Red flag brings crazy Carrera Cup enduro to early finish

A multi-car smash up at turn 12 has brought the Porsche Carrera Cup enduro race at Surfers Paradise to an early finish with the winner unclear as a penalty hangs over leader Callum Hedge.

After three Safety Cars, a second car park at the tight right hander where five cars were taken out meant the race had to be called after 21 of a scheduled 28 laps.

The race-ending incident was caused by Alex Davison and David Wall, who came together on corner entry, causing a chain reaction where Harri Jones, Simon Fallon and Liam Talbot were also wiped out.

Callum Hedge was in charge when the race was called, but his grip on first place is under threat after receiving a 5s penalty for shortcutting the first chicane when battling for the lead with Dylan O’Keeffe, who dripped to fourth as a result.

If the penalty is applied, it could have a big say on the championship with Hedge falling to 13th and Jackson Walls moving up to second.

The driver placed to be the biggest beneficiary from the penalty would be Bailey Hall, who charged up to second and would receive a maiden win if the penalty is applied.

However, at the time of writing Hedge was still on top albeit provisionally. What was clear was Talbot being the leading Pro Am despite being caught in the chaos.

The 28-lap enduro race began without Max Vidau, whose car was too damaged from a three-car hairpin crash 

O’Keeffe made another flyer, leaving Hedge for dust to take the lead while the championship leader had to fend off wall for second.

Youlden got another slow start and lost three spots to drop to seventh 

In Pro Am Talbot was holding off the fast starting Cook.

Hedge had been closing on O’Keeffe and chose lap two to make his move, diving down the inside at turn 11 at the end of the back straight.

It was well timed as it arrived moments before the first Safety Car arrived to attend the stationary Courtney Prince at the final corner.

It was a small interruption as racing resumed on lap four and there were no changes at the top of the leaderboard.

But Prince’s race went from bad to worse, having been spun during the process of being lapped.

With her #32 shut off completely on the exit of turn 13 the Safety Car returned, bringing an end to Prince’s troublesome day, one race after getting a career-best top 10.

Hedge got a good restart to ensure O’Keeffe could not challenge him as Simon Fallon and Alex Davison went side by side down the back straight for seventh.

Fallon won the battle as Davison lost a couple of spots and drifted to the back end of the top 10.

Matthew Belford and Tim Miles made wheel to wheel contact on the exit of the final corner but pressed on.

Although Hedge was in control, he was unable to pull away from the chasing pack and an 11-car freight train was established.

Wall sat third until Bailey Hall made a lunge down the inside of turn 12. Hall did it cleanly to clinch the podium spot, while the #38 was suddenly being bullied from the pack.

Walls also got by to push Wall down to fifth.

Alex Davison made a bold move on Simon Fallon for seventh, locking up and striking the #777 which opened the driver’s door on impact.

But the move was deemed too aggressive by the officials and he received a 5s penalty.

With 12 laps to go the Safety Car returned after a Pro Am car park emerged at turn 12.

Sam Shahin spun on his own at the right hander, but struck the tyres. 

Unfortunately just when Shahin attempted to rejoin the race, he went straight into the path of Angelo Mouzouris at the blind corner exit.

Belford was also caught in the chaos and rotated 90 degrees on impact which left Miles with nowhere to go.

The McElrea Racing driver crunched into the #14 which meant all four drivers were stuck in the garage.

Racing resumed with 10 laps to go and O’Keeffe sensed his opportunity to pounce on Hedge.

The pair went side by side into the first chicane and O’Keeffe appeared to be in front and took the racing line.

But due to Hedge short cutting, he powered on into the lead, while O’Keeffe was suddenly swallowed up by the pack and Youlden was spun.

Hall won a drag race into the Beach Chicane before O’Keeffe slumped from first to fourth by the end of the back straight with Walls also getting by.

Hall looked racey and was all over the back of Hedge, who received a 5s penalty for the shortcut.

A time certain finish was in prospect but the race came to an even earlier finish when the red flag was called for another huge crash at turn 12.

The race-ending incident was sparked by Davison’s move down the inside of Wall.

Wall tried to squeeze Davison and the end result saw the former spinning into the tyres.

Wall carried on his momentum to spear across the track on corner exit which left Fallon with nowhere to go, being jammed between the #38 and the fence.

Meanwhile Davison followed his rival into the outside tyres and Harri Jones fired into the back of him.

Suddenly there was a roadblock and Liam Talbot speared hard into the back of Jones.

Tensions boiled over as a furious Davison spayed Wall before slamming the driver’s door, while Jones had to split the pair once the latter was out of the car trying to recover from the hit.

Once the red mist descends, the teams have a race against time to get the cars repaired for race three at 13.55 AEDT.

Main image by Mark Horsburgh

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