O’Keeffe leads Renault one-two in TCR Practice 2

Dylan O’Keeffe set the pace while fellow Renault driver James Moffat was second-quickest in Practice 2 for Round 4 of the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series at Sydney Motorsport Park.

O’Keeffe clocked a 1:34.1055s in the final four minutes while Moffat managed a best of 1:34.4594s, meaning a Megane was quickest in both of the day’s 30-minute hit-outs after the latter topped Practice 1 with a 1:35.3691s.

It was three GRM entries in the top three thanks to Alfa Romeo driver Jordan Cox, and four in the top five courtesy also of Jason Bargwanna in a Peugeot.

Splitting them up was Wall Racing’s Tony D’Alberto in a Honda, while series leader Chaz Mostert was 13th-fastest in a Melbourne Performance Centre Audi.

Mostert’s nearest title rival, Aaron Cameron, set the fastest first flyer in one of the GRM Peugeots, a 1:37.7357s, before Wall Racing enjoyed a spell on top courtesy of its two drivers.

D’Alberto, in Car #50, moved the marker to a 1:35.4857s on the second flyers before John Martin clocked back-to-back fastest laps, a 1:35.2324s followed by a 1:35.1076s, in the #24 Honda.

Martin was quickly usurped by Nathan Morcom’s (Hyundai) 1:35.0894s, after which Cox set a 1:34.6620s which left him in the lead for around 15 minutes.

It was then that O’Keeffe set what would be the fastest lap of the session, before Moffat moved to third on a 1:34.6786s and then finally to second.

O’Keeffe, however, would have the two quickest laps of the afternoon given he also rolled out a 1:34.1897s in the meantime.

Cox stayed on his aforementioned time while D’Alberto got down to a 1:34.7868s and Bargwanna put in a 1:35.0349s after the chequered flag.

Rounding out the top 10 were Morcom, Martin, Luke King (Audi), Michael Caruso (Alfa Romeo), and Lee Holdsworth (Alfa Romeo), while Mostert’s personal best was a 1:35.7057s

Qualifying for the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series field at the Sydney Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships event gets underway tomorrow morning at 09:00 local time/AEST.

Results: Practice 2