Garry Holt and Ryan McLeod have claimed victory in Round 3 of the Australian Manufacturers Championship by taking out the second race of the weekend at Phillip Island.
Following their second place finish in Saturday’s opening 60 minute race, the pair led 23 of the 30 laps run in today’s encounter to eventually lead home Race 1 winner Dylan Thomas by 4.7s.
Des Wall and Inky Tulloch/Stuart Kostera ensured that the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo runners would lock out the top four places for the second day in succession.
The Team Mitsubishi Ralliart entry of Tulloch and Kostera was the fastest car on the circuit for much of the race, but was behind the eight-ball from the start when the former earnt a five second post-race time penalty by beating the green light.
Tulloch spent the early laps dicing for the lead with Holt – the former truck racer briefly taking the top spot before an off dropped him back to the car’s eventual finishing position of fourth.
Class C winner Jake Camilleri (Mazda 3 MPS) finished as the last car on the lead lap in fifth, while the Jim Pollicina/Dean Lillie Evo X was a disappointing sixth after losing time in a pit incident that saw the Kostera/Tulloch entry clip and damage its driver’s side door.
Peter O’Donnell (BMW 130i), Adam Dodd (Mazda 3 MPS), Colin Osbourne (Mazda 3 MPS) and Danny Stutterd (Mini) rounded out the top 10 at the end of the 60 minutes.
The Australian Manufacturers Championship now enjoys a lengthy midseason break before Round 4 at Queensland Race on August 10-12.
