Speedcafe.com’s wrap of Friday’s support race action at the Clipsal 500 Adelaide …
Autobarn Touring Car Masters
It was a Ford Falcon trifecta in the first race of the 2011 Autobarn Touring Car Masters.
Brad Tilley (Falcon XY) led home Eddie Abelnica (Falcon XB) and Jim Richards (Falcon Sprint), with John Bowe (Mustang) and Steve Mason (Camaro) rounding out the top five.
Bowe led early from pole but repeatedly proved vulnerable under brakes into Turn 9, while Abelnica capped an impressive debut for his new Falcon by passing Richards on the last corner of the last lap.
Andrew Miedecke was the big mover of the race, finishing ninth from the back of the grid after switching into his team-mate Bob Middleton’s Camaro after qualifying due to an engine failure in his own car.
Tony Edwards’s new Torana SLR/5000 continued its difficult debut, pitting on the opening lap with mechanical issues, while former champ Gavin Bullas will not compete in any of this weekend’s races after an engine failure yesterday.
Aussie Racing Cars Series
Reigning Aussie Racing Cars Series winner Kyle Klews took out the opening two races of the 2011 season today.
Race 1 saw the Australec Commodore driver lead home Paul Kemal (Independent Motor Auctions Falcon), Tyler Owen (Advan Aurion), Maurice Masini (FWI Falcon) and James Ward (FWI Commodore) in a typically tight lead pack.
Clews took a relatively easy 2.7s win in Race 2, which saw Adrian Cottrell (Artmetal Aurion), Masini, Simon Smith (Big Kart Track Falcon) and Kemal round out the top five.
Auto One V8 Ute Racing Series
Ford driver Gary Carson took advantage of the top 18 reverse grid order to score victory in Race 2.
The Go! Channel Falcon driver moved from third to the lead on the opening lap, when pole-sitter Peter Burnitt (CNW Ford) nudged Cameron McConville (Bundaberg Holden) wide at the Turn 9 hairpin.
McConville resumed in second, and followed Carson for the duration, with Kim Jane (BJTM Holden), Grant Johnson (Doritos Holden) and Nathan Pretty (Monster Holden) completing the top five.
Yesterday’s race winner David Sieders drove through from 18th to sixth, setting the fastest lap of the race on the final lap.
Australian Formula Ford Championship
Cameron Waters led home Nick Foster in a Sonic Motor Racing Services one-two in the opening race of the 2011 Australian Formula Ford Championship.
Waters took his first victory in the class by 2.6s, despite a Safety Car deployment ensuring a one-lap sprint to the flag.
Foster stormed through from 11th on the grid to finish second, with Liam Sager (Synergy Spectrum), Tom Williamson (Borland Spectrum) and Garry Jacobson (Sonic Mygale) rounding out the top five.
Having qualified an impressive fifth this morning, Shae Davies (Synergy Spectrum) suffered heavy contact with the outside wall at Turn 3, while pole-sitter Mathew Hart (Synergy Spectrum) spun into retirement at Turn 9 on the opening lap.
Stay tuned to Speedcafe.com for full reports of this evening’s Fujitsu V8 Supercars and Vodka0 Australian GT Championship races.
