David Sieders has won the opening race of Round 4 of the Haltech V8 SuperUte Series at The Bend Motorsport Park.
Sieders prevailed in the opening eight-lap encounter in his Mitsubishi Triton from Ben Walsh (Toyota Hilux), who finished second after passing series contender George Gutierrez (Holden Colorado), on the final lap.
There was drama before the drop of the green flag, after series leader Aaron Borg, who qualified his Holden Colorado in second, failed to start the race.
It left debutant Adam Marjoram, who qualified on pole, to have the front row of the grid to himself.
Although this unexpected advantage would not last long, with Sieders quickly moving into the lead of the race, parking his Triton in front of Marjoram on the run to Turn 1.
Sieders would drive away from there, to take the chequered flag 7.8399s ahead of Walsh.
Gutierrez was capitalising on Borg’s absence by moving past Marjoram and into second place on Lap 2.
He would remain there until the final lap, when he was passed by Walsh, on the run to the chequered flag.
In his first race since 2019, Marjoram went off the track at Lap 3, dropping him down to fifth in the order.
The former Dunlop Super2 Series and V8 Utes driver would eventually gain back a position later in the race to finish fourth.
Series contender Craig Woods was the big mover in the race, finishing fifth, claiming the fastest lap of the race and lap record in the process with a 2:13.0796s.
Rohan Barry (Toyota Hilux) moved up the field into fourth and diced with Walsh for the final step of the podium for four laps, before dropping down the order to finish sixth.
Ryan Gilroy (Ford Ranger), Chris Formosa (Ford Ranger), Ellexandra Best (Mitsubishi Triton), and David Casey (Isuzu D-Max) would complete the top 10, while Craig Jenner ( Mazda BT-50), Richard Mork (Mazda BT-50), and Dean Brooking ( Toyota Hilux) who spun earlier in the race, rounded out the grid.
Race 2 of the V8 SuperUte series starts at 14:30 local time/15:00 AEST.
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