Ahead of a two-driver, 96-lap Track Attack EFS Excel Cup race on Sunday, Conner Roberts and Ryan Casha won the 30-lap preliminary at Queensland Raceway on Saturday. They teamed up to win by 0.62s over Tyler Collins and Cameron McLeod with Matt Boylett and Jett Murray 2.3s away in third place.
The enduro round for the Queensland Excel series attracts name drivers. This year is no exception with Supercar stars Anton de Pasquale and Zane Goddard joined by other notables Nash Morris, Jaylyn Robotham, and Jett Johnson.
Roberts topped the first qualifying session ahead of Robotham, Boylett, Cooper Barnes and Ben Grice. In the second qualifier for the B drivers, Casha was quickest over Jarred Hughes, Morris, George Wood and McLeod.
Roberts led from the start, ahead of Jack Wood, Grice, Barnes, Shane Mahoney and Braedyn Cidoni. Just four laps in, the Safety Car was out to attend Grice. Wheel to wheel contact between Turns 4 and 5 caused him to have a big rollover.
The race resumed three laps later and before the influx of pitstops for the driver changes which started on Lap 12. That gave Darren Whittington the lead for three laps before Treigh Maschotta led for five laps.
With the stops completed, Johnson (in for Ed Mitchell) had the front running as the second Safety Car appeared. Goddard who had taken over from Cidoni, was stopped on track with a dead engine in the Racing Together team for Indigenous Youths’ entry.
After the race resumed, Casha took over the lead while Johnson dropped to fourth for two laps and ultimately finished seventh. Ahead of him were fourth placed Mahoney and Hughes, Alice Buckley and Morris, and Robotham and Jack Wood.
Maschotta and Zane Rinaldi finished eighth in front of Tim O’Brien and Excel debutant Jaiden Santin. De Pasquale took over from Karlai Warner in the other Racing Together entry and finished 17th.
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