First Focus Radical Cup Australia
Cooper Cutts took over the points lead with wins in the first two races of Round 2. The Arise Racing pilot scored pole in qualifying for the two points that went with it.
He then led the first race from start to finish and earned an extra point for the fastest lap and he repeated the dose in Race 2. In both Cutts saw off the challenge from archrival and previous points leader GWR’s Peter Paddon.
Third in Race 1 was Ruairidh Avern ahead of Brad Russell and Nick Kelly who was penalised 5.0s and dropped behind Mark Brame and Chris Reindler.
Chris Reindler had to start rear of field due to a pit indiscretion and charged to sixth. Meanwhile two-time New Zealander V8 champion Tim Edgell wasn’t so fortunate as he was forced to a couple of pitstops for first lap damage.
Bryce Moore took over from Reindler and finished third in Race 2, ahead of Edgell and Josh Hunt who had to recover from a Turn 3 spin on the first lap. They were followed by Brame, but a 10s penalty put him behind Avern and Brad Russell.
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge
In the opening race Earl Bamber Motorsport’s Tom Bewley held off McElrea Racing’s Lochie Bloxsom throughout Race 1 before the latter turned the tables in a wild second race.
Bloxsom looked to have the pace in the last two laps of Race 1, but in a bid to get by made a couple of slight errors that allowed Bewley to prevail. Meanwhile Ash Seward Motorsport’s James Lodge held off Tyler Greenbury and Jake Santalucia for third.
There was a safety car on Lap 4 when Ben Taylor slid off at Turn 7. Immediately on the restart Pro Am rivals and Jones Motorsport teammates, fourth placed Ramu Farrell and Andrew Georgiadis speared off at Turn 1.
Ryan Casha finished sixth ahead of Jackson Rooney, Hunter Robb, Will Exton, Kamal Mrad and Class B winner Daniel Quimby. Pro Am honours went to 12th placed Jacque Jarjo.
Bloxsom launched brilliantly in Race 2 to take the lead away from Bewley. The latter was ambushed on the second lap when passed systematically by Greenbury, Lodge and Santalucia just before the safety car emerged for Kent Leicester who speared off at Turn 1 with heavy tyre wall contact.
The race went green after four laps but only for a couple of circuits. Rooney spun at Turn 2 in avoiding Santalucia who ran wide, and was then collected by Robb.
In that interim Bloxsom maintained his lead from Lodge while Mrad jumped to third in front of Santalucia, Bewley, Casha, Quimby, Jarjo, Farrell and Class B’s Stephen Moylan, the race completed behind the safety car. Round 1 winner Will Exton finished 20th after a spin at Turn 6, the result of a side clip with Robb.
Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli
At Round 3 of the series Antoine Gittany continued his form from the last two rounds with another dominant display.
He led from start to finish in the 30-minute race and had a 10s margin on Enzo Cheng. After a disappointing sixth in qualifying, Jim Pollicina quickly atoned and was third within a couple of laps and he maintained that spot to the flag.
Fourth place went right down to the wire where Cameron Campbell was able to hold off Norikazu Shibata, Mark Hudders and David Trewern where 1.3s covered them.
Next was Masahiro Taguchi who missed qualifying due to not feeling well. His car had to also undertake an overnight rebuild after he crash between Turns 1 and 2 in Friday practice.
Then followed Tony Baildon, Michel Stephan and David Frish whose car only finished a big rebuild after its shunt at Phillip Island. Baby Kei and Hiroyuki Katayama rounded out the field.
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