There were new faces in the top two places at the end of Race 1 of the Trans Am third round at Winton Motor Raceway with Lochie Dalton the winner over Cody Gillis and Ben Grice.

Dalton followed through after he qualified his AWC Mustang fastest to lead throughout the 14-lap encounter. He headed home Cody Gillis in the Racing Academy Mustang by 1.2s. Grice overcame a Friday second practice session misfire to go third in both qualifying and the race.

“My team gave me a great car. Wherever I put it, it responded,” said Dalton.

Owen Kelly started the race from fourth position and held that spot until a punctured tyre on Lap 13 forced his Fujitsu Mustang to slow. Rather than pit, he soldiered on and finished 12th.

That enabled TA2 series regular Jackson Rice (Mustang), who returned to Trans Am in the Dream Racing team, to take fourth ahead of Edan Thornburrow (Team Valvoline GRM Mustang).

For 10 laps, James Moffat (Valvoline Mustang) chased Nash Morris (Supercheap Auto Mustang) and made his successful move at the start of the next lap.

Behind the pair in a distant eighth position was Elliott Cleary (Racing Academy Mustang), who was off the track at Turn 1 the first time through and resumed almost last.

He held off Brett Holdsworth (Breeze Holiday Park Camaro), who was another in recovery mode. He received a tap from Elliot Barbour (Pioneer DJ Camaro) on Lap 1 and spun to the back of the field. Barbour faired worse as his bonnet was dislodged which forced him to pit.

Behind Holdsworth were Nick Lange (Tefol Camaro) and Josh Webster (Dream Racing Camaro). Team-mate Craig Scutella brought his Camaro home 13th and in front of John Holinger (Camaro), Chris Pappas (Mustang), and Tom Hayman (Mustang), another who had to make an unscheduled pitstop. Tyler Everingham was out early when he retired his Mustang after eight laps.