Ojeda leads MWM one-two in Super2 Practice 1

Jayden Ojeda has set the pace in an MW Motorsport one-two in Practice 1 at Round 5 of the Dunlop Super2 Series at Bathurst.

The title contender went as quick as a 2:07.1703s in the 40-minute session, with Tyler Everingham taking second at a margin of 0.1750s.

Triple Eight Race Engineering’s series leader, Broc Feeney, ended up third, from rookie Matt Payne (Grove Racing) and Tickford Racing’s Zak Best, who is second in the standings.

Image Racing’s Jordan Boys was fastest after the first flyers with a 2:09.4543s in the #49 VF Commodore, before he was usurped by Feeney on a 2:08.4157s next time around in the #888 VF Commodore.

Both improved on their third flyer but Ojeda went even better in driving the #31 Nissan Altima to a 2:07.3474s.

With the first runs done, he held sway from Boys on a 2:07.8927s, Payne (#10 Nissan Altima) on a 2:08.0082s, Everingham (#27 Nissan Altima) on a 2:08.2224s, and Feeney on a 2:08.3375s.

Feeney looked like going quicker at the start of his second run but found traffic in the form of Super3 driver James Masterton (#219 Masterton Motorsport VE Commodore) at The Chase.

That allowed Payne to steal a march in improving to second position on a 2:07.8340s, before Feeney bumped him back a spot with a 2:07.6416s two laps later.

They traded the place again in the final few minutes when Payne clocked a 2:07.5844s and then Feeney a 2:07.3876s, as the clouds over Mount Panorama got darker.

Ojeda had not long survived a big slide through The Dipper, when he looked like hitting the wall on either or both sides, before coming out for his final run and laying down the 2:07.1703s.

Everingham was fifth when he jumped up three spots with a 2:07.3543s in the last minute prior to the chequered flag, meaning Feeney ended up third and Payne fourth.

Best climbed from eighth to fifth after the chequered flag with a 2:07.7091s in the #78 FGX Falcon, leaving Boys sixth all-told courtesy of his best first-run effort.

Matt McLean, the leading rookie in the series, wound up seventh on a 2:08.2495s in the #54 VF Commodore, one position ahead of new Eggleston Motorsport team-mate Josh Fife (#38 VF Commodore) on a 2:08.3167s.

Aaron Seton took ninth in a nervous end to his session, the Matt Stone Racing driver appearing to get away with just a scrape of the tyre belt when he had a moment at Griffins Bend in the #30 VF Commodore.

Tim Blanchard (#88 VF Commodore) rounded out the top 10 in another Eggleston entry, from Matt Chahda (#18 Matt Chahda Motorsport FGX Falcon), Triple Eight’s Angelo Mouzouris (#6 VF Commodore), and Brema Group Racing’s Zane Morse (#11 VF Commodore).

Jaylyn Robotham (#999 VF Commodore) ended up 15th after a hit-out during which he had to contend with a loose left-rear wheel, which Image Racing attributed to an issue with the nut.

Blake Fardell (#77 Blake Fardell VE Commodore) was best of the Super3 contingent in 17th outright on a 2:11.5035s, ahead of class title leader Nash Morris (#67 Flash Bush Motorsport FG Falcon) and Michael Anderson (#5 Anderson Motorsport FG Falcon).

Fourth in class and 20th outright went to Image’s Reef McCarthy, who parked off Mountain Straight mid-session after an off at the Chase which left him with what looked like a flat tyre and a damaged splitter.

Brad Jones Racing’s Elly Morrow, who debuted last time out at Sydney Motorsport Park, propped up the timesheet having been down on power in the #8 VE Commodore.

Practice 2 starts this afternoon at 15:30 local time/AEDT.

Results: Practice 1