Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia Powered by AWS
Shane van Gisbergen and Prince Jefri Ibrahim won the opening race in Round 3 of the GT World Challenge Australia Series at Sandown.
At the helm of the Triple Eight Race Engineering Mercedes-AMG GT3, van Gisbergen took the chequered flag under Safety Car, ahead of Garth Tander/Yasser Shahin, and Fraser Ross/Liam Talbot.
Despite sliding off the track under Safety Car, Ross Poulakis claimed the Am class honours, ahead of Marc Cini, with Gary Higgon/Paul Stokell finishing third.
Christos Bastios/Sam Brabham edged out Mark Griffith/Declan Fraser in the GT4 class.
It was a wild start to the race with pole-sitter Shahin spinning on the opening lap, allowing Talbot to take the lead.
A methodical Ibrahim charged passed Poulakis early in the race and set about chasing Talbot.
He made a move for the lead down the inside of Turn 1 of Talbot, just prior to the opening of the pit window.
When the pit window opened, the top three Pro-Am competitors filed in to complete their compulsory stops, as Matt Stoupas assumed the lead of the race.
After the stops, van Gisbergen emerged as the effective race leader.
He moved into the official lead as the field completed their stops,and set the fastest lap of race with a 1:17.8056s.
Tander set about duelling Ross for second, with both competitors experiencing off-track excursions, the former going off at Turn 12 and the latter wide at Turn 2.
Heavy rain started to fall during the final 15 minutes of the race.
After a number of cars began to slide off the track, the officials called the race 10 minutes from the end of its scheduled one-hour duration.
GTWC Australia is next on track tomorrow for Race 2 at 13:35 local time/AEST.
Gulf Western Oil Touring Car Masters
Danny Buzadzic won the Trophy Race in Round 4 of the Gulf Western Oil Touring Car Masters at Sandown.
The Victorian won the reverse-grid encounter from Tony Karanfilovski, and Cameron Tilley.
It was his second TCM win, having triumphed in the trophy race at Townsville in July.
Tilley vaulted into the lead and held it for several laps, before Buzadzic stormed his way through the field and passed him to take over first place.
Ben Dunn finished fourth, with Jim Pollicina fifth, and John Bowe in sixth.
Miedecke was seventh, with Jamie Tilley, Andrew Fisher, and Ryan Hansford completing the top 10.
Due to heavy rainfall, the first series race for Touring Car Masters was cancelled.
Touring Car Masters will return to the track tomorrow at 11:40 local time/AEST.
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series
Ryan Wood secured victory in the opening race for Round 3 of the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series at Sandown.
The Earl Bamber Motorsport driver navigated the tricky conditions to take the chequered flag, ahead of series leader Tom Sargent, and Aron Shields in a shortened race.
The Safety Car was called on the opening lap, after a start-line clash between Marc Cini and Nathan Sticklen resulted in Sticklen being fired across the track, with Christian Fitzgerald caught up with nowhere to go.
Prior to the yellow flag period, Shields had made a move on Wood to take the lead of the race, with Sargent moving past Courtney Prince into third.
The field remained behind the Safety Car for four laps, before racing resumed.
For the first time in his racing career, Shields led the field to green, before running off the road at Turn 1 on Lap 6, to hand the race lead back to Wood, resulting in the McElrea Racing driver dropping back to third, where he would finish the race.
The chequered flag was waved a lap later, with Wood finishing ahead of Sargent, and Shields.
Prince was fourth from Tom McLennan, with Lachlan Bloxsom in sixth.
Due to heavy rainfall, Race 2 for the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Series was cancelled.
The Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series will next take to the track at 10:45 local time/AEST.
Australian Production Cars brought to you by Liqui Moly
Cameron Crick claimed victory the opening race for Round 3 of the Australian Production Cars at Sandown.
The Mitsubishi Evo X driver excelled in the wet conditions to lead the entire race taking the chequered flag despite a valiant effort from Drew Russell, behind the wheel of his BMW M3, in the closing laps of the race.
Class A2 winner Matthew Holt was third outright in the HSV Clubsport, ahead of Jimmy Vernon and Chris Lillis.
Class C winner Jake Camilleri finished a credible sixth outright, with Ben Gersekowski, Duane West, Brian Callaghan, and Shane Smollen rounding out the top 10.
Taking out the other class victories were Daniel D’Aquino (Class B – 12th outright), Daniel Natoli (Class D – 16th outright), and Ashley Jarvis (Class E – 20th outright).
Due to heavy rainfall, Race 2 for the Australian Production Car Series was cancelled.
The Australian Production Cars return to the track tomorrow for a 60-minute race at 09:15 AEST.
Turtle Wax Trans Am Series
Cody Burcher has qualified on pole in Round 6 of the National Trans Am Series at Sandown.
The New South Welshman posted a 1:11.6595s to claim his maiden series pole position, with series leader Nathan Herne second fastest, while Nash Morris was third.
Title contender Owen Kelly was fourth-fastest, with Jon McCorkindale in fifth.
Tom Hayman, Kyle Gurton, Nic Carroll, Ben Grice, and Jett Johnson completed the top 10.
Due to heavy rainfall, Race 1 for the National Trans Am Series was cancelled.
The National Trans Am Series will return to the track tomorrow at 12:15 local time/AEST.
Stan Sport’s live and ad-free coverage of the event resumes tomorrow at 10:30 AEST.
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