Marcus Zukanovic, John Bowe and Cameron McLeod each had race victories at the Shannons SpeedSeries. Zukanovic and Bowe scored wins in Gulf Western Oil Muscle Car Masters while McLeod was a comfortable winner in the Kumho V8 Touring Cars opener.
After he retired early from the Trophy race with gear selection issues, Zukanovic struck back to take out Race 1 in the Touring Car Masters Round 5. The Ford Falcon XD pilot wrestled the Race 1 lead away from Cameron Tilley as they negotiated Griffins Bend on the first lap and was never headed from there.
Andrew Fisher (Holden Torana A9X) would also passed Tilley, but second place would not last. A bolt sheared on a rear trailing arm at Forrest’s Elbow where he was able to safely park. Chasing the pair was Bowe who ultimately finished second ahead of Tilley. Ryan Hansford (Torana) was fourth ahead of outright points leader Steve Johnson (Ford Mustang).
Then came Danny Buzadzic (Torana), Ben Dunn (Chev Monza), Tony Karanfilovski (Mustang), Warren Trewin (Holden Monaro), Peter Burnitt (Torana) and the best of the Invited New Zealanders, Craig Buchanan in his Central Muscle Cars Mustang.
On the second last lap, Brad Tilley (Mustang) survived a near rollover when he had a blowout at Griffin Bend and hit a wall.
In the earlier Trophy event, which featured a reverse grid and points only for starting and finishing, Bowe was the winner ahead of a closing Fisher. Brad Tilley finished third in front of Dunn, Johnson and Karanfilovski.
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Cameron McLeod, fresh off three Sports Sedan victories on the Gold Coast, took a near 10s win after he led the former Supercars series from the start aboard Brad Neill’s ex-Stone Brothers Ford Falcon FG.
Series points leader Jude Bargwanna was second, and the Anderson Motorsport ex-Ford Performance Racing FG driver was pressed in the final stages by Ryan Simpson in a Jim Pollicina-owned ex-Tasman Motorsport Holden Commodore VE.
Ray Hislop (ex-FPR FG) was next ahead of Jamie Tilley (Triple Eight ex-DJR FG) and Pollicina (ex-T8 VE), Jason Foley (Falcon BF), Paul Boshert (VE) and Tony Auddino (BF). Brendan Strong (VE) pulled out on the formation lap with a non-working starter motor.
