MAWSON TAKES SECOND S5000 GOLD STAR CHAMPIONSHIP

Joey Mawson has taken his second consecutive S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship after finishing sixth in the inverted grid race.

Mawson had to come away from the race with a 60 point lead over Tim Macrow and did so with the former Gold Star winner finishing only a couple of places up the road.

Mawson’s second S5000 title makes him the first driver to win successive Gold Star crowns since Simon Wills in 1999 and 2000, back in the days of Formula Holden.

The New South Welshman joins a rare list of drivers who have won multiple Gold Stars including John Bowe, Mark Skaife, Kevin Bartlett, John McCormack and Alfredo Costanzo.

Mawson had to do it the hard way after dropping back from eighth on the grid in the opening turn he has to make his forward to claim the title before the final race of the season.

He did just that, he stayed out of trouble, as a couple fell by the wayside Mawson moved up a couple of places and made some well-judged moves on the circuit to sit sixth in the closing laps.

The sixth position was just enough to seal the title with a race to spare.

His championship rival Macrow broke off a section of his front wing on the opening lap after contact with James Golding at the Turn 6 hairpin.

From that moment on Macrow could not attack, he was forced to defend third and did so successfully, but it was not enough to take the title to the last race.

Out front New Zealander Kaleb Ngatoa claimed his third S5000 win, and his first of the season.

He did not crack under the pressure of Garry Rogers Motorsport driver James Golding who came home in second place.

Race 1 winner Cooper Webster retired with broken suspension, and has allowed Golding to close right up in their fight for third in the championship.

The final race of the S5000 Championship takes place at 11.30am AEST.

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