Marjoram sweeps to V8 SuperUtes title

Adam Marjoram rose to the challenge and produced the perfect finale to finally become the V8 SuperUte Series champion.

It is a sweet success for Marjoram, who was second best to teammate Aaron Borg by the barest of margins last year.

However, 2024 is now Marjoram’s time in the sun after he gave Borg and Cameron Crick no chance by sweeping all four races this weekend.

A thrilling fight for the 2024 V8 SuperUtes title was in prospect with just seven points splitting the top three, while up to seven drivers remained in contention, effectively making it a winner-takes-all finale at Adelaide.

But determined to get revenge after coming so close last year, Marjoram was unbeatable.

He won all four races to take the title in style, while Borg battled to get on the podium and Crick got caught up in accidents.

Marjoram drew first blood by controlling a quiet opening race.

The #15 led all 11 laps ahead of Crick to take a 3s win, while the top five spots were unchanged throughout the race.

Critically Borg fell to fourth on the line and could not regain third from David Sieders and lost some ground.

The aim of the game in the wild reverse grid affair for the championship contenders was to somehow avoid the chaos

Borg and Marjoram found themselves side by side in a sticky situation whilst negotiating the “staircase”.

Marjoram won the battle as they snuck through the congestion into the top four as How somehow stayed away from the Turn 7 barrier.

The yellow finally arrived on Lap 3 when former leader Cottrell got stuck in the Turn 9 run off.

Wanzek passed Cottrell for the lead down Bartells Road and the latter ended up in the escape road on his own at Turn 9.

Eventually a second Safety Car was required for Ben Walsh’s hit with the Turn 8 wall.

This created an exciting one-lap dash that exceeded expectations.

Harros dived down the inside of Wanzek at Turn 9 and the pair tried to go side by side through the following left hander.

However, they made contact which sent Harris into the tyres.

This opened the door for Marjoram to fly from fourth to first and take a critical win in his championship hopes.

Ryan How made a similar rise from sixth to second, but was hit with a 5s time penalty which dropped him to 12th.

This promoted Brewczynski to second, while Borg was third.

The big loser in the fight for the title race was Crick, who only managed 14th after also suffering a 5s penalty.

In another dramatic Race 3, Marjoram further strengthened his championship aspirations.

Marjoram took a third straight win, while Crick was involved in more carnage.

Once again the field had to contend with a one-lap dash, this time due to a tangle between Holly Spray, Jason Norris and Jayden Wanzek in the Senna Chicane.

Marjoram kept his nerve to take another important win over Brewczynski had passed Borg on Lap 3 to take second.

Crick was running in the top five until the final corner where he and Sieders clashed.

The pair both rotated, which saw Crick fall all the way down to 18th and effectively out of the title race ahead of the finale.

With Crick not starting, Borg was the only man who could stop Marjoram in the final race.

But Marjoram effectively wiped out any title challenges by producing another grand start when it mattered most.

He powered ahead of the pack and opened up a second on the pack in the opening laps.

To make matters worse for Borg, he went backwards and fell two spots to fifth on the first lap.

The #1 was unable to make up spots either with Craig Dontas also demoting the reigning champion to sixth.

Despite Holly Espray going head on into the inside fence at the end of Wakefield Street, Adrian Cottrell going off at the Turn 14 hairpin, Mick Sherwell whacking the Turn 7 tyres and Luke Webber going through the entire Turn 11 gravel, the race stayed green.

In the final laps Brewczynski slashed the gap to Marjoram to set-up a grandstand finish.

This saw Marjoram cover at both Turn 9 and Turn 14.

Brewczynski did his best to draw up side by side on the exit of the final corner, but Marjoram won the drag race by 0.172s to win in style.

V8 SuperUte Series Adelaide round results

Image: Tamara Jade Media

VAILO Adelaide 500 Supercars schedule 

Practice 1: 1: J. Courtney 1:19.6835 2: D. Reynolds +0.1553 3: N. Percat +0.3242

Practice 2: 1 D. Reynolds 1:19.4804 2: C. Waters +0.0840 3: C. Mostert +0.1023

Qualifying – 1 W. Brown 1:19.4425 2: C. Waters +0.3631 3: T. Randle +0.4123

Practice 3 – 1 W. Brown 1:19.7649 2 B. Feeney +0.1894 3 T. Randle +0.2517

Top 10 Shootout – 1 C. Waters 1:19.9628 2: T. Randle +0.1182 3: B. Feeney +0.1847

Race 23 1: B. Feeney 2: W. Brown +12.8028 3: C. Waters +13.7810

Qualifying – Sun 10.20-10.35

Top 10 Shootout – Sun 12.35-13.35

Race 24 (78 laps) – Sun 15.15

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