Hedge steals Carrera Cup title from Walls

Callum Hedge is the 2023 Porsche Carrera Cup champion after beating an unfortunate Jackson Walls in a final-race showdown in Adelaide as Dale Wood recorded a clean sweep.

With just 2 points between the rivals, whoever finished in front in the 21st and final race of the year would be crowned champion.

However, the fight only lasted two corners as tragedy struck for Walls in the Senna Chicane, while Hedge’s P7 ensured he did the double having already taken out the Formula Regional Americas title in the USA.

To double the celebrations for Earl Bamber Motorsport, Adrian Flack also won the Pro Am title.

Hedge, who is bound for Indy NXT in 2024 wished he could fight Walls for the entire race but was still thrilled to join the likes of Jim Richards and Craig Baird as Kiwi Carrera Cup champions.

“It was a shame to have it over on the first lap,” he said.

“I would have liked to race with Jackson for the whole 10 laps but sometimes that is just how it is.

“I had a bit of contact at the first corner so carried some damage for the whole race and the goal from there was to survive.”

As Wood blazed into the lead, championship rivals Walls and Hedge were side by side with Max Vidau into the Senna Chicane.

With the fast starting Walls on the outside and locking up, both contenders bounced over the kerbs.

Despite Hedge having a bumpy ride and even finding the gravel after rubbing Vidau, it was Walls who found trouble after backing out from the fight.

When he rejoined his left rear tyre appeared to deflate, sending him into a spin across the pack and to the inside wall at turn 3.

Spinning in symphony with Walls were Ryder Quinn, Christian Pancione and Alex Davison with only the latter surviving the chaos.

This meant Hedge in third simply needed to finish the race to be crowned champion but he found himself in an awkward spot on the restart.

The Kiwi was getting beaten up on the outside and lost 4 spots within 3 corners in the staircase section.

As Wood and Vidau charged into the lead, this allowed O’Keeffe to snatch third ahead of Angelo Mouzouris who had both made 5 spots inside half a lap.

At the start of lap 6 O’Keeffe continued his charge, catching Vidau and taking second at the final corner.

But with only 4 laps to go, Wood appeared safe a further 1.8s up the road in the lead.

Bailey Hall also displaced Mouzouris from the top 4 as Fabian Coulthard pushed Hedge to seventh.

Due to the early safety car, the race was shortened from 10 to 9 laps as Wood secured a clean sweep in Adelaide.

He finished 2s ahead of O’Keeffe, Vidau and Hall in a tight train of cars and Wood was the first repeat round winner of the special season.

But the loudest applause was saved for Hedge, who continued New Zealand’s proud record in the Carrera Cup and claimed the crown despite missing one round.

Porsche Carrera Cup Australia race 3 results

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