A title winning season for Garry Holt in the Australian Manufacturers’ Championship ended in fine style as co-driver Nathan Morcom swept to victory in the Sandown finale.
The 3 hour race was a battle in three between the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo Xs of Holt/Morcom, Rob Marshall/Shane Marshall and Dylan Thomas/Stuart Kostera.
The trio had been the only Class A cars to start the event after engine problems forced both BMW 1Ms out of the weekend on Friday.
The father and son Marshall team appeared in the box seat for the win until a Safety Car at the start of the final hour erased their lead.
Morcom soon took the top position after the restart, eventually pulling away to win by 20 seconds.
Holt had needed just one point from the weekend to seal the drivers’ title, with Mitsubishi having already sewn-up the Manufacturers’ honours.
Michael Benton and John Faulkner completed the outright podium in their Class B FPV GT after Kostera was forced to park his Evo with sheered wheel studs in the second hour.
The Formula 3 Australian Drivers’ Championship, Kumho V8 Touring Car Series, Kerrick Sports Sedans, Saloon Cars and Swift Racing Series were also on the Shannons Nationals bill at Sandown.
CLICK HERE for more on the F3ADC weekend
CLICK HERE for more on the Kumho V8 action
Two third places for Bruce Banks on Sunday was enough to secure an unlikely Kerrick Sports Sedan Series victory for the Tasmanian.
Banks had been loaned Dean Camm’s Chevrolet Corvette after his own Mazda RX-7 endured a terminal mechanical failure during Friday practice.
Tony Ricciardello swept all three Sandown races to fall just seven points short of the consistent Banks in the final standings.
Chevrolet Camaro driver Shane Bradford was third behind Ricciardello and Banks in the round and the series.
Travis Lindorff took out the round for the Saloon Cars, while Travis Sharpe secured second in the series behind runaway winner Simon Tabinor.
The finale of the Swift Series was held over the first hour of the AMC race and saw Luke Fraser take the round and the title.
Title rival Ben Grice endured a disastrous race; forced to pit with loose rear bodywork.
The Shannons Nationals will return to Sandown for its opening round of 2014 in March.
