Kumho V8 Touring Cars Series leader Jude Bargwanna has started off Round 2 by topping the qualifying session and winning the first of three races at Winton Motor Raceway.

Just six cars contested the Shannons SpeedSeries’ fourth outing of the year, where the third-generation driver was fast from the start. He went under the seven-year-old lap record during the qualifying session to have almost a second-and-a-half’s advantage by its conclusion.

In the 15-lap race, he had his best start to date aboard the Anderson Motorsport ex-Ford Performance Racing Falcon FG and eased away lap after lap.

“It was a much better start, just a little bit of wheelspin, but I prefer to have wheelspin than have the car bog down,” he said.

While it appeared trouble free from the outside, Bargwanna had to cope with a fuel pressure problem throughout. “I only had 80 percent throttle on the straights.”

Second place went to Jamie Tilley in the Notlaw Racing FG.

“I only made one little mistake with a lock-up but otherwise it was good,” he recounted.

“We just need to find a bit more rear grip as we lose a little out of the corners.”

It was a closer contest for third place where Jim Pollicina in the ex-Triple Eight Holden Commodore VE had to work his way by Tony Evangelou and then ward off his late challenge in the ANT Racing Falcon BF that he won the title in 13 years ago.

Not far behind them was Tony Auddino, racing his BF which was the only car in the field not to have raced in the main game. It was a spare prepped for Mark Larkham’s Supercar team before sold off.

That was unlike sixth placed Jason Foley’s BF, which was a podium placer at Bathurst with DJR.

The Winton SpeedSeries event continues tomorrow from 09:30 AEST, live and ad-free on Stan Sport, and free for international viewers on Speedcafe.