at the Symmons Plains venue in a front-wheel-drive car for the first time.
It was an Audi 1-2 with Liam McAdam second on the timesheets only 0.09s away from Brown.
James Moffat was third for GRM ahead of Jay Hanson his newer spec Audi.
Ash Seward Motorsport’s Michael Caruso ended the session in fifth, himself just 0.26s back.
Fabian Coulthard is without a Supercars Championship drive in 2022 and is taking part in the series this weekend and ended the opening session in 13th.
Aside from Garland multiple other drivers had off track excursions.
All but four of the 20 drivers ended the session within a second of Brown highlighting how competitive the TCR Australia Series will be this season.
Inaugural TCR Australia pole pitter Tony D’Alberto trickled off the road at Turn 6, he was not alone joined by Lachlan Mineeff later in the session.
Hyundai driver Bailey Sweeny fell of the road at Turn 2 also in what was an eventful opening practice session for the turbo powered machine.
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