King reigns over Jones after tight Griffins clash

Brit Harry King has gone back to back at Bathurst after overcoming a spirited challenge from Harri Jones in a tense second Carrera Cup race.

Just three tenths was the difference between the Mobil 1 SuperCup rivals at the chequered, but the defining moment occurred at Griffins Bend.

Jones made a challenge around the outside and appeared to make it stick, until contact unsettled the Aussie and he somehow gathered the car without hitting the fence.

Fellow global racer Chris van der Drift came home a solid third ahead of David Russell and Jackson Walls.

After a long time on the rev limiter the field was finally unleashed in near perfect conditions and there was drama at turn one.

The front row got an even getaway and King reigned supreme on the inside which forced Jones to the grass but he kept van der Drift at bay for second.

Harry King keeps Harri Jones at bay with Chris van der Drift a watching brief in a tight battle for Carrera Cup race two glory. Image: Mark Horsburgh

Meanwhile further back Fabian Coulthard was rotated across the track which forced Nick McBride to take evasive action, while Rodney Jane was caught up in the chaos.

He was worse off in a contest with Drew Hall and spun the opposite way to the BWT car and hit the inside wall.

Unlike Coulthard, Jane was not able to continue due to the heavy head-on hit with the concrete.

Amid the drama championship contender Walls made more valuable first lap positions, climbing up the third behind the internationals.

The Safety Car disappeared at the start of lap four and Jones was all over the back of King.

The reigning champion had a look on the British rookie at Hell Corner before having a closer look at Griffins Bend.

The Mobil 1 Porsche SuperCup rivals ran side by side at the end of Mountain Straight and the Aussie looked set to get the job done until it almost went wrong.

Just when Jones was about to sail around the outside, King appeared to make front to rear contact which unsettled the #12.

Jones was able to survive the scare and save it from going into the tyres to keep the battle going.

Further back Walls and David Russell had an intense side by side battle for fourth which settled more cleanly at Griffins Bend.

Little more than half a second separated the leading pair across the final laps, but King was able to keep Jones behind and go back to back.

Just three tenths was the difference at the chequered flag, while van der Drift was just over a second away in third.

Russell held fourth ahead of Walls with Liam Talbot winning Pro Am.

The third and final Carrera Cup race is at 09.30 AEDT.

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