Best first to chequers, Allen wins Super2 race

Zak Best crossed the line first, but it was Kai Allen who won the second Dunlop Super2 race at Mount Panorama.

In the Super2 Anderson Motorsport Ford Mustang, Best led throughout the 18-lap race but a five-second penalty for a start line infringement, meant he missed victory by a mere 1.1s.

For much of the race it looked like Zane Morse (Ford Mustang) would collect the win as he was a closely pursuing second. But he slowed and coasted to the pits with just three laps to go. It was suspected that he might have run out of fuel when the engine cut out.

Best was one who was in fuel conservation mode throughout and if he had not buttoned off on the penultimate lap, would not have made the finish. Meanwhile Allen was not conserving. He was third in the Eggleston Motorsport Holden Commodore ZB and inherited second with a gap to Best of 5.3s. The next lap it was 3.3s and ultimately 4.1s at the end.

Zach Bates was third ahead of his Walkinshaw Andretti United Holden Commodore ZB team-mate Ryan Wood. Then followed Cooper Murray (EMS ZB), Jay Hanson (Image Racing ZB), Aaron Cameron (Mustang), Lochie Dalton (ZB), Matt Chahda (ZB) and Brad Vaughan who stalled his Mustang at the start.

Eleventh was Cameron McLeod who chalked up another Super3 victory in Brad Neill’s Nissan Altima. He finished 4.9s ahead of Super3 rival Jobe Stewart (Image Racing Commodore VF). Then followed the Super2 drivers Cameron Crick and Aaron Seton in their Commodores. Third in Super3 was Mason Kelly from Valentino Astuti and Jett Johnson in their Altimas.

Besides Morse, the only other finisher was Nash Morris. After he qualified in ninth, he made a blinding start to be fifth in the early running. But the run came to an end when he pitted with an under-car vibration.