Reece Chapman has won a reverse grid Race 3 in the Battery World Aussie Racing Cars Super Series around Symmons Plains after a fierce battle for first with Joshua Anderson and Joel Heinrich.
As the chequered flag fell a lap early, the race declared time certain due to late yellow flags, the #25 CoolDrive entry was able to hang on to the lead while after an intense battle with Anderson, Brandon Madden and Heinrich.
Jeff Watters started off the reverse grid pole alongside Grant Thompson, with Watters having the better start and leading into Turn 1.
Thompson continued to stick in the battle for the lead and moved through into the top spot at the hairpin on Lap 2.
With cold tyres on the early morning track, Madden passed both Chapman and Thompson along the back straight on Lap 3.
While this happened, Ryder Quinn joined the battle on the same lap and passed Chapman at Turn 6, leaving Thompson fourth.
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Thompson’s bad luck in continued as he was hit by the #28 Mustang of Kent Quinn at the start-finish line at the end of Lap 3, pushing him down to 19th place.
Due to this contact, Quinn’s Mustang collected damage and billowed smoke for the next lap around Symmons Plains, before being forced back into the pits to retire from the race.
At the final corner of Lap 5, Ryder Quinn moved into the lead ahead of Madden, yet the #57 Camaro driver retook the lead the next lap at the hairpin.
The battle raged as Quinn again took the lead at the exit of Turn 6 to lead Lap 8.
Race 1 and 2 winner Heinrich started in 10th position but was able to make up six places, running fourth by the end of Lap 9 to join the top three battle.
Chapman went through ahead of Madden on Lap 10 at Turn 6 into second and slipped into the lead past Quinn on the next lap at the hairpin.
Quinn, leading, made minor contact with Chapman that damaged a rear tyre – leaving him open for both Madden and Heinrich to go through on the back straight, demoting Quinn to fourth .
Continuing his momentum, Heinrich overtook Madden into second on Lap 11 at Turn 3 and set up the overtake to lead Chapman on Lap 13 at the hairpin, but was not able to get the switchback.
Anderson battled through the pack from 15th place into fourth by Lap 13 and the #1 CoolDrive Mustang driver overtook Madden into third at the final corner to sneak into the podium places.
Anderson again was able to overtake, this time on Lap 14, passing Heinrich into second at the hairpin.
Further back, pole-sitter Jeff Watters missed his breaking point on Lap 14 at the hairpin, stopping off in the runoff which brought out the yellow flags on the penultimate lap.
The scuffle for first continued during the next lap but as the chequered flag fell a lap early, this left the top three to be called Chapman (Mustang), Anderson (Mustang) and Heinrich (Mustang).
Madden (Camaro) and Quinn (Euro GT) rounded out the top five.
The fourth and final race of the Battery World Aussie Racing Cars Super Series will start at 11:20 local time/AEST.
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