Precision National Sports Sedans and Tyrepower V8 SuperUtes had to endure rain on the Surfers Paradise track as well as wind to qualify for the final rounds of their respective series.
Precision National Sports Sedans
For the fifth consecutive round, Jordan Caruso had taken pole for the first race. However, the fifth-round effort was probably the most arduous. It was raining preceding the session with everyone on wet tyres on a drying track.
Second in the points, Caruso (Audi A4/Chev) edged out Cameron McLeod in the new MARC SS in its debut while Speedcafe supported driver Ashley Jarvis who trails Caruso by a point, brought the Monaro/Chev up to third as the chequered flag appeared.
With a handy points advantage, Tony Ricciardello (Alfa Romeo GTV/Chev) was fourth ahead of Ryan Humfrey (Falcon XE/Chev) and Jake Camilleri (MARC Mazda V8). Darren Currie (MARC II) was next ahead of Chris Donnelly (Falcon EL/Chev) who temporarily halted the session with a spin he couldn’t manoeuvre out of.
Ray Hislop (Ford Falcon FG) was ninth while New Zealander Angus Fogg had his modified Central Muscle Cars Ford Mustang tenth. Then followed Grant Donaldson (MARC II), Scott Cameron (Commodore/Chev), Travis Condon (Corolla/Chev) and Nash Morris minus a door on Axle Donaldson’s MARC I. Electrical problems earlier meant Brad Shiels (Fiat 124/Rotary Turbo) missed qualifying.
In the first practice session it was McLeod who was fastest over Caruso, Ricciardello, Jarvis and Camilleri. Caruso topped McLeod in the second where Fogg was third in front of Jarvis and Camilleri. Both sessions had red flags. Jason Compton (BMW/Chev) had a spin and took time to resume in the first, and then he lost a wheel early in the second session.
Tyrepower V8 SuperUtes
Ryal Harris could very well be the fly in the ointment in the deciding round after he outpoint the series’ leading protagonists by taking pole position and the five points that go with it. There was misty rain on the beach side but dry on the front part of the circuit.
The Ford Ranger driver battled with Adam Marjoram (Mitsubishi Triton) to start Race 1 from pole position after David Sieders (Mazda BT-50) set the pace initially. Harris topped the times before Marjoram eclipsed him. Then Harris produced a 1:23.5190 to pip Marjoram by 0.08s.
Marjoram who is currently second in the title chase, was the pacesetter in the earlier practice session, ahead of Sieders and George Gutierrez (Holden Colorado). Harris suffered a broken diff and points leader Aaron Borg’s team would have to do an engine swap in his Isuzu D-MAX.
Behind Harris and Marjoram in qualifying were Adrian Cottrell (Colorado) and Sieders. Borg spent the early part of qualifying in the pits before he went fifth fastest ahead of Toyota Hilux Craig Woods and Cody Brewczynski, Gutierrez, Ben Walsh (Hilux) and Speedcafe supported driver Jimmy Vernon (Triton).
