Buchan wins TCR title in dramatic finale

Josh Buchan has held onto the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia title after doing enough to overcome teammate Bailey Sweeny in a contest that was decided by the Safety Car.

A 12th place finish overall and fifth in class was enough for Buchan to beat Sweeny by 13 points despite the #130 finishing second to Tony D’Alberto, while Aaron Cameron’s dreams were dashed by overheating issues having snatched the points lead earlier on.

The dramatic race itself was dominated by the TCR World Tour Lynk & Cos with Yann Ehrlacher leading Thed Bjork.

But it ended under yellows after both GRMs of Jordan Cox and Cameron stopped on track and Mikel Azcona crashed behind the Safety Car at Forrests Elbow.

Buchan was a relieved figure getting the championship crown but also felt for his teammate Sweeny, who suffered a championship-changing retiring due to a loose intercooler hose in race two.

“It does not really feel real. I cannot believe it,” he said.

“I lost count of the amount of times I asked ‘are you joking’ to the team on the in lap. I was sick of racing and just wanted to get the trophy and get out of here.

Bailey Sweeny started the day as TCR Australia championship leader but was forced to finish second best. Image RACE PROJECT

“Bailey was super unlucky. He was the fastest driver in the fastest car this year but I have lost things like that before.

“He would have been a deserving champion this year and will have his day.”

Buchan carried a 19-point lead over Sweeny heading into the final race, with Cameron a further five behind.

The #30 also held track position advantage, starting 10th with Sweeny forced to start 17th, but Cameron was the leading Aussie in grid position eight.

It was a sea of blue at the front being a Lynk & Co one-two-three with Ehrlacher leading teammates Santiago Urrutia and Bjork. 

But all eyes were on the locals as the fight for the TCR Australia crown ignited within three corners.

Cameron dived down the inside of D’Alberto at Forests Elbow to snatch fifth on the track but importantly the championship lead with neither HMO Hyundai in the top 10.

But Cameron threw it away by bowling a wide at The Chase after going side by side with the #1 Honda.

The mistake proved costly as Cameron lost five positions, slumping from fifth overall to 10th and third in class.

It was a mistake that saw the GRM driver lose the championship. He desperately tried to snatch ninth from Cox by going side by side through the Cutting but positions remained unchanged.

Meanwhile, Sweeny flying and soared from 17th to 12th, two spots ahead of Buchan in just one and a half laps.

Yann Ehrlacher leads Thed Bjork in a dominant race for Lynk & Co. Image: RACE PROJECT

He soon caught the back of Cameron with the pair running ninth and 10th, while Buchan did not have the pace and was 15th, clinging onto the points lead.

By lap five Sweeny snuck ahead of Cameron to put himself within nine points of Buchan at the halfway mark.

Hopes of a Cyan Racing Lynk & Co whitewash on the podium vanished when Urrutia whacked the wall under the tree. This saw the #112 Uruguay driver lose second and finish last.

He joined TCR World Tour driver Teddy Clairet on the sidelines who also found trouble.

Sweeny’s charge was disrupted by a Safety Car with four laps to go caused by Cox, who came to a stop under the bridge just before pit entry with flames appearing in the exhaust pipe.

But there was even bigger drama as championship-contending GRM teammate Cameron pulled over at the other end of pit lane due to overheating issues.

The dream scenario of a one-lap dash to decide the title was in store until Azcona incredibly crashed at Forrests Elbow behind the Safety Car.

He joined Cameron, Cox, Clairet, Urrutia as retirements, while neither Will Brown or Brad Harris started.

It confirmed Ehrlacher and Bjork’s Lynk & Co one-two with Rob Huff joining them on the podium, while D’Alberto was the leading Australian in fourth, four spots ahead of Sweeny.

Whilst the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia season is over, the TCR World Tour continues with the finale on the streets of Macau next weekend and with only one point separating Ehrlacher, Huff and Michelisz at the top of the standings.

TCR Bathurst International race 3 results

Main Image by RACE PROJECT

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