AutoAction
FREE DIGITAL MAGAZINE SIGN UP

BURCHER WINS, CASHA CROWNED CHAMPION IN THRILLING FINALE

Ryan Casha

By Thomas Miles

Date posted: October 8, 2023

Ryan Casha has clinched the 2023 Toyota 86 Series title in style despite finishing second best to Cody Burcher in a last-lap thriller to close the season at Bathurst.

Casha appeared set for a clean sweep after flying past Burcher at the fastest corner in the country.

But Burcher never left him and returned serve on the final lap, going around the outside at the heavy braking left-hander at the end of Conrod, which set up a nail-biting run to the flag.

In the end Burcher held on by 0.18s, but second place was enough for Casha to win the $50,000 prize for being champion.

Clay Richards won a brutal battle for third in a memorable last race of the current generation of Toyota 86.

Casha’s championship chase did not get off to the greatest start as Burcher jumped him in the run to Hell Corner.

Casha tried to fight back in the run up to Griffins Bend but had to settle for second ahead of Matt Hillyer and Clay Richards.

As usual the heat was on further back in the pack as Max Geoghegan and Jack Westbury went side by side through the Esses, while Rylan Gray made up five spots on the opening lap.

On lap two the battle for the lead was enraged as Casha had a look at The Chase but Burcher had his elbows out.

Matt Hillyer and Clay Richards also got rough at the same patch of track with the latter going off.

By lap four Burcher was under significant pressure with Casha all over the back of the leader, but held firm.

When they arrived at the Conrod, Burcher’s resistance was broken by a brave and committed move from Casha down the inside at the fastest corner in the country.

A lap later Goodall and Richards tried to do the same thing going side by side through the Chase for third and the battle went on as Hillyer, Stintson and Hughes joined in a wild run through Murrays.

Ultimately it ended in tears on the final lap at the Cutting where Stintson was fired hard into the concrete on the outside.

All eyes then turned to the lead as Burcher made one last roll of the dice to deny Casha a clean sweep and did it just.

Image:Peter Norton

Download the full Supercars Bathurst 1000 Round 10 Event Guide with track stats and facts and a full event schedule, plus extensive driver profiles here

For more of the latest motorsport news, pick up the latest issue of AUTO ACTION or subscribe HERE

Listen to our latest podcast episode here or on your podcast app of choice.

    

Shares

Recent Stories

array (
  0 => 
  WP_Term::__set_state(array(
     'term_id' => 11,
     'name' => 'Latest News',
     'slug' => 'latest-news',
     'term_group' => 0,
     'term_taxonomy_id' => 11,
     'taxonomy' => 'category',
     'description' => '',
     'parent' => 0,
     'count' => 13379,
     'filter' => 'raw',
     'cat_ID' => 11,
     'category_count' => 13379,
     'category_description' => '',
     'cat_name' => 'Latest News',
     'category_nicename' => 'latest-news',
     'category_parent' => 0,
  )),
  1 => 
  WP_Term::__set_state(array(
     'term_id' => 5192,
     'name' => 'Toyota 86/Excels',
     'slug' => 'toyota-86-excels',
     'term_group' => 0,
     'term_taxonomy_id' => 5192,
     'taxonomy' => 'category',
     'description' => '',
     'parent' => 659,
     'count' => 30,
     'filter' => 'raw',
     'cat_ID' => 5192,
     'category_count' => 30,
     'category_description' => '',
     'cat_name' => 'Toyota 86/Excels',
     'category_nicename' => 'toyota-86-excels',
     'category_parent' => 659,
  )),
  2 => 
  WP_Term::__set_state(array(
     'term_id' => 2029,
     'name' => 'ZZZ-Email',
     'slug' => 'email',
     'term_group' => 0,
     'term_taxonomy_id' => 2029,
     'taxonomy' => 'category',
     'description' => '',
     'parent' => 2031,
     'count' => 4286,
     'filter' => 'raw',
     'cat_ID' => 2029,
     'category_count' => 4286,
     'category_description' => '',
     'cat_name' => 'ZZZ-Email',
     'category_nicename' => 'email',
     'category_parent' => 2031,
  )),
  3 => 
  WP_Term::__set_state(array(
     'term_id' => 2031,
     'name' => 'ZZZ-RSSFeeds',
     'slug' => 'zzz-rssfeeds',
     'term_group' => 0,
     'term_taxonomy_id' => 2031,
     'taxonomy' => 'category',
     'description' => '',
     'parent' => 0,
     'count' => 3685,
     'filter' => 'raw',
     'cat_ID' => 2031,
     'category_count' => 3685,
     'category_description' => '',
     'cat_name' => 'ZZZ-RSSFeeds',
     'category_nicename' => 'zzz-rssfeeds',
     'category_parent' => 0,
  )),
)
71865
david russell

PremiAir snags Russell

Fast co-driver David Russell will make the big switch to PremiAir Nulon Racing in 2024 after a successful stint at Erebus. Despite having initially signed to stay with Erebus in […]

Kostecki

Rivals see returning Kostecki “as a threat”

On track rivals Chaz Mostert and Will Davison are excited to go racing with Brodie Kostecki once again at Taupo and believe the returning Erebus driver will be “a threat” […]

Stella on why the McLaren upgrades worked

Lando Norris marched to Miami Grand Prix glory with a heavily upgraded McLaren and Andrea Stella revealing the team prioritised low-speed performance. Norris arrived in Miami with a radically different […]

Heimgartner on ending BJR’s drought

Wet races produce opportunities and the flawless Andre Heimgartner made the most of a treacherous Taupo to give BJR a long-awaited win. In the first ever race at Taupo, Auckland’s […]