Robotham fastest as crash curtails Adelaide Super2 Practice 2

Image Racing’s Jaylyn Robotham has come out on top in practice for Round 6 of the Super2 Series at the Valo Adelaide 500 after a bruising second session of the day.

Robotham clocked a 1:21.0576s in the 27th minute of what was supposed to be a 40-minute Practice 2 hit-out in the #999 VF Commodore.

However, the latter 10 minutes were lost due to an incident for Steven Page, who crunched the wall after possible contact with Matt Chahda.

Eggleston Motorsport’s Super3 Series leader Kai Allen ended up second outright on a 1:21.4452s, from Grove Racing’s Super2 title contender Matt Payne in third and Chahda in fourth.

Payne (#10 Nissan Altima) kicked things off in Practice 2 with the fastest first flyer, a 1:23.2148s, and improved on each of his subsequent three laps to hold sway on a 1:22.3495s at the end of his opening run.

Practice 1 fast man Zak Best (#78 Tickford Racing FGX Falcon) was second-quickest at that point despite an excursion at Turn 13/Turn 14 when he had to bail off the track to avoid a slow-moving Adam Wallis (#33 Adam Wallis Motorsport VE Commodore).

Super2 Series leader Declan Fraser (#777 Triple Eight Race Engineering VF Commodore) then went quickest with a 1:22.0321s early on his second run, before Payne closed in by setting a 1:22.0534s.

Amid signs that some were opting for a relatively early change to green tyres, debutant Lochie Dalton jumped to the top with a 1:21.9822s in the #8 Brad Jones Racing VF Commodore.

Robotham had torched the fronts at Turn 9 on a previous run but then usurped Dalton with back-to-back 1:21.3991s and 1:21.0576s laps.

Allen (#26 VE Commodore) had just gone second-quickest outright on a 1:21.4452s when a red flag was called in the 30th minute due to an incident for fellow Eggleston Super3 driver Steven Page.

His #2 VE Commodore headbutted the concrete wall exiting Senna Chicane with Chahda (#18 Matt Chahda Motorsport FGX Falcon) close behind and a subsequent pit lane interview from the latter suggesting but not confirming there was contact.

The matter was advised on timing as under investigation although no decision has yet been notified.

The session was then declared, meaning a premature end due to a red flag for the second time today.

Payne was classified third outright on a 1:21.7331s, from Chahda on a 1:21.7532s, Dalton on the aforementioned 1:21.9822s, and Ryal Harris (#58 Matt Stone Racing VF Commodore) on a 1:22.0103s.

Fraser took seventh on a 1:22.0676s, one position and 0.0528s up on Triple Eight team-mate Cameron Hill (#111 VF Commodore), with the top 10 rounded out by Best and Jay Hanson (#49 Image VF Commodore).

Brad Vaughan (#5 Anderson Motorsport FG Falcon), who is second in the Super3 standings, ended up second in class and 15th outright on a 1:22.7163s.

Qualifying for Race 1 starts tomorrow at 12:30 local time/13:00 AEDT.

Results: Practice 2

Classes: S2 Super2, CH Super3 Championship, SC3 Super3 Cup, HC Super3 Heritage Class