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PRODUCTS AND INDUSTRY NEWS
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Supercars engine builder and owner of Herrod Performance Engines, Rob Herrod, was impressed by the new suite of RYCO filters. “RYCO stepping up to the mark and getting involved in this program has been an absolute benefit to this whole Gen3 engine program for us at Herrod Performance Engines. “It was not just in oil filtration – air and fuel filtration was also required, and RYCO has come in leaps and bounds and given us the products we need.” Herrod said. Supercars’ Head of Motorsport, Adrian Burgess said the new filters is one of the many exciting elements of the new Gen3 era. “RYCO’s innovative, world-first filtration technology will enable the Gen3 series the best chance of ensuring engine mileage and as a result will significantly improve sustained race performance for teams,” he said.
NATIONALS WRAP
Tenkate, Bishop and Palmer head the Trans Am field. Images: MTR IMAGES
SEVERAL CLEAN SWEEPS AT QR TWO LONG days and nine categories were at Queensland Raceway for the QR Drivers Championships seventh round on October 15-16. The mix of cars feature another big field of Excels while Production Touring went enduro mode.
EXCEL CUP
SECOND PLACE at the penultimate round gave Ryan O’Sullivan an increased points lead. He finished second in the four races as Connor Roberts topped the round after he qualified fastest and won three races. In the first two encounters O’Sullivan showed the way until Roberts gained the ascendancy. Jarrod Hughes was third in each, followed by George Wood in the first, and then Jack Wood and Brett Parrish in the second. O’Sullivan was again the early leader in Race 3 and this time it was Jack Wood who passed him for the lead and took the win. Hughes was third in front of Parrish who had Roberts, Tyler Collins and Zane Dremel behind. From sixth early in the long race, Roberts took the lead on lap three and drove away to win comfortably. Behind O’Sullivan, Hughes maintained third throughout while Holly Espray came from 14th to fourth. It was a troubled race for Wood. He was second early, dropped to 23rd, worked back to ninth before he retired.
PRODUCTION TOURING
FROM QUALIFYING through to the Shootout and then to the pair of one-hour enduros, it was Ben Gersekowski who headed each in the fifth round aboard his BMW M3 E92. Second in the two races and overall went to Gary Beggs (Holden Commodore). Gersekowski only surrendered the lead in Race 1 with his pitstop, and that gave Beggs the front running until he stopped. Third went to Tim McDonald (BMW M240i) ahead of Scott Dean (Mercedes A45 AMG), Gerry and Jed Murphy (Commodore), Jake Camilleri (Mazda 3 MPS) and Robert Gooley (Mitsubishi EVO X RS). There was an early Safety Car for an incident that involved the BMWs of Tony Vaughan and Damien Drew. Anthony Levitt went off in the Shootout, charged from
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NATIONALS WRAP with Garry O’Brien 10th to fourth before high oil temps put the Mercedes C63 into limp mode, and Matt O’Brien/Arthur Tsovolos, who were second early, eventually retired with a broken diff. It was similar in Race 2 with the lead change only in the pitstops. Behind the tearaway front runners, the Murphys finished third 1.5s ahead of Camilleri, while fifth went to McDonald in front of Dean. Levitt had similar problems to race one and Trentan Allen (Subaru Impreza WRX STi) and Gooley also retired.
HQ HOLDENS
THE FOUR races on Saturday had Jake Madden the one to beat with three wins. It started with Race 1 where he edged out his brother Brandon by 0.5s. Close behind were Peter Coleman and Kirk Porter who was elevated to third after Coleman was penalised 30s for an incident that ended Joe Andriske’s race. The latter came back to take Race 2 ahead of Brandon Madden and Coleman before Jake Madden who was seventh, took the last two outings, ahead of Andriske and Coleman, and then Brandon Madden and Andriske.
AUSTRALIAN TRANS AM
DRIVERS OF the 6.0 litre cars won the four races with Anthony Tenkate (Ford Mustang) the round winner ahead of Alwyn Bishop (Plymouth Duster). Zak Hudson (Mustang) a big winner of the first race over Tenkate. Bishop was third ahead of Ron Prefontaine and Sean English in their 5.0lt Mustangs. Ian Palmer (Plymouth AAR Cuda) had a clutch issue and DNF’d. Hudson wasn’t without drama as a master brake cylinder leak and the lack of the
Below: Waters and Murphy show the way in Prod Sports. Bottom: Grant Green dominated the Qld Sports Car races.
correct seal ruled him out. That left Tenkate to win the other races ahead of Bishop. English was third in Race 2 with Palmer fourth before the latter scored two thirds. Peter Schulte (AMC Javelin) also scored a fourth as did Prefontaine in the last.
PRODUCTION SPORTS CARS
PORSCHE GT3 Cup Car drivers filled the top three places at round five. Shane Wilson won the first two races before Gerry Murphy took out the last two, and the round by two points. A close second in the first outing went to Greg Waters (Chev Corvette) ahead of Murphy and Grant Sparks who finished the round third. Waters had the lead in the next three races, yet was beaten home by Porsche drivers twice and in the last, the gearbox broke and put him out. Murphy had another third in Race 2 while Wilson finished fourth and third, subsequently, and behind second placed Sparks in the last.
QR SPORTS & SEDANS/HOT HATCHES/PROD UTES
THERE WERE five races for the combined categories where despite just two race wins, Ken Samway was the overall and QR S&S victor in his Mazda MX5 turbo. Stephen Coe (ex-Supercar Holden Commodore VE) had three wins but didn’t figure in the others. Samway also notched up two seconds and a third while Cameron McLean (Mitsubishi Mirage) scored seconds and thirds before a broken axle on the dummy grid kept him out of race five. Meanwhile Ute honours went to Brendan Exner (Ford Falcon FG V8), as Peter Clarke (Falcon AU) topped the ‘sixes’ over points leader Danny Ford (Falcon BA) who had engine issues in the last. Jamie Dixon (Hyundai Getz) with three wins, was the best hatch.
QLD TOURING CARS
WITH VICTORY in four of the five races, Chris Brown (Holden Commodore VT) increased his Group A and outright points score. Second for the weekend was fastest qualifier Matt Haak (Commodore VY) ahead of Gary Lange (BMW E46) which was first race finish order. The second race was cut short because of
an accident that involved the Commodores of Nick Linton (VT) and Murray Reilly (VE). Brown greeted the chequered flag ahead of Haak and Chris Sharples (Holden Monaro). The latter DNF’s the third with a blown engine before Brown won from Haak and Peter Bray (VT). Haak was second in Race 4 ahead of Lange and Bray before Haak beat Brown in the last as Bray, Lange and Nathan Marks (BMW E36) who clean swept Group B, followed. Paul Bonaccorso (Ford Falcon XE) and Ettore Vosolo (E36) had Group C successes before Hudson James (VY) was best in the last three races.
QLD SPORTS CARS
AFTER HE qualified fastest by over 4s, Grant Green (Wolf Tornado) easily won the four races. Second in each was Jamie Davies ahead of fellow Radical SR3 driver Adam Gino Beesley. Tom Davies (Mygale SJ2011A Formula Ford) was fourth on three occasions and fourth overall, only pushed to fifth in Race 3 by Kirk Batchelor (SR3).
FORMULA VEES
THE ROUND was a clean sweep for Alex Macdonald (Jacer) with one all-the-way victory, followed by three that had to be earned. Tim Alder was a distant second in the first just in front of fellow Rapier driver Alex Hedemann and Matt Dicinoski (Jabiru Bee Cee). Alder led initially in Race 2 and finished fourth behind Hedemann who also sampled the front running, and Dicinoski. It was similar in Race 3 as Hedemann and Alder had turns in front and ultimately placed third and second behind Dicinoski. After he led the last at first, Hedemann finished second to consolidate the round second place. Garry O’Brien
MRA LIGHTS UP BRABHAM CIRCUIT THE LIGHTS came on for the one-day seventh round of the Motor Race Australian Series at Sydney Motorsport Park on October 15, and for the first time on the longer 4.5km Brabham circuit.
SUPER TT
TWO SECONDS and a win gave Adrian Wilson (main image below) in his Production Sports-spec BMW M4, the overall victory. He chased pole sitter Todd Herring (Mazda MX5) throughout the short Race 1, and after the pair had relegated the fast-starting and early leader Brett Mitchell (OzTruck Maloo). The race was red flagged when Brendan Scotter’s Mazda RX7 FD stopped, ablaze out of Turn 15. The second race had a Safety Car period when Michael Ricketts rearranged the left front of his Nissan Pulsar. Wilson led throughout but was penalised 15s for a Safety Car procedure infringement, and Herring pitted out of second before the chequered flag which gave Jimmy Tran (Honda Civic) the win. Wilson had enough of a lead to retain second while Mitchell was third ahead of Chris Sutton (Subaru Impreza WRX), Mark Granger (Ford Falcon), Daniel Kapetanovic (BMW 328), Richard Herring (MX5) and Charlie Viola (Honda Integra). The third race was red flagged at the end of the first lap, due to the Denis Pana Holden Commodore having a wheel depart at Turn 5. After a restart Wilson had a clear-cut victory. Mitchell stormed off the line, a little too hasty and was penalised 4s. He maintained second ahead of Charlie Khoury (Civic), Tran, Kapetanovic, Herring and Sutton.
EXCELS
THE SEASON capped off with William Seal a standout winner after he qualified fastest and won the three races. He took the overall honours ahead of Dylan Debono and Wil Longmore whose results confirmed him as the series winner – his third in four years. While Seal sauntered away to a big win in race one, Debono had to overcome George Mawad and Max Geoghegan to secure second. Longmore started from the back of the 26-car grid after a technical infringement penalty and charged to fifth ahead of Preston Breust, Cameron Brown and Lewis Buhagiar. Geoghegan had a great opening lap and led until pipped at the end of the first lap
by Seal who then eased away. Debono quickly settled into second as Longmore so in third. It was on for fourth in the first half where a clash between Geoghegan and Mawad allowed Breust and Brown to join the contest. Despite the contact Mawad prevailed for fourth from Geoghegan and Breust. Buhagiar retired with a cracked sump. Behind Seal in the last, Longmore was second while Mawad slipped from third to finish behind Geoghegan and Debono.
PULSARS
THE CRAIG brothers, Josh and Jamie topped the sixth round with first and second respectively in each of the three races. In the first race Harri Inwood split them and held second for the first two laps and until Jamie Craig passed him. Will Foot was a lonely fourth ahead of Dan Smith who fell by the wayside on the last lap with a broken gearbox. Fifth was Chris Manning from Shane Tate and Jamie Canellis. The Craigs were one and two from the outset of Race 2, ahead of Inwood, Foot, Manning, and Canellis until he was passed by Tate. Josh McDonald and Jerome Pirozzi had contact at Turn 15 on the second lap which put both out and had the Safety Car for three laps before the race was called. As the brothers continued at the front of Race 3, Foot put out the challenge on Inwood and successfully secured third. Manning was next in front of Tate and the battling duo of Greg Dufficy and Corey Fraser.
MX5
HERRING RACING won the three races and even filled the top four places in the last with Verne Johnson the one out in front. He took out the first ahead of Jaxon Fraser while fastest qualifier Zac Raddatz, Ben Oldfield and Todd Herring were close together in the race for third. Richard Herring was sixth, clear of Brad Herring and Stuart McFadyen. The second race had Johnson the winner from Fraser and Tim Herring who was plagued in race one with a wiring loom short that restricted revs and left him 21st. Oldfield edged out Todd Herring for fourth while McFadyen headed Raddatz. Johnson had another big win in the last, ahead of Tim, Todd and Richard Herring. Oldfield came home ahead of Raddatz, McFadyen and Brad Herring for fifth. Fraser
was an early casualty when he pitted with an electrical fault that curbed engine performance.
ALFA/BMW
THE SCORE went two-one to Alfa Romeo, with Michael Musumeci (GT) the Race 2 and 3 winner after Rob Boaden (BMW E36) took the first encounter. Musumeci seemingly had the first race in hand too, until second place Boaden hauled him in and grabbed the lead on the last lap. Doug Selwood (Alfetta) had third throughout and finished ahead of Simon Greirson (Giulietta) and Shaun Penwarden (E36). It was tight among the Twin Spark Alfas where Andrew Wilson had a 1s advantage on Peter Tillett. Very shortly after the second race start, Musumeci grabbed the lead and won from Boaden, Selwood, Penwarden and Greirson while Wilson had just a little more on Tillett. Boaden had a slow start in Race 3 and slipped to third before he passed Selwood on the second lap. He couldn’t do anything about Musumeci while Penwarden was fourth ahead of Wilson, and Tillett DNF’d.
CLUBMANS
THE THREE races were over and done with by early afternoon. In a small turnout Josh Versluis (PRB Birkin S3) qualified fastest and won each race comfortably. Ivan Srejber (S4) was second in Race 1 ahead of Jos Kroon (S2) and Chris Barry (Composite). The latter pair passed Srejber in Race 2 before he came back to split them by the end. Kroon and Barry filled the minor places in the last ahead of Srejber and Bill McBride (BBB BBB). Garry O’Brien
GARRY’S NATIONAL
EVENT
CALENDAR SANDOWN HISTORICS, Sandown VIC – Nov 04-06 NATIONAL SPORTS SEDANS SERIES Rd06 , Sandown VIC – Nov 04-06 TASMANIAN OFF ROAD SERIES Rd05, Peron Dunes TAS – Nov 04-06 MOTOR EVENTS RACING, 20+ Hour, The Bend SA – Nov 04-06 AMSAG RALLY SERIES Rd05, Oberon Rally NSW – Nov 05 VICTORIAN CROSS CLUB RALLY SERIES Rd07, Broadford VIC – Nov 05 TIME ATTACK #5, Lakeside Park QLD – Nov 05 WEEKEND SPRINTS & SUPERSPRINT #11, Queensland Raceway QLD – Nov 05 NISSAN DATSUN CAR CLUB HILLCLIMB CHALLENGE – Collingrove SA – Nov 05 WASCC STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS Rd06, Wanneroo WA – Nov 05-06 QLD STATE HILLCLIMB SERIES Rd06, Mt Cotton QLD – Nov 05-06 TASMANIAN KHANACROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS, Symmons Plains TAS – Nov 05-06 CENTRAL AUSTRALIAN RALLY SPORTS CLUB Autocross, Alice Springs NT – Nov 06 GEELONG MOTOR SPORT CLUB MOTORKHANA Rd08, Avalon VIC – Nov 06 NOTTA GRAND PRIX #4, Lakeside Park QLD – Nov 06 MG CAR CLUB KHANACROSS DIRT/TAR KC06, Ringwood Park NSW – Nov 06 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES HILLCLIMB, Mt Gambier SA – Nov 11-13 BATHURST INTERNATIONAL, TCR Australia Series Rd07 , Mt Panorama NSW – Nov 11-13 BATHURST INTERNATIONAL, Touring Car Masters Rd06 , Mt Panorama NSW – Nov 11-13 BATHURST INTERNATIONAL, S5000 Tasman Series Rd02 , Mt Panorama NSW – Nov 11-13 BATHURST INTERNATIONAL, Trans Am/TA2 Muscle Cars Special , Mt Panorama NSW – Nov 11-13 BATHURST INTERNATIONAL, GT World Challenge Rd07 , Mt Panorama NSW – Nov 11-13 BATHURST INTERNATIONAL, Porsche Sprint Challenge Rd06 , Mt Panorama NSW – Nov 11-13 Bathurst International, Mazda RX8 Cup Rd06 , Mt Panorama NSW – Nov 11-13 BATHURST INTERNATIONAL, Production Cars Rd05, Mt Panorama NSW – Nov 11-13 500 CAR CLUB JUNIOR TRAINING PROGRAM, Baskerville Raceway TAS – Nov 12 NORTH WEST CAR CLUB RALLYSPRINT, Burnie TAS – Nov 12 STATE MOTORKHANA CHAMPIONSHIP, Huntley Saleyards VIC – Nov 12 MOTOR RACE AUSTRALIA SERIES Rd08, Sydney Motorsport Park NSW – Nov 12 STATE RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP Rd03, Lockyer Valley QLD – Nov 12
Top: Josh Craig, Inwood, andJamie Craig head the Excels. Above: Johnson, Fraser and Herring show the way in the MX5 contest. Images: RICCARDO BENVENUTI
HERVEY BAY MOTOR SPORTS ASSOCIATION INTERCLUB KHANACROSS Rd06, Tinana QLD – Nov 12 RALLYCROSS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, Raleigh International Raceway NSW – Nov 12-13 STATE KHANACROSS CHAMPIONSHIP, Willowbank Dragstrip QLD – Nov 12-13 STATE MOTOR RACING CHAMPIONSHIP Rd04, Winton Raceway VIC – Nov 12-13 500 CAR CLUB KHANACROSS SUMMER SERIES Rd01, Baskerville Raceway TAS – Nov 13 TARGA BUNBURY SPRINT, Bunbury WA – Nov 13 MG CAR CLUB HILLCLIMB, Ringwood Park NSW – Nov 13
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WORLD RALLY CHAMIOPSHIP
Images: MOTORSPORT IMAGES
RALLY LEGEND PUTS ON SPANISH TARMAC CLINIC SEBASTIEN OGIER HAS COMFORTABLY WON THE WRC SPANISH TARMAC RALLY, SECURING TOYOTA GAZOO RACING THE MANUFACTURERS TITLE, AND CLAIMING HIS FIRST VICTORY OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP’S HYBRID ERA. THE FRENCH rally legend was contesting only his fifth outing of the season in the Spanish round of 12. The eight-time WRC Drivers champion, is second only behind Sebastien Loeb (9 Championships) and went into Sunday’s final day holding a 20.7s lead over Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville and Kalle Rovanpera after taking three straight stages on the Saturday. Ogier (above) ended up with a 16.4s win from the German Hyundai i20 N driver, helping clinch his co-driver – Benjamin Veillas – his first WRC win, as well giving Toyota its second straight manufacturers title, to go with Rovanpera’s drivers championship. He went into the Saturday holding a 4.8s lead over the sports newest, and youngest ever champion, as Rovanpera struggled with understeer on the Tarmac, but still managed to trade blows with the French legend by taking four stages throughout the day as the overall lead swapped several times. Neuville also featured on the Saturday, taking the lead at one stage but faded into the afternoon, combating tyre wear which led to sliding, with the +12.5s margin to Ogier too much to make up on the Sunday. “It’s a fantastic feeling today. The most important thing was the manufacturers’ title for the whole team. They have done a fantastic job the whole season and really deserve it,” Ogier said after Sunday’s victory. “I am also very happy personally to take a win after the bad luck we have had on the events we’ve done this year. It was a very enjoyable weekend and the car was really fun to drive and the times were following. “It is almost a surprise because I hadn’t driven this car on asphalt for so long, apart from only one day of testing, so it was nice to
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Thierry Neuville at speed in the Hyundai. Rovenpera (right) made the podium after a puncture. Below: Ogier and Veillas pop the corks ...
see straightaway at the beginning of the rally that we were really fast, even with not such a great starting position on Friday. “I am also very happy for Benjamin (Veillas) as it’s his first win. After six wins for Kalle and one for myself, let’s try to make it eight victories in Japan – especially given that eight is a lucky number there.” Rovanpera suffered a puncture on the Sunday morning during the second stage, hitting a drain pipe cover that punctured his front left tyre. That time-loss made the scrap
for second a formality, as Neuville beat the new world champion into P2 by 18.1s. “Seb (Ogier) was flying the whole weekend – he was really fast and even if I was pushing to the maximum, so I’m not sure if I could have matched him. He fully deserves the win and it’s nice to have two cars on the podium again,” Rovanpera said. “A huge congratulations and thank you to the team. I think this year we really showed how talented this team and our people are, to be able to make this new car the strongest and the fastest and the most reliable. “It’s especially nice this season as I think we have done our part quite well and brought many points for the team. We can all be really proud of what we have done. This weekend was pretty good for us.” Ott Tanak – who announced after the event that he was leaving Hyundai after two years – came in at P4, 9.5s being his rival, and 44s behind Ogier, with the Estonian star struggling to find performance and speed on the tarmac all weekend. Hometown hero Dani Sordo managed P5
after winning a couple of smooth tarmac speed stages on the Saturday, but his late found speed was little too late, finishing 37.5s behind Tanak, with Welshman Elfyn Evans coming in at P6, suffering a puncture in the same spot as teammate Rovanpera, whilst Japanese young gun Takamoto Katsuta came in at P7. Akio Toyoda, team founder of GR Yaris, sent his congratulations to the team ahead of the Japanese rally. “Congratulations to everybody in the team! I’m really happy that the team achieved all three titles: Drivers’, Co-drivers’ and Manufacturers’ just as last year. And above all, I’m so glad that the GR Yaris has become a triple champion car. My sincere thanks to all of the team members,” Akio related. TW Neal WRC STANDINGS ROUND 12 1. Rovanpera 255 (Champion) 2. Tanak 187 3. Neuville 166 4. Evans 124 5. Katsuta 107 6. Ogier 85
NASCAR
Chastain (#1) takes the ‘outside line’ literally ... Images: Motorsport Images
BUFFALO GIRLS…
A SCARCELY believable finish to the NASCAR final four qualifier has seen Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell take a must-win victory, with Ross Chastain pulling off one of the most remarkable last-lap moves ever seen to also scrape into the Playoffs. Bell’s clutch victory came at the expense of a pass on Chase Briscoe – who also had to win to go through – with five laps remaining, making it two walk-off wins this postseason in the hunt for a maiden title. But it was Chastain’s unbelievable move at the very death where he clung to the wall as if he’d put afterburners on, to
sling-shot with an open throttle from 10th to 4th and pip Danny Hamlin in P5 for the final playoff spot. It was a move that will enter NASCAR folklore for many years to come. Astoundingly, that final lap of Chastain’s was also a whopping 0.864s quicker than the qualifying pole lap. “I made the choice, and grabbed fifth gear down the back. Fully committed,” Chastain said. “I Basically let go of the wheel, hoping I didn’t catch the Turn 4 access gate or something crazy. But I was willing to do it. I just cannot believe that we have a chance to go fight for a championship.”
That wasn’t the only nail in the coffin for the unlucky Hamlin, with Chase Elliot’s P10 enough to knock him out of the Playoffs by a meagre four points, the same margin enjoyed by Chastain. In the end it was Bell, Joey Logano (P6:already qualified), Elliot and Chastain to make up the final four. “I can’t believe it, man. To come here in Martinsville, this place has always been so tough on me,” said an elated Bell after the race. “Just pre-race looking up, seeing all the fans, this place is packed… I don’t even know what to say. “I say it all the time, but the
driver is just a small piece of the puzzle for these races. The reason why this car won today is because it was the best car on the race track. (Crew chief) Adam Stevens and this entire #20 group, they just never give up. When our back is against the wall, looks like it’s over, they show up and give me the fastest car out here.” Briscoe had taken a gamble and stayed out on old tyres following the final race caution, where he went into the last 24 laps with the lead. Bell finally got him on lap 496 of 500, having led for a total of 120 laps throughout, with the
eliminated Hamlin having had the lion’s share of lead laps with 203. Before Hamlin assumed the majority of the lead, Larson had it for the first 68 laps, before Elliot held it for the next 52. Hamlin then took the lead on lap 121, winning the first two stages then holding the lead for the next 203 laps before Bell got him off the pit road exit. Hamlin dropped off but still had the final spot until rocket man Chastain did the unfathomable. The NASCAR postseason now heads to the Phoenix Raceway, Arizona, on November 6 for the Championship Four, 312 lapper. Timothy W Neal
LARSON CRUSHES MIAMI TO LEAVE PLAYOFF ON EDGE
NON-CHAMPIONSHIP contender Kyle Larson last week swept aside the field at the Miami Speedway to clinch his maiden win at the track and 19th of his career. The 2021 NASCAR champion did it in dominant fashion, leading for 199 of the 267 laps to take the
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chequered flag over Ross Chastian and AJ Allmendinger. “We’ve been capable of it, I feel like many weekends, we just hadn’t quite put it all together. Crew chief Cliff (Daniels) gave a great speech this morning and got us all ready to go and focused. Amazing race car,’’ Larson said of his victory. The result leaves the Round of 4 contenders on a knifes edge, with the Martinsville Speedway in Virginia set to fill the final three spots, with Joey Logano (P18) still the only qualifier. Of the seven contenders fighting for the three advance spots, Chastain and Danny Hamlin (P7) were the only two to make the top-10, with Christopher Bell and William Byron coming in at P11 and P12, with Chase
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Elliot and Ryan Blaney in P14 and P17. Chase Briscoe hit the wall on lap 160 leaving him to finish last, with both he and Bell needing victories in Virginia to advance. Although Larson dominated the pace, he had to earn it late, with Martin Truex Jr taking the lead after a caution period with 46 laps remaining. Truex took advantage of that caution to pull two seconds clear, before a late-caution was waved on lap 23. When the cars pitted Truex broke late on entry, which caused Larson to go into the back of him and turn him, with both drivers saying they were hampered by the sun in the windshields. Truex re-entered outside the top-10 after getting his car fixed up, and managed to grab P6 as a consolation, whilst Larson blew them away at the re-start to beat Chastain in by 1.261s in a canter.
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GOLD COAST 500 SUPPORTS Nathan Herne was on fire on the streets of Surfers Paradise, cleansweeping the opening round of the S5000 Tasman Series.
HERNE SWEEPS SURFERS STREET FIGHT IN A throwback to the days of Gold Coast Indy300, the S5000 Tasman Series brought high-powered open-wheelers back to the streets of Surfers Paradise. But the historic round was all about one man, Nathan Herne, who clean-swept the entire weekend to be in the box seat to secure the S5000 Tasman Series. A total of nine cars graced the Gold Coast streets to kick off the new Tasman Series and Jordan Boys was on the pace early. In a trouble-free opening 20 minute session the Boost Mobile backed car driven by Boys went one-tenth clear of Garry Rogers Motorsport teammate Herne. Action then lifted in the second practice session where Cooper Webster lit up the timesheets. Webster banked a 1:10.0973 lap to jump sixtenths clear of the rest of the field. This time Boys had to settle for second ahead of Herne, while Jude and Ben Bargwanna completed the top five as Joey Mawson had a tough session with a flat tyre. But Noah Sands had the biggest issue, bringing out a red flag after a crashing into the Turn 2 tyres. Despite finishing just short in practice, Herne unleashed his express pace with a scintillating lap in qualifying. Herne flew around the Gold Coast streets
to became the first driver ever to get in the 69-second barrier since the street circuit was shortened in 2010. His pole time of 1:09.6681 was just enough to edge out Webster by one tenth of a second, whose weekend hopes took a hit due to an awkward crash on the exit of the first chicane, while Jude Bargwanna also found the concrete in the session. Reigning S5000 champion Two-time Gold Star champion Joey Mawson tried his best to stop Herne, but had to settle for second best. Image: DANIEL KALISZ Mawson and Boys rounded out the top four. Herne made full use of his pole position, finally scored the S5000 win he has been converting it perfectively to secure a chasing for two years. breakthrough win in Race 1. Boys joined them on the podium followed The Valvoline-backed driver made a perfect by Ben Bargwanna, Sands, Jude Bargwanna, getaway from the line, which forced Mawson Mark Rosser and trailblazing female racer Elly and Boys to slot in behind, taking over from Morrow. the missing Webster, who could not repair his Sunday might have been a new day, but no damaged car in time. one could still lay a hand on Herne. Mawson was the only driver able to match The second race of the weekend was won Herne’s pace as the pair traded fastest laps in dominant fashion by Herne, who led each during a tense run to the flag. of the 17 laps. Despite setting the fastest lap of the race, Mawson was the only driver able to keep up double Gold Star champion Mawson had in the Team BRM car and crossed the line a to settle for second best as Herne took the second behind, just being unable to get close chequered flag. enough to challenge for the lead. It was a big relief for the GRM star, who has Two decades after his dad won the first ever
BORG SECURES SUPERUTE CROWN THE 2022 SuperUtes season concluded in dramatic style on the streets of Surfers Paradise with Aaron Borg securing his crown and a former champion turning back the clock. It was an eventful four-race weekend with former champion Ryal Harris returning to the category in fine style, winning the opening race. After getting past Borg at the Turn 4 hairpin, Harris charged away from the field with Craig Woods eventually edging ahead of #64 to keep his title hopes alive. Things exploded in the second race of the weekend where the battle for the lead between David Sieders and Harris turned ugly. The race built to an exciting crescendo on the last lap where second place Harris made a bold move for the lead around the outside of Sieders. But Sieders got his elbows out, forcing Harris wide
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and into the tyre wall on the exit of turn 11. The wash-up of incident allowed Sieders to secure a dramatic win and Harris to limp home in second place with a damaged Ranger. Harris was able to get revenge on the following day by sweeping the floor on Sunday. The driver nicknamed ‘The Kid’ was an untouchable figure in the #1 Ford Ranger after he cleared Sieders as early as the second lap. Harris completed the near-perfect comeback by winning a fourth and final race full of drama. “The Kid” slumped to fifth after a slow entry into turn one, allowing eventual champion Borg to exit the opening chicane in the lead. Despite the slow start, Harris went on the charge and managed to cross the line in second place. But this turned into his third win of the weekend after a 10 second time penalty was handed to Woods, who
Supercars Championship round at Surfers Paradise, Ben Bargwanna jumped on the podium to take third, while the returning Webster came home fourth after a comeback drive from ninth on the grid. The third and final race of the weekend provided a grandstand finish as Mawson took the fight to Herne in the run down to Turn 1. Mawson made the better start than his GRM rival and the pair went wheel-to-wheel into the first chicane and almost banged wheels. To avoid contact Mawson straightlined the chicane and emerged in the race lead as the field entered the hairpin. However, Race Control demanded the double Gold Star champion hand the lead back to Herne, who stayed on the racing line. After the clash, Herne was unchallenged for the remainder of the race to complete a commanding clean sweep. Ben Bargwanna completed a consistent weekend with another podium finish after he crossed the line fourth, but was promoted to the rostrum after Boys was penalised for a track limits breach. Herne enjoys a 28-point lead in the Tasman Series over Mawson before the finale at the VALO Adelaide 500. Thomas Miles
Ryal Harris turned back the clock to win three of the four SuperUtes races on the Gold Coast last weekend. Image: TAMARA JADE MEDIA
spun Borg at the first chicane. It was a crazy finale to a dramatic season with Borg emerging as the champion. Thomas Miles
JONES HANGS ON TO TAKE MAIDEN CARRERA CUP TITLE By Thomas Miles HARRI JONES has been crowned as the 2022 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia champion after he did enough to fend off the fast-finishing Aaron Love. After a tense season finale held on the streets of Surfers Paradise, Jones closed out the title by finishing sixth in the third and final race of the weekend. Love did everything he could, not only winning the closing race, but also eight of the last 10. However, Jones was able to overcome the onslaught and take out the championship by 11 points. The McElrea Racing star can put the trophy alongside the Michelin Sprint Challenge crown he claimed in 2019 and was overjoyed by the latest success. “I’m thinking every emotion now, I almost cried coming into pit lane, absolutely over the moon,” Jones said. “I just can’t thank the whole McElrea team enough, my family, my partner and commercial partners ... I can’t believe it. “It was a tough weekend for us and it went down right to the last laps – we just had to keep our heads cool, keep focussed and all the hard work paid off this weekend. I’m absolutely stoked.” While the overall fight for the Carrera Cup went down to the final lap, the battle for the Pro-Am trophy was so close, it was not decided until after the chequered flag was waved. The dramatic finale was one not to forget with the standings having three different leaders across the weekend. Geoff Emery held the upper hand after Saturday, but relinquished his lead to Liam Talbot following Race 2 on Sunday. But Talbot’s hopes disappeared in a first-lap incident at the Turn 4 hairpin in the final race, which opened the door for Dean Cook to throw his name into contention. Cook seized on the opportunity to take his first Pro-Am race and round win of the year,
Harri Jones was full of relief after holding on to the 2022 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship. Image by EDGE PHOTOGRAPHICS
and with Emery recording third in the class and 17th overall, the pair suddenly found themselves tied on points after the season. Eventually the dramatic championship win went Emery’s way on countback, by virtue of his superior number of race wins. Emery said it was a thrill to be crowned the winner after a fight for the ages. “It feels unbelievable,” he said. “Dean Cook did a very good job all year – he’s been an awesome team mate and a fierce competitor as well, so really happy to equal the points with him and win on the count back. “It couldn’t be more exciting. Its been a pretty up and down season to be honest, got into a bit of trouble here and there, but we going to celebrate with a couple of beers, it will be great.” Jones got his championship weekend off to a flying start by recording the fastest lap ever of the shortened Surfers Paradise street circuit in a Porsche GT3 Cup car. His 1:11.7935 lap was a last-ditch lap at the end of a Friday littered with interruptions, but when qualifying arrived Callum Hedge rose to the occasion.
Hedge took pole by more than a tenth of a second from David Russell courtesy of his 1:12.1662, while championship contenders Jones and Love qualified P4 and P15 respectively after the latter was denied a flying lap due to a red flag. The pair who lined up on the front row continued their duel into the race, which proved to be a classic. Hedge ended up victorious after surviving a race-long battle with Russell, but the all eyes were further down the pack as the championship fight sprung to life. With Jones starting 11 places above Love, the Sonic Motor Racing driver had a mountain to climb. However, he did not give up and charged through the pack with an almighty comeback drive. With some impressive aggressive moves, Love broke into the top 10 by lap two and then smashed the lap record. To compete the march, he flew past rival Jones to score an outstanding P4 finish to bring the championship fight alive, while the McElrea Racing driver could only manage P6. The result meant there was plenty of hype
heading into Sunday and Love did not slow down when racing resumed. He wasted no time and snatched the lead by the 10th lap, before powering away to win by the largest margin of the season. Nine seconds back was Hedge, while Russell and Dylan O’Keefe both finished ahead of Jones, who rounded out the top five after Dale Wood’s hopes of a podium were denied by mechanical issues. There was also drama in Pro Am with then class-leader Emery suffering contact with Rodney Jane, which tore a rear tyre out of his car, forcing him to pit and lose a lap – ultimately finishing seventh in class. The dramatic second race set the stage for a nail-biting conclusion to the season where Jones had to finish ninth of better to secure the title. Love started from pole and nailed the start, to lead the field through the opening chicane, while the #12 McElrea Racing endured a nervous time trying to stay out of trouble. Jones was able to tip-toe his way through the first chicane and the Turn 4 hairpin safety, however Pro-Am title contender Talbot was not so lucky. He got tangled up in a crash at the tight left-hander where multiple cars were caught up, which paved the way for Emery to reclaim his crown. In the race for the overall prize, Love blazed off into the distance to secure a commanding five-second win. Hedge was able to fend off Russell and a resurgent David Wall to be the best of the rest in second to take out the round win. But after the chequered flag all of the focus was on Jones. Whilst Love won the most races in 2022, Jones was a picture of consistency and the Michelin Junior driver soaked up his emotional championship success on his home track.
Despite a comeback drive for the ages on Saturday, Aaron Love fell just short of championship success. Image: EDGE PHOTOGRAPHICS
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