The first race of the sixth and final round of the second tier one make series, the Porsche Michelin Sprint Cup Challenge, in wet and humid conditions, had Clay Osborne first ahead of Targett. However Osborne who relished the conditions, was fourth in the early stages was penalised.
As the track became wetter, and several pitted for wet tyres, Osborne was able to charge forward. He was second by half distant and whittled tearaway leader Targett’s margin down to grab the front running four laps from home.
He maintained the lead to the chequered flag, but with a 5s penalty over his head for an alleged start-line infringement, was relegated to fourth post-race.
Targett was classified 3s ahead of yearlong rival and his Earl Bamber Motorsport teammate Brock Gilchrist. The latter keeps his title hopes alive by only conceding a further six points. Provisionally the gap between the two sits at 98 points, and there are 120 points on offer on Saturday with the final two races.
Ryan Suhle finished third and Osborne was fourth, ahead of Jake Santalucia. Ayrton Hodson was another with a 5s penalty, but he was able to retain sixth. Conor Somers was next after a 10-grid penalty post-qualifying.
Aron Shields, Tyler Greenbury and Class B winner, debutant Daniel Quimby rounded out the top 10. Ramu Farrell won Pro-Am while Lachy Harburg’s second in class (by 0.005s) was enough to secure the title.
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Ahead of the race, it was Targett who was the only one to dip below a 1:30. He finish the session 0.28s ahead of Suhle and Osborne who were split by 0.002s. Hobson was fourth from Gilchrist, Somers, Santalucia and Greenbury.
On Saturday at Race Sydney, the series-within-a-series Jim Richards Enduro trophy will be settled first, before the final race of the season on Saturday afternoon at 2:10pm.
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