Continuing rain throughout Day 1 has made it difficult for the big support program at the VAILO Adelaide 500.
CARRERA CUP
There was just one practice session for Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup where TekworkX Motorsport’s Max Vidau was quickest in the shortened session. He headed title aspirant (currently second) Callum Hedge (Team Porsche NZ/Earl Bamber Motorsport) by 0.09s.
Ryder Quinn rounded out the top three ahead of last round winner Bayley Hall, Dylan O’Keeffe, Fabian Coulthard, and championship leader Jackson Walls. Alex Davison, Dale Wood and Christian Pancione were the next three. In Pro Am was the class leader Dean Cook, ahead of Sam Shahin, Adrian Flack, Tim Miles and Matt Belford.
Nobody completed no more than four laps in the session prior to a red flag flying for Simon Fallon, who found the wall at Turn 8 in his Sonic Motor Racing entry. Fallon was uninjured, with the team currently assessing the damage to his car.
GT WORLD CHALLENGE AUSTRALIA
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With the conditions not as bad in Practice 1 for Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS, Germany’s Chris Mies has set Liam Talbot off on the right course by going fastest in less than ideal conditions. The Audi R8 LMS Evo 2 ace outpointed Jayden Ojeda who is sharing with Chris Batzios in a Mercedes AMG.
Third fastest was Talbot’s nearest rival Geoff Emery who trails by seven points, as his Austrian codriver Max Hofer set the time and was just ahead of Yasser Shahin with International Aussie Matt Campbell sharing his Porsche 911 GT3R.
Fourth fastest and best of the AMs was Brad Schumacher (Audi) and just ahead of his class rivals Mike Bailey and Brett Hobson (Mercedes), and Matt Stoupas and Paul Stokell (Audi).
While there were no serious incidents, Bailey nudged the wall after Turn 13, as did Emery in the wetter second session. Marc Cini (Audi) had a substantial spin at Turn 14 and knocked the wing end plate off before Stoupas looped there as well but without contact.
In GT3 Trophy Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge drivers Marcos Flack (tenth outright) and Tom McLennan (eighth in Practice Two) led Paul Lucchitti (Audi) and Invitation honours went with John Goodacre in his MARC GT over Axle Donaldson (MARC II Mustang).
S5000
The first practice session for S5000 was interrupted with two red flag situations, rain and very little laps for several. The first stoppage came when Versa Motorsport’s Cooper Webster was off in the Chicane. It came out again when Sebastian Amadio spun and crashed at Turn 8 in very wet conditions.
Team 88’s Kaleb Ngatoa managed the fastest time ahead of championship leader Aaron Cameron, Versa’s Blake Purdie and Webster, even though he did only one lap.
It was wetter for the second practice session which seen the GRM cars go one-two, Jordan Boys ahead of Cameron, Ngatoa, Webster, Nathan Herne (GRM) and Versa’s Blade Purdie. Nic Carroll was next, and he survived a spin in the Chicane without damage while the session was halted went Ben Bargwanna found the gravel trap at Turn11.
TOURING CAR MASTERS
Qualifying for Gulf Western Oil Touring Car Masters was held on a very wet track where Adam Garwood was the fastest in his Holden Commodore. He had 0.5s on points leader Steve Johnson (Ford Mustang Trans Am).
There was a close group behind headed by John Bowe (Holden Torana A9X), Joel Heinrich (Chev Camaro), Andrew Fisher (Torana), Ryan Hansford (Torana) and Marcus Zukanovic (Ford Falcon XD). Next was Cameron Tilley (Valiant Pacer) who was the reason the session was stopped just short of its scheduled time.
As the first cars on track, the Gulf Western Oil Touring Car Masters’ practice session preceded the rain that fell almost immediately afterwards. The fastest was Hansford, ahead of Heinrich, Fisher, Bowe, Johnson and Garwood. The was a pause early when Peter Burnitt Torana expired past the Chicane.
V8 SUPERUTES
Despite a brush with the concrete wall at Turn 8, Reuben Goodall (Mazda BT-50) in the non-championship round Tyrepower V8 SuperUtes at a very soggy Adelaide.
This year’s champion Aaron Borg (Isuzu D-MAX) was second fastest in front of Cody Brewczynski (Toyota Hilux), Adam Marjoram (Mitsubishi Triton), Ben Walsh (Hilux) and Adrian Cottrell (Holden Colorado).
The session was concluded prematurely after a couple of on-track incidents. Walsh had a wild lose at Turn 14 and went into the tyre barrier. George Gutierrez (Colorado) hit the wall at Turn 8 and as he limped down to Turn 9 was hit by Gerard Maggs (Ford Ranger). Elsewhere Jaiden Maggs (Triton) was stopped as well.
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