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In the Hyundai i30N, the Englishman won a feisty third race which had five lead changes and plenty of cosmetic damage. Plus, there was a clash that saw reigning title holder and teammate Josh Buchan spear off at the fastest section of the circuit.
The winner of the first race Tony D’Alberto elected to withdraw from Race 3 after the points were removed, and several others were not happy, some heated, with the situation.
“We put the car on pole, won the first race and were conservative in the [half point] second race to look after the car, we knew we had enough points to start on pole for the last one,” D’Alberto said.
“Race 1 was non-points, and we would start that race back in seventh which is so unprofessional to happen so late in the piece. I had to make a stance. The team were encouraging me to do the race, but I decided to pull the pin on it because I think it is unprofessional.”
The finish order from the earlier race on Sunday was how they started with Dylan O’Keeffe (Lynk & Co) on pole and the race leader for the first two laps. Jordan Cox (Peugeot 308) led the next two before Zac Soutar (Audi RS3) came from fourth early to lead for five laps.
Oliphant had slipped back to fifth in the hustle but came back to grab the lead on Lap 11, the position he was able to hold through to the end. Clay Richards was seventh at the end of Lap 1, but with the push and shove ahead was able to take advantage to move to third.
At half distance he took second away from Soutar after the two had side contact out of Turn 4. He held that to the end while Soutar came under challenge from Buchan. Their side drafting saw contact that resulted in Buchan off between Turns 5 and 6 at high speed.
Soutar was able to continue although it cost him third place which was picked up by O’Keeffe. Ryan Casha, Aaron Cameron and Cox were next in their Peugeots, with Brad Harris eighth. Ben Bargwanna (Peugeot) was sixth in the opening laps but was speared off at Turn 2 and fortunate not to hit the tyre barrier. He recovered to place ninth ahead of Glenn Nirwan (Audi) and Buchan a lap down.
O’Keeffe had pole for the earlier race and seized the lead from lights and led throughout. It was a contest with the 10 top finishers covered by just 7.2s after 29 laps and no safety cars.
From the get-go, Cameron was second until Turn 4 on the third lap where third placed Will Harris (Honda) slammed into the back of his Peugeot. Cameron was able to make it back to the pits while Harris pulled to the infield, out of the race.
The incident elevated Cox who was ultimately passed by Oliphant to finish a close second behind O’Keeffe. Behind Cox in fourth was his teammate Bargwanna and Soutar. Buchan grabbed sixth off Richards after 22 laps of trying.
