Category debutant Ryan Hansford lost control of his new Ford Mustang GT on Dick Johnson Straight while in a battle with McLaren driver Lochan Hennock that pitched his Mustang hard into the concrete pit wall.
Hansford, sharing his Ford with Supercars driver Aaron Cameron, finished the race parked on the infield, causing what would ultimately be a race-ending red flag with seven minutes of the race remaining.
At the time of the shunt, Hansford was leading the Silver Am class, and despite the incident, was provisionally awarded the class victory.
It was a race that was rain affected from the get-go, and numerous incidents meant that the majority of the 60-minute race was run under safety car conditions.
As the cars gridded up, rain began to fall. Turn 3 caught out the Audi of Blake Purdie who found the grass and then a water logged infield.
Three more Safety Car periods hampered the race and luckily, all cars survived serious damage until Hansford’s big one.
Provisionally, Hennock and Nathan Morcom were awarded the Silver class, Hansford and Cameron won Silver Am and Porsche driver Shane Smollen claimed the Am class.
However, when results were made official, six drivers received penalties that drastically altered the outcome of the race.
Smollen was granted the overall win, plus the Am class victory, while Cody Burcher and Tim Leahey were promoted four spots to claim second outright and first in Silver class.
Toyota Supra drivers Daniel Frougas and Tim Berryman claimed the Pro-Am class honours.
Hansford and Cameron were demoted to eighth with Hennock/Morcom 11th.
The second race will be held at Queensland Raceway at 9:45am AEST tomorrow.
Discussion about this post