Steven Johnson scored his second victory of the weekend to take out Round 4 of the Touring Car Masters at Hidden Valley.
After dominating Saturday’s opener, Johnson completed another lights-to-flag win in Race 2, narrowly beating Glenn Seton to the line.
Tony Karanfilovski impressed at the start by jumping a row to slot into third despite carrying a left-front lock-up as the field got away.
He pinched the same tyre into Turn 1 next time around, allowing Seton past, and sailed off at the same corner when the rubber finally gave up another lap later.
The top three developed into a tense affair before second placed John Bowe fell off the road in attempting to round up Johnson with just under four laps of 12 remaining.
Seton hassled Johnson thereafter but could not find a way past, with Eddie Abelnica third, Jason Gomersall climbing from ninth to fourth, and Bowe crossing the line fifth.
Wayne Mercer bagged a maiden race win in the Trophy Race, staving off Karanfolivski until the Trans-Am Mustang ran off on the final lap while trying to find a way past.
Rusty French finished second, with Seton coming from 14th position to place third.
Bowe failed to finish as his Torana slowed and ultimately came to a halt on the circuit.
Round 5 will be held at Queensland Raceway from July 22-24.
In Improved Production/Commodore Cup/HQ, Barry Smith won Race 3 after fellow Over 2 Litre entrant Michael Uebergang spun while leading.
Uebergang was ultimately runner-up ahead of Dunlop Series driver Bryce Fullwood, who swept the Commodore Cup class.
Aussie Racing Cars
Ben Walsh claimed overall honours after scoring three wins from the four races in Round 3 of the Aussie Racing Cars Championship at Hidden Valley.
Trent Young took the early Race 4 lead as he held out Walsh into the first corner, before the latter attempted a divebomb at Turn 6.
The field came under Safety Car control moments later as Ben Wilcox remained stranded on the grid.
Third-placed James Duckworth then swept around the outside to lead off the restart.
Kyle Clews and Walsh ran the leader down into Turn 1 next time around before Walsh took the lead at the same place on Lap 5.
As he did in the opening two races, the 1998 International Asian Drivers Champion pulled away from the field to notch up a maiden Aussie Racing Cars round win.
Craig Woods cut his way to second after starting and then restarting in fifth, while Clews assumed third when Young and Duckworth banged into each other at the final corner.
The latter two finished fourth and fifth respectively, with Paul Morris sixth in a one-off drive.
Sam Milton won the day’s earlier handicap affair.
Starting 12th on the grid, Milton made his way past Peter Griffiths and into the lead on Lap 4, managing to stay ahead of Mark Griffith for the remaining eight laps.
Adam Uebergang led the charge of the fast drivers, coming from the final group as the grid was reversed, to claim sixth.
Defending series champion Brendon Pingel had a day to forget having been unloaded in traffic during Race 3 before finishing a lowly 12th in Race 4.
The series resumes with Round 4 supporting the Coates Hire Ipswich Super Sprint from July 22-24.
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