Golding scores important Trans Am win
A fearless first corner helped James Golding win the Trans Am finale at Phillip Island as James Moffat encountered bad luck.
Although Moffat threatened at midway until a mechanical drama ended his charge, Golding’s success was set-up with one daring move.
In a game of chicken, Nash Morris, Golding and James Moffat charged three-wide into the high speed opening Doohan Corner and it was the #31 driver who was the bravest.
After Moffat’s issue, Golding cruised to 0.7s win over Todd Hazelwood, who fought desperately to snare second ahead of Nash Morris.
With Moffat suffering dramas and slipping down to 13th, Golding also snagged the round win and the championship lead.
Golding and Moffat were on the front row, but it was Morris’ lighting start that raised eyebrows.
He flashed down the inside to make it three wide with front-row starters Golding and Moffat into the wild turn 1.
Somehow they all made it through with Golding emerging on the other side with a strong half a second lead over Morris and Moffat.
Fuelled from a big lunch and more importantly a rear of the grid tyre penalty, Herne started last but shot up six spots to 12th on the first lap alone.
The fight for third started to get intense between the likes of Morris, Slade, Boys and Hazelwood.
Boys lost the battle after side to side contact with Slade in the braking area of Miller Corner sent the Racing Academy driver into a spin.
He recovered from the hip and shoulder down in 15th.
On lap 5 Slade lost fourth to Hazelwood, who out-braked him at the same right hander.
Golding had built his lead to greater than a second but when the race crept into the second half, Moffat had cut the difference to less than a second.
By lap 8 Moffat was flying and was just three tenths away with Golding struggling with the tyre.
However, smoke started appearing from the back of the #34 Mustang with just seven minutes to go and within a lap the reigning champion drifted 3s back.
Hazelwood was also on the charge, and after a number of laps working away at Morris’ bumper, he snatched third at Southern Loop.
This ignited a heated chain of hand to hand contact as Morris swiftly responded and the TFH Hire driver left a reminder on the left rear guard.
Soon the #67 was under threat from both Tim Slade and Elliott Barbour. The Supercars driver got by, whilst the lone Camaro gave it a red hot crack but just fell short.
Boys managed to fight back from his earlier excursion to join both Elliott Barbour and Morris in a spirited tussle that went to the final lap.
Boys and Barbour were battling side by side for fourth until they barged doors on the approach to Hayshed.
Once again The Racing Academy driver was worse off and toured the grass, damaging the front splitter and had to settle for fifth.
Herne fell back to 16th but fought back to the top 10 as Moffat crawled to 13th and lost important points.
Trans Am returns at Tailem Bend on May 31-June 2.
Image: Rebecca Hind Revved Photography
Trans Am Phillip Island race 3 results
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