The second race for Dunlop Super2/Super3 at Sandown’s Round 4 was a chaotic affair that saw three Safety Car periods and Cooper Murray win in the Eggleston Motorsport Holden Commodore ZB.
In a one-lap dash to the chequered flag, Murray won ahead of Anderson Motorsport’s Brad Vaughan (Ford Mustang) and Ryan Wood (Walkinshaw Andretti United ZB). The latter was the round winner ahead of Murray and Kai Allen (EM ZB), who finished the race fourth.
The turmoil started on the first lap with the Nissan Altimas of Ryan Gilroy and Mason Kelly in contact with the former off the circuit. Cameron McLeod copped a hit that broke his Altima’s steering and put it off at Turn 4. Then the Commodores of Matt Chahda and Cameron Crick came together out of the corner and caught James Masterton whose Mustang cannoned into the Armco before the kink.
Aaron Love (Blanchard Racing Team Mustang) was the leader after he executed a great start. He had managed to get ahead of Vaughan while Wood was third when the Safety Car came out. After the race resumed, Wood went around the outside of Vaughan to seize second.
Super2 points leader Zak Best (Anderson Motorsport Mustang) was fourth until Turn 9 when a hit from Zane Morse (Mustang) pushed him into the gravel. He was able to get out while Morse decided to press on only to have a front tyre blow apart on the back straight. He stopped at Turn 6 which brought about the second Safety Car.
A third Safety Car came shortly after with Love stopped on the back straight on Lap 17. The events that led to Love’s demise started at Turn 11 on the previous lap. Wood had contact with Love and slowed to redress which brought several others into a multi-car battle.
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Then, Wood went under Love at Turn 2 but was off the track at Turn 3. Vaughan came into the dice and the three were side-by-side up the back straight with Murray and Allen in behind. Contact between the three at the front caused Love to spear into the fence.
Out of the melee, Murray grabbed the lead from Vaughan and Allen who was passed at Turn 6 on the final lap by Wood. Fifth place went to Wood’s team-mate Zach Bates ahead of Jordyn Sini, Jay Hanson, Jack Perkins and Nash Morris, all in ZBs.
McLeod’s early demise paved the way for Jobe Stewart to finish best of the Super3s in his Image Racing Commodore VF. He has an increased lead in the Series and finished the race 11th behind Aaron Cameron’s Super2 Mustang, and clear of Super3 rivals Jett Johnson and Valentino Astuti in their Altimas.
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