Ipswich SpeedSeries – Brown makes mighty on-track statement

By Thomas Miles

Date posted: August 12, 2023

SpeedSeries action is underway in Ipswich where Liam Talbot, Cody Gillis and Will Brown have taken out the Saturday morning pole positions.

TCR Australia

Will Brown has put a busy week off the track behind him by dominating Supercheap Auto TCR Australia qualifying at Queensland Raceway.

Brown, who set the rumour mill alight by deflecting from long-time Supercars home Erebus, was on fire in his new Audi and made headlines on the track by taking both poles on offer.

After a shocking start to the season and missing the Winton round, the Melbourne Performance driver enjoyed a much-needed return to form.

Brown got the ball rolling by recording a 1:14.0330 to soar to a crushing pole, two tenths ahead of reigning champion Tony D’Alberto, who also showed strong form in his Honda.

Josh Buchan ensured a Hyundai was up the front of the field as Supercars sub Tim Slade impressed in the Lynk and Co with a pair of P4s.

Championship leader Bailey Sweeny could only score sixth, while Aaron Cameron was a surprise last.

In the second session Brown went even quicker, putting in a 1:13.722 and enjoyed the final stages of qualifying from the garage.

He was 0.172s ahead of championship leader Sweeny, while D’Alberto and Slade on the second row.

TCR goes racing at 16.15 AEST.

GT World Challenge

Liam Talbot has sent the first statement in the pivotal GT World Challenge round at Ipswich by taking pole position for the opener at Ipswich.

Talbot, who is sharing the #65 Audi with Garth Tander, set the fastest time with a 1:08.3006, but only just.

This was only 0.0426 ahead of Prince Abu Bakar Ibrahim, who showed strong speed in the #88 Mercedes.

There was a further two tenths to Geoff Emery in the #75 Audi as Ross Poulakis and Brad Schumacher completed the top five.

This was important as it relegated championship contender Yasser Shahin to sixth with Prince Jefri Ibrahim in behind.

Liam Talbot celebrates taking pole at Ipswich. image: Daniel Kalisz Photographer

But in the second session it was Max Hofer who had the ultimate pace in another nail-biter.

Hofer’s 1:07.6514 was just 0.02s better than the best lap of Josh Hunt in the Volante Rosso Motorsport Mercedes.

As a result of their laps their respective co-drivers Emery and Christos Batzios will feature in tomorrow’s Top Ten Shootout.

The top five was rounded out by Tander, Whincup, and Ojeda, who will be represented by their respective co-drivers Talbot, Prince Abu Bakar Ibrahim, and Poulakis.

The final five spots in tomorrow’s shootout will be filled by Prince Jefri Ibrahim, Shahin, Mike Sheargold, Mike Bailey and Schumacher.

Before the category’s first ever shootout, the GT World Challenge will go racing at 14.55 AEST.

Trans Am

The Trans Ams were the first to take on the “Paperclip” and The Racing Academy team came out to play in qualifying.

Cody Gillis and Elliott Cleary were on fire in their respective Ford Mustangs to lockout the front row for The Racing Academy.

A 1:11.5718 was enough for Gillis to score a maiden Trans Am pole position by a slender 0.0801s over his teammate.

Elliott Barbour secured third and was the only Chevrolet Camaro in the top seven. Eden Thornburrow and Tom Hayman completed the top five and were just two tenths off the pace.

They finished ahead of championship leader James Moffat, who registered sixth.

The first Trans Am race at Ipswich is at 12.25 AEST.

V8 Touring Car Series

The first category to go racing at Queensland Raceway was the V8 Touring Car Series and there was a big surprise.

Jamie Tilley took his second win of the season after claiming an exciting first race at Ipswich.

Jude Bargwanna was the favourite having won five of the six races so far and started on pole position in Ipswich.

In an expanded field of eight cars Bargwanna found himself down in sixth during the first two laps before he started finding his way further up.

By lap five he was up to third which was where he would remain while Ray Hislop secured second after an early battle with Jim Pollicina.

However, up front Tilley was untroubled on his way to a 3s triumph.

The next race in Ipswich is at 13.30 AEST.

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