Taylor takes important Toyota triumph
Lincoln Taylor emerged victorious from some thrilling battles in the final Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia GR Cup race at the mountain.
Taylor held off Oliver Wickham, who slipped to eighth following a 5s penalty, allowing Lachlan Gibbons and Steve Owen to stand on the podium.
They all had influential moments in the thrilling battle for the lead across an all-green nine-lap race.
Taylor won the battle off the start to hold the lead across the first two laps before things exploded.
Cheney, Barnes and Taylor went three wide for the lead at the end of lap 3 and it did not stop there.
They stayed side by side from Murray’s to Hell Corner before the battle carried on to Mountain Straight after a few wild moments and somehow Taylor stayed in the lead.
Steve Owen used his experience to seize the opportunity and jump to second as Barnes slipped out of the top four.
Owen then set his sights on Taylor and stole the lead with a grand move.
He went the long way around Griffin’s Bend and hung tough on the outside, which helped him squeeze past at The Cutting as the pair gave themselves impressive racing room.
Owen’s lead did not last long as Taylor and Wickham flew past down the Chase and by the time he bounced through the Hell Corner sand, he fell off the podium places.
Despite Thornton having a heavy crash at the top of the mountain, the race stayed green to the finish.
Wickham kept the pressure on, but had a 5s penalty and did not challenge Taylor.
The Toyota season finale is at Sandown on November 14-16.
Image: WAU
2025 Bathurst 1000 schedule
Thursday, October 9
PRACTICE 1 1: R. Wood/J. Ojeda 2:05.1029 2: A. De Pasquale/H. Jones +0.4236 3: K. Allen/D. Wood +0.8132
PRACTICE 2 1: Scott Pye/W. Brown 2:06.8395 2: David Russell/J. Golding +0.1461 3: Tony D’Alberto/W. Davison +0.6345
Friday, October 10
PRACTICE 3 1: B.Feeney/J.Whincup 2:04.9763 2: R.Wood/J.Ojeda +0.0341 3: W.Brown/S.Pye +0.0784
QUALIFYING 1 Brodie Kostecki 2:04.0307 2 Broc Feeney +0.0064 3 Ryan Wood +0.0560
Saturday, October 11
PRACTICE 5 1: Scott Pye 2:05.6647 2: Jamie Whincup +0.0442 3: Mark Winterbottom +0.3516
TOP TEN SHOOTOUT 1 Brodie Kostecki 2:04.0413 2 Cameron Waters +0.1760 3 Chaz Mostert +0.3169
Bathurst Day, October 12
WARM UP 8:30 AM – 8:50 AM
THE GREAT RACE 11:45 AM (161 laps)
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