With wins in Races 3 and 4, Tim Leahey had the perfect weekend in the debut of his GT4-spec BMW G82 M4 at the final round of the Monochrome Invited/Mobil 1 Production Car combined series at Mt Panorama.
He took the Invited overall honours ahead of Karl Begg (McLaren 570S) while Shane Smollen (Porsche Cayman 718) in second and fifth respectively, had enough points to win the 2023 title.
Iain Sherrin (Class X BMW F82 M4) was the best placed Production Car as second behind Iain Salteri (M4) before victory over brother Grant and Simon Hodges (M4), to consolidate the series overall.
As they did in Race 2, the McLarens driven by Begg and Pappas were one and two as they headed up the mountain for the first time in Race 3. Leahey was slower away and was third until he split the leading duo at Skyline.
Begg had a handy 2.1s advantage until Lap 4 when Leahey and Smollen were on his tail. A lap later the BMW driver was in front, and before the Safety Car was called for the Wade Scott EVO 8 that was in the wall at Griffins Bend.
There was a one-lap dash to the chequered flag with Leahey the winner over Smollen and Begg. Adam Garwood (Ginetta) was fourth as he passed Pappas on the last lap. They were chased by Mark Giffith (Mercedes AMG), Lawrence, Jukes (M4s) and Love (Mercedes), all in GT4-spec machinery.
Iain Salteri took 10th and Production Car honours in a whitewash for Class X BMWs as he led Iain and Grant Sherrin, and Lynton. Then followed Coleby Cowham (A2 Ford Mustang) from Ben Gersekowski (A1 BMW E92), Trevor Symonds (A2 HSV), Robert Gooley (M4), and Luke King (A2 Mercedes C63) who started rear of field.
Leahey continued to have launch control problems and conceded the front running of Race 4 to Smollen and Begg. That changed quickly as Begg passed Smollen who then fell to Leahey in the Cutting.
Begg led the race until Leahey passed him on Lap 4 after which they ran one-two for the remainder. The dice for third changed on several occasions as Pappas relegated Smollen and then Garwood came through to take it in the end. Pappas was able to hold off a late charge from Smollen and they were closely pursued by Love (handicapped by a broken front splitter), Lawrence and Jukes.
There was little between the Sherrin brothers until the last lap where Simon Hodges (M4) was able to split them and relegate Grant to third on the final lap. Lindsay Kearns (Mustang) chased Gersekowski for several laps before he was able to affect the pass for 12th.
In a tight race-lone duel, Brian Callaghan (HSV) was able to hold off Matt Holt (HSV), Hadrian Morrall (Mitsubishi EVO X) and Jacque Oosthuizen (HSV). Symonds was in front of them until a brief off road excursion at the Chase dropped him to 18th ahead of Michael Osmond (A1 BMW M135i), Maika Terhorst (M4) and Peter O’Donnell (B1 BMW 335i).
