Waters holds off Dumbrell in Dunlop opener

Cameron Waters took the opening race win of the season

Cameron Waters held off a charging Paul Dumbrell to convert pole into victory in Race 1 of the Dunlop Series on the streets of Adelaide.

The Prodrive Ford driver was not headed during the 16 laps, charging away from fellow front-row man Chris Pither off the start.

Lining up seventh after a five-place grid penalty for a yellow flag infringement in qualifying, Dumbrell cut his way through the pack during the early laps.

The reigning series winner took second from Pither on lap eight, by which point Waters was four seconds clear.

Dumbrell chipped a second from the margin over the next five circuits before a heavy crash from Brett Hobson brought out a lengthy Safety Car.

Hobson escaped injury in the crash which saw his Rsport Holden run almost head-on into the Turn 3 exit wall after breaking the car’s steering on the kerbs in the chicane.

Waters proved good enough to hold out his rival in a one-lap dash to the flag, with the race called four laps early due to time constraints.

Pither banked solid points in third ahead of Ant Pedersen, who made a clean pass on Eggleston team-mate Garry Jacobson to secure fourth.

Aaren Russell, Jack Le Brocq and Andrew Jones completed the top six, with Jones charging from the back of the field after all three BJR Holdens were excluded from qualifying for breaching brake rotor regulations.

Taz Douglas held third in the early stages before receiving a black flag for not having the THR Holden’s window net fitted. He returned to finish 18^th.

Josh Kean and Matt Hansen both failed to finish after tangling at Turn 9; a corner which later saw James Golding earn a drive-through for spinning the luckless Hobson.

Race 2 for the Dunlop Series will kick-off at 1140 tomorrow, with the grid set from the results of the opening heat.

Result: Dunlop Series Race 1, Clipsal 500 Adelaide

1

TEAM ENZED PRA

Cameron Waters

Ford Falcon FG

16

26:59.53

2

Eggleston Motorsport

Paul Dumbrell

Holden Commodore VE2

16

27:00.27

3

Ice Break Racing

Chris Pither

Ford Falcon FG

16

27:01.67

4

Eggleston Motorsport

Ant Pedersen

Holden Commodore VE2

16

27:02.60

5

Eggleston Motorsport

Garry Jacobson

Holden Commodore VE2

16

27:03.15

6

Plus Fitness / Go Karts Go

Aaren Russell

Ford Falcon FG

16

27:03.53

7

MW Motorsport

Jack Le Brocq

Ford Falcon FG

16

27:05.01

8

Brad Jones Racing

Andrew Jones

Holden Commodore VE2

16

27:05.37

9

Matt Stone Racing

Todd Hazelwood

Ford Falcon FG

16

27:05.85

10

Davbridge Constructions

Shae Davies

Ford Falcon FG

16

27:06.49

11

Hayman Reese

Jesse Dixon

Ford Falcon FG

16

27:06.84

12

Street Fighter Performance Upg

Dan Day

Ford Falcon FG

16

27:08.66

13

Brad Jones Racing

Macauley Jones

Holden Commodore VE2

16

27:10.13

14

RevTrans WA / Penrite

Matthew Chadha

Holden Commodore VE2

16

27:10.69

15

Battery World Racing

Aaron McGill

Holden Commodore VE2

16

27:10.95

16

Warrin Mining Volvo CE

Adam Wallis

Holden Commodore VE2

16

27:11.47

17

Super Black Racing

Simon Evans

Ford Falcon FG

16

27:12.33

18

THR Developments

Taz Douglas

Holden Commodore VE2

16

27:12.52

19

Gippsland Body Builders GRM

James Golding

Holden Commodore VE2

16

27:12.74

20

Bryce Fullwood Racing

Bryce Fullwood

Holden Commodore VE

16

27:13.31

21

Fujitsu Racing

Renee Gracie

Ford Falcon FG

16

27:14.93

22

Wilson Security/THR

Chelsea Angelo

Holden Commodore VE2

16

27:15.18

23

United Racing

Paul Morris

Ford Falcon FG

16

27:42.94

24

Jamie Sharp Racing

Jamie Sharp

Holden Commodore VE2

16

28:14.94

25

Arcoplate / Storage King

Kurt Kostecki

Holden Commodore VE2

14

27:16.14

DNF

Challenger / Schweppes Aust

Brett Hobson

Holden Commodore VE2

11

16:09.32

DNF

Matt Hansen Racing

Matt Hansen

Holden Commodore VE2

9

13:22.95

DNF

Wynns Racing

Josh Kean

Holden Commodore VE2

2

03:07.84