Hedge returns perfectly in incident-filled Porsche opener
Callum Hedge extended his lead of the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia championship by winning a Safety Car shortened opener on the Gold Coast.
After missing Bathurst to race in America, Hedge picked up from where he left off by winning race one where just one racing lap could be completed as two separate incidents ensured the Safety Car dominated the opening race.
But a fast start meant Hedge could convert pole and gain valuable points on his rival Jackson Walls, who was sixth.
A lightning start meant Dylan O’Keeffe took second and David Wall joined them on the podium. Liam Talbot won the battle for Pro Am ahead of A Flack.
Dale Wood, Max Vidau, Harri Jones, Matthew Belford, Ryder Quinn, Angelo Mouzouris and Thomas Maxwell all failed to finish after finding trouble in the incidents that meant almost no racing was seen.
Just six points separated Hedge and Walls ahead of the opening race of the weekend with the former holding the advantage, starting seven spots ahead.
Hedge converted pole into an early lead as Luke Youlden bogged it down from the front row in his first start in a Porsche in 12 months.
Youlden was overhauled by a fast-starting O’Keeffe who flew from fourth to second, while Wall also overcame the #23 to take third.
Thomas Maxwell was crawling at the back of the pack after being caught in some chaos at the opening chicane.
He was the loser after contact was made when he, Angelo Mouzouris and Harri Jones went three wide.
Walls was not afraid to be aggressive, sending it down the inside of Wood at turn 11 to snatch sixth.
The Safety Car was called on lap two after Belford had a big right front lockup entering the Beach Chicane and lost control by the final right hander and found the fence.
With 10 laps to go racing resumed but the field only completed four corners before the Safety Car scrambled into action again.
A lockup from Alex Davison sparked a concertina effect as the group of cars just outside the top 10 made nose to tail contact on the inside of the tight left-hander.
On exit Wood spun Coulthard who was on the outside, while Max Vidau tried to sneak past but spun across both of them and went head first into the concrete.
A restart was not possible in time, leaving Hedge to take the chequered flag behind the Safety Car.
Two more Carrera Cup races follow on Sunday with the first firing up at 09.30 AEDT.
Image by Mark Horsburgh
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