Sweeny edges O’Keeffe in Bathurst TCR Practice 1

Bailey Sweeny has edged Dylan O’Keeffe to top spot in Practice 1 for Round 7 of the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst International.

Sweeny went as quick as a 2:13.6704s around an overcast Mount Panorama circuit in his HMO Customer Racing Hyundai i30 N, with O’Keeffe subsequently clocking a 2:13.7475s in his Garry Rogers Motorsport Peugeot 308.

Josh Buchan and Nathan Morcom made for HMO Hyundais first, third, and fifth, the former in a new i30 N sedan, with Jordan Cox fourth in another GRM Peugeot.

Iain McDougall (Audi) was fastest after the first flyers on a 2:22.7358s before Buchan moved the marker to 2:17.2390s and then 2:15.0949s on consecutive laps.

Sweeny then clocked a 2:14.7329s on his fourth lap and a 2:13.6704s on his fifth to be fastest for the balance of the 25-minute session.

He was more than three tenths up on the field until Buchan set a 2:13.9040s and then O’Keeffe a 2:13.7475s just before the chequered flag.

Cox’s best was a 2:13.9468s and Morcom’s a 2:14.0219s, with Jay Hanson (Audi) sixth on a 2:14.1445s, from Lachlan Mineeff (Audi) and Michael Caruso (Alfa Romeo).

Series leader Tony D’Alberto took ninth on a 2:14.5934s in a Wall Racing Honda Civic Type R, with Ben Bargwanna (Peugeot) rounding out the top 10, while Will Brown (Audi) did not complete a full lap.

Practice 2, another 25-minute session, is due to start at 16:05 local time/AEDT.

Results: Practice 1