Callum Hedge returned to Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia on the Gold Coast, qualified on pole, and won the opening race of Round 7.
The Earl Bamber Motorsport New Zealander missed the previous round due to racing in the United States, but retained his points lead and further enhanced it with the Race 1 win.
The race was scheduled to be over 16 laps, but two Safety Car periods reduced it to just 10 where it finish under full course caution.
Hedge led from the start and was able to hold off a fast-starting Dylan O’Keeffe (Garth Walden Racing) who charged from fourth on the grid. He slotted ahead of Wall Racing’s David Wall and TekworkX Motorsport’s Luke Youlden.
The latter’s team-mate Thomas Maxwell and Sonic Racing’s Angelo Mouzouris were early casualties when they had contact at the first chicane which caught out Harri Jones. Along with Ryder Quinn they went into the pits and retirement.
On the second lap Matt Belford hit the wall at the back chicane and that brought out the first Safety Car. Shortly after the race went to green conditions the second Safety Car was deployed.
Melbourne Performance Centre’s Fabian Coulthard and EBM’s Dale Wood clashed out of Turn 4 where TekworkX’s Max Vidau was an unlucky and innocent victim. He cannoned into the outside wall as several others had minor contact in negotiating the carnage.
The remainder of the race was behind the Safety Car with Hedge the outright and Equity-One Pro winner from O’Keeffe Wall, Youlden and Bayley Hall. A big divebomb at Turn 11 on the opening lap by Jackson Walls enabled him to pick up a couple places and finish sixth ahead of Alex Davison, Christian Pancione, Nick McBride and Courtney Prince.
In 11th was Wall Racing’s and Speedcafe supported driver Liam Talbo who took the SP Tools Pro-Am class and placed ahead of the class points leader Adrian Flack, Sam Shahin, Dean Cook, Rodney Jane and Tim Miles.
