Peter Paddon won Race 2 at the opening round of the 2023 Workhorse Radical Cup Australia by over 16s to Elliott Schutte, while Peter Clare claimed third after co-driver Josh Hunt put in the early groundwork.
Garth Walden Racing’s Paddon led at the start from Joey Mawson who was on pole position. Paddon only led for the first two laps before Team BRM’s Mawson forced his way past at Turn 2. Mawson, who currently leads the S5000 Australian Drivers Championship, edged out to a comfortable gap over Paddon when he took the compulsory pit stop and Mark Rosser took over.
Paddon followed him in while first race winner 15-year-old Alex Gardner who was third in the Volante Rosso entry, pitted a lap later. Shortly after, the Ferrari Academy participant limped down the straight and made it to pit entry with a broken gearbox.
Once all 55s standing pit stops (1:28 transition time) were completed, it was Paddon from Arise Racing’s Schutte who was being caught by 2022 title holder Chris Perini. However, four laps from the end GWR’s Perini spun at Turn 2 where he tried to pass Schutte for second.
The spin allowed Clare, Arise’s Cooper Cutts and Nick Kelly to get past before Perini had another uncharacteristic loop out of Turn 8. Fourth in the end, Cutts missed the a three position by 0.11s despite a spin at Turn 6 earlier.
Rosser finished sixth with Perini next and ahead of Zara Horn, another Ferrari Academy, who had taken over from Jordan Oon. After a lengthy battle, Andrew Eldridge passed Zig Fuhrmeister on the penultimate lap, and just after the ensuing dice was resolved with Simon Arthur making the pass on Ash Samadi.
Terry Knowles started and handed off to Bart Mawer to finish 12th ahead of Greg Kenny who took over from Melinda Price.
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