Holden Commodore VE driver Jim Pollicina equalled the most number of round starts in Kumho V8 Touring Cars and, after three races at Sandown’s fourth round, emerged as the overall victor for the first time.
After steering damage caused a DNF in Race 1, Jude Bargwanna (Ford Falcon FG) crossed the line first in Race 2. Jamie Tilley had the lead until the throttle jammed on his FG at Turn 11, which speared his FG into the armco late in the race and prompted the Safety Car.
However, Bargwanna was handed a post-race five-second penalty for exceeding track limits at Turn 7. That promoted Pollicina to the race win ahead of Ray Hislop (FG), Tony Evangelou (Falcon BA) and the BFs driven by Tony Auddino and Jason Foley.
After a great start by Foley in Race 3 that saw him marginally in front as five cars raced side-by-side to Turn 1, Evangelou took the lead. In quick-fire exchanges, Pollicina passed Evangelou before Bargwanna went to the front.
Hislop moved to third and dice with Pollicina until they had contact at Dandenong Road, which saw the Holden spin. Hislop had to serve a pit penalty which gave Antonio Molluso (FG) second as Pollicina passed Auddino to take third. Evangelou was fifth from Foley and Hislop.
The second race for Formula Open saw points leader Trent Grubel (Dallara F312) pass Ryan How (F308/11) on the last lap for the win. But he would be penalised for an overlap after an early Safety Car period restart. That put him back to second and ahead of Miles Bromley and Rick Astley in F308/11s. F4 honours went to Brodie Norris over Kristian Janev and Tom Galagher.
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Grubel atoned in Race 3. He took the front running off How on Lap 5 to lead the remainder, while Bromley was third, with Beau Russell (F308/11) and Trent Shirvington (Mygale) next. Astley went off at Turn 8 with suspension failure. Janev was the F4 winner over Norris by half a second, with Galagher again third.
In the MARC Cars Australia final race, a quicker pitstop enabled Dan Jilesen (MARC GT) to leapfrog initial race leader Cameron McLeod (MARC I Mazda) to take the win. In his MARC II Mustang, Darren Currie was third in front of Jake Camilleri (MARC I Mazda) and Axle Donaldson, who debuted a new MARC II over the weekend.
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