Best wins as Super2 race ends under Safety Car

Zak Best has won a shortened Super2 Series race in Newcastle that ended behind the Safety Car.

A seven-car crash barely a quarter of the way into the race triggered a lengthy interruption from which the race never got going again.

That left Best the victor from Aaron Love and Matt Chahda after a total of 15 laps – only six of which were held under racing conditions.

Best got the holeshot and led while Love and Chahda squabbled with Ryan Wood into the first turn.

Wood slipped from pole to fourth on the run to Turn 1 as the pack somehow navigated the opening corner without incident.

Best held a 1.3s advantage at the end of the opening lap, Love inching clear of Chahda who locked the rears into the hairpin and dropped a car length or two in the process.

In the pack, Nash Morris lost the rear end at the same corner, spinning into the run off and dropping to the rear of the pack.

The race then settled down until carnage ensued on Lap 6 when seven cars crashed out at Turn 8.

The Safety Car was immediately called after Wood triggered the smash.

He lost the rear end as he rounded the right-hander, sliding into the tyres before bouncing back into the path of Jack Perkins.

With nowhere to go, nor time to react, contact was inevitable, as it was for those behind many of whom found themselves drawn into the incident as the track became increasingly blocked.

Perkins was able to continue but only as far as the pits after he picked up significant front-end damage.

Others were also able to eventually head to the lane, including Jay Robotham, Zane Morse, Wood, and Brad Vaughan.

The prolonged clean-up required, courtesy of the fluid that had been dropped on the road both at the scene and then as cars drove away, saw the race conclude under Safety Car.

It saw Best win from Love and Chahda with a total of 15 laps in the books, the bulk completed under yellow flags.

Cameron McLeod wrapped up the Super3 class, finishing eighth outright, while Jett Johnson was second in class, 12th outright, one spot further up the road from Mason Kelly.

It was the second time the Super2 encounter had been shortened over the weekend after Saturday’s race was shortened due to delays starting it due to a crash in an earlier session.

Results: Race 2

Series points: Super2

Series points: Super3