The TFH Hire TA2 Muscle Car Series presented by Maritimo is the feature of the AASA-sanctioned finale that featured the regular categories such as and the Super Trucks for the first time.
In his Chev Camaro, Paine became the 22nd driver in TA2 history to snare pole position through qualifying. He led Race 1 from the start and fended the challenge from Ben Gomersall (Ford Mustang) for nine laps. The latter made a move at Turn 11 that stuck and he went on to win by 4.5 seconds.
Josh Thomas (Mustang) finished third just ahead of Hayden Hume and Josh Webster (both in Mustangs) who were locked together throughout the race. Diesel Thomas (Mustang) was next in front of Mark Crutcher (Mustang), Des Collier (Mustang) and Camaros driven by Graham Cheney and Danny Reidy.
Again at the wheel of the Hi-Tec Oils Camaro, Blake Tracey battled with, and briefly went ahead of Thomas, but succumbed to overheating and pitted. Tracey’s teammate Lee Stibbs was out on the second lap, parked out of Turn 9 with a broken steering arm.
Gomersall led the second race from the start as Josh Thomas was able muscle past Paine for second at Turn 1. The latter was quickly returned to second when Thomas went out of Turn 6 and dropped to 12th.
A couple of laps later Gomersall went off in a similar margin and resumed in sixth, albeit with a five-second penalty for an unsafe re-entry.
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It left Paine in front of Diesel Thomas for the duration. Hayden Hume (Mustang) and Gomersall were able to get by Webster for third and fourth. That was just before Webster pitted with power steering issues and breakage in the front end.
Crutcher finished fifth from Cheney, Josh Thomas, Des Collier (Mustang), Reidy and Glen Ebert (Camaro). Stibbs was a first corner casualty on the opening lap when he ran off and Tracey retired at Turn 9 with a broken rear end.
Formula Ford Stars & Renegades
Despite the series already wrapped up, Kobi Williams added to his winning record with two more race victories.
Williams led the first of the two Saturday races from the outset which came under safety car on the first lap. Tabitha Ambrose had wheel contact with Jack Johnson and nudged the tyres at Turn 2.
There was a second safety car when a portable awning blew onto the track. Williams maintained the lead as the lone Mygale driver in the Spectrum dominated field, held off Joey Fawcett, Jamie Rowe, Brad James and Issaac Demellweek.
Williams recorded his biggest win of the season in the second race with the margin at 4.3 seconds. Lowing was second from the start but lost out to Fawcett on the third lap. Fawcett only held the spot for a lap as he speared off at Turn 5 and dropped to sixth. Rowe was third as Fawcett came back to fourth ahead of James, Demellweek, Ambrose and Johnson.
Super Trucks
In a thrilling first encounter, Steve Zammit (Kenworth T401) pulled an audacious move on race leader Dale Cornfoot (Kenworth T900) on the fifth lap to take the lead and win the first race.
Shannon Smith (T900) was a distance third and well ahead of Frank Amoroso (Kenworth W900) who won his long dice with Robbie Fern (Volvo White) after the latter had a moment at Turn 10 when in front. Marcus Prillwitz (Mack Superliner) came back to sixth after he was bumped off the track at the first corner after the start.
The next two races were Team events. Harvey Dale (Smith’s T900) won ahead of Brett Dalglish (Zammit T401) and Lachlan Fern (Volvo). Cornfoot won the second after Dale spun at Turn 1 just as he took the lead. Fern finished second with Dalglish third.
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