Wood started second on the grid, outpointed Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport’s Jones to the first corner and in a titanic effort, withstood the challenges throughout.

However he had contact with Jones after latter made a pass. Jones lost places and Wood won. The penalty elevated Sonic Racing’s Marcos Flack from his second across the line, to the race win.

The race went safety car almost immediately after a multi car melee at the first corner left Fabian Coulthard and Rodney Jane damaged and stranded in the middle of the track.

It was PCMM’s Coulthard that triggered the incident as he came in to the corner all locked up and hit Glen Wood, spinning both. Dylan O’Keeffe luckily went wide through the gravel trap while Jane arrived with nowhere to go and slide into Coulthard.

As several others took evasive action, Matt Belford went around the back of Coulthard and had contact which saw him limp back to the pits. Matt Slavin went the other side and had contact with Jane that would put him out.

The race resumed after four laps with Wood leading from Jones, Bayley Hall, Ryder Quinn, Flack and Marco Giltrap. There was still fluid down at Turn 1 which caught out Hall with a spin and sent Giltrap through the gravel.

Jones stalked Wood over the ensuing laps and on Lap 9 at Turn 11 made his move and grabbed the lead. But just a couple of corners later, Jones had a big lockup from a touch from Wood.

The latter was back in front, as Flack seized second. Jackson Wall who was seventh early, was up to fourth and he too was able to relegate Jones. The three were tight in the closing laps which enabled Wood to edge away to cross the finish line 2s ahead.

David Russell was next ahead of Quinn, Scott Pye, O’Keeffe and Morris who was able to escape the first lap incident and be 15th at the end of the first lap. Tom McLennan was next from Angelo Mouzouris, Nick McBride and Pro Am winner Adrian Flack who was as high as tenth earlier.

Flack had five Pro drivers between himself and class rival Sam Shahin who had a handy margin on Danny Stutterd and Marc Cini. Dean Cook was also a first lap casualty but in a separate incident.