Driving for TekworkX Motorsport, Russell shot off the outside of the front row to take an immediate lead the opening Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia sixth round race. He was able to push out to be over 2.0s in front on the first lap.
Earl Bamber Motorsport’s Dale Wood outpointed pole sitter Marcus Amand for second while championship points leader Harri Jones who started seventh, improved one place to trail New Zealander Marco Giltrap and Glen Wood.
Jones wasted little time in passing the latter and shortly after relegated Giltrap before he gradually narrowed the gap to Amand as both closed on Wood.
On Lap 13 Amand brushed the wall out of Forrest Elbow and spun at Murrays Corner when trying an outside pass on Wood. With Amand stuck in the sand trap, the safety car was needed.
The race resumed with a one-lap dash to the flag. Wood locked up and went off at Hell Corner and that enabled Jones to challenge Russell. Jones had a look at the final corner, but Russell held on.
Their duel from the Chase to the finish allowed Dylan O’Keeffe who had forged through from ninth, to be right on the two front runners at the flag.
Giltrap finished fourth ahead of Glen Wood, Hamish Fitzsimmons, Dale Wood, Clay Osborne, Bayley Hall and Lockie Bloxsom.
In the Pro-Am class Matt Belford led throughout and finished 14th with Brett Boulton second ahead of Rodney Jane and Stephen Grove who survived a near-disastrous moment at Turn 2 on the first lap.
Race 2 is set to take place at 3:25pm AEDT on Saturday,
Duggan Family Hotels Touring Car Masters
Following an early stop to the opening points score race for TCM, Race 2 was a thriller with New Zealand TCM front runner Angus Fogg the winner in seven laps from 22nd on the grid.
The New Zealander driver in his rapid black Ford Mustang took the lead off Ryan Hansford at Hell Corner on final lap and won by 0.9 seconds.
The Holden Torana A9X driver who started on pole position, lost several more spots as he was passed by Adam Garwood (Ford Capri Perana) and Steve Johnson (Mustang).
At the finish line he was edged out of fourth by Scott Cameron (Chev Camaro) on the finish line. Immediately behind Joel Heinrich (Camaro) was next with the five covered by half a second.
Garnett Patterson (Holden Commodore) was next 4.4s adrift and 8.6s clear of Danny Buzadzic (Torana). Then followed Kiwi Rob Lewis (Camaro) ahead of Jamie Tilley (Ford Falcon GT) and Tony Quinn, representing the visitors in his Pontiac Trans Am.
In the top three for the first two laps, Andrew Fisher (Torana) and Marcus Zukanovic (Ford Falcon XD) would both retire. Fisher with a broken rear trailing arm bolt and Zukanovic with a significant oil leak.
The third and final race of Round 6 is scheduled for 11:20am on Saturday.
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