Bargwanna runs away with Phillip Island V8TC Race 1

Anderson Motorsport’s Jude Bargwanna has run away with the win in Race 1 of Round 1 of the Kumho Tyre V8 Touring Car Series at Phillip Island.

When the lights went out, Jim Pollicina (VE Commodore) bolted from the second row and into the lead, ahead of Jamie Tilley (FG Falcon) and Bargwanna (FG Falcon), the pole-sitter.

The latter got back ahead of Tilley as they exited Southern Loop for the first time, then overtook Pollicina as they turned into Doohan Corner on Lap 2.

Tilley followed Bargwanna past the ex-Craig Lowndes Triple Eight Race Engineering Commodore and Pollicina lost another spot when Ray Hislop (FG Falcon) went underneath him moments later at Miller Corner.

Despite rapidly losing those three positions, Pollicina was able to stick with Hislop and reclaimed third spot on Lap 6 at Doohan Corner, as Bargwanna stretched his lead over Tilley beyond two seconds.

On Lap 9, Hislop outbraked Pollicina, but also himself, at Miller Corner (Turn 4) and could not complete the pass for third.

Exactly a lap later, Hislop lit up the rears of the ex-Ford Performance Racing Falcon on exit and spun before resuming in sixth once he righted Car #23.

Bargwanna was six seconds in the clear when Tilley had the right-front tyre on his #57 Ford fail on Lap 12, meaning Pollicina inherited a distant second place.

The official margin of victory was 24.3947s when the chequered flag flew after 13 laps, with Hislop finishing third, from Tony Auddino (BF Falcon) and Tony Evangelou (BA Falcon).

Tilley was a DNF, as were Peter Abood (VE Commodore) and Antonio Molluso (FG Falcon), with Jacob Khouri a DNS after crashing his BF Falcon in Qualifying.

Race 2 kicks off tomorrow’s Stan Sport coverage of the Shannons SpeedSeries at 09:30 AEST, with the official start for the 10-lap contest scheduled for 09:50 local time/AEST.

International viewers can watch for free on Speedcafe.

Results: Race 1

Series points