Australian Production Car Series
Chaz Mostert and Nathan Morcom have combined to win the weekend’s second 300km Australian Production Car Series race at Winton.
Driving a Ford Focus RS, the pair finished a comfortable 4.9s ahead of second-placed Rick Bates and Bob Pearson in a Mitsubishi Evo after managing the gap in the closing stages.
During the first half of the race, Morcom had built up a strong advantage, the team taking the opportunity to fit new tyres as Mostert climbed aboard shortly after half distance.
It dropped the pair to second behind Rod Salmon, who took over from Will Brown in the #6 Mitsubishi Evo and enjoyed a more than 40s advantage.
With fresh tyres, Mostert made strong inroads into Salmon’s lead before the Evo was forced to pit for a new front left tyre.
Soon after he was back in pit lane, this time with a driveshaft failure which all but eliminated them from the race.
Third place went to Dimitri Agathos and Lachlan Gibbons, who shared a Subaru WRX STi, while Iain and Grant Sherrin managed just three laps before being forced out with a camshaft failure in the BMW M4.
Scott Gore/Keith Bensley (Class B1), Tyler Everingham/Michael Almond (C), James Keene/Dominic Martens (D), Jason Walsh/Paul Currie (E), Leigh Burges/Gerry Burges (I) and Chris Lillis/Vince Ciallella (A2) claimed their respective class victories in the 15-car field.
Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge
Jordan Love backed up his strong Saturday performance with victory in a shortened Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge race.
The 11-lap encounter, reduced as crews cleared Brett Bouldon who stopped on the formation lap, was led from start to finish by Love who was trailed by Peter Major, as he was in Saturday’s opener.
A strong start saw Love move into the lead, where he was never challenged en route to claiming the race win, more than five seconds ahead of Major who headed Brenton Grove by 3.2s at the flag.
The order at the front remained the same in the final race of the weekend, Love holding a 5.5s advantage over Major with Grove once again completing the podium.
The result hands Love a 44 point and 42 point lead in the Outright and Professional Class standings, respectively, from second placed Grove.
Australian GT Trophy Series
Two wins for Steve McLaughlan have moved the Audi driver into a commanding position at the top of the Australian GT Trophy Series points standings.
McLaughlan carved his way to the front in Race 1, avoiding a first corner tangle that accounted for pole sitter Jake Fouracre.
Matt Stoupas was handed a drive through for the incident, prompting a spirited drive back through the field while Fouracre lost seven laps in the pits as the team affected repairs.
Rod Salmon was second in Race 1 but spun out of third place late in Race 2, promoting Rick Mensa into the final podium place.
Stoupas had been leading deep into Race 2, only to run off the circuit on the penultimate lap under pressure from McLaughlan, ending the race in the runners up position.
The two wins saw McLaughlan take out the round from Stoupas in second and Mensa third for the weekend.
Australian Prototype Series
Jason Makris claimed two victories in the Australian Prototype Series at Winton Raceway, converting pole position into wins on both occasions.
In the morning’s first race, Makris had to fend off Terry Peovitis in a battle that saw the pair trade the lead twice in the final lap.
John-Paul Drake finished third with Aaron Steer and Phil Hughes completing the top five.
The second race of the day saw a competitive pack battling for the lead, with as many as six cars involved at points.
There were three different leaders within the opening lap, though Makris ultimately made his way to the front before seeing off an attack from Aaron Steer.
Gerrit Ruff finished third while Phil Hughes battled his way to fourth place.
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