Buchan goes back-to-back in TCR Australia

Josh Buchan and the HMO Customer Racing crew. Picture: Australian Racing Group

Josh Buchan has claimed a second race win in the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series less than 24 hours after his very first, at Sydney Motorsport Park.

The HMO Customer Racing rookie led all 15 laps in Race 2 of Round 4, taking a 2.1479s victory over series leader Chaz Mostert, with Michael Caruso picking up a first podium in the category.

When the contest eventually began, around 15 minutes late due to fog, Buchan (Hyundai) took a clear lead to the first corner as fellow front-row starter James Moffat (Renault) made a very slow getaway.

Moffat dropped as far back as ninth on the opening lap while Mostert (Audi) took up second, from Tony D’Alberto (Honda), Michael Caruso (Alfa Romeo), Aaron Cameron (Peugeot), Nathan Morcom (Hyundai), and Dylan O’Keeffe (Renault).

Cameron got ahead of Caruso in a battle of the Garry Rogers Motorsport drivers, before the former Supercars full-timer went down the inside of his team-mate on Lap 3 at Bond Bend.

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Morcom capitalised on that move to take up fourth spot, even if he was very nearly unloaded as he and Cameron made contact through Turn 3.

While Buchan went as far as 2.6s clear of Mostert at the head of the field, D’Alberto had a train of cars forming behind him.

Caruso went under the #50 Honda as they swept into Moffat Corner on Lap 8 and, from there, D’Alberto would gradually fall down the order.

It was a comfortable victory in the end for Buchan, while second placed Mostert extended his series lead to 93 points, and Caruso was a somewhat distant third.

Morcom took fourth and Moffat salvaged fifth, thanks in part to a Lap 8 pass on GRM team-mate O’Keeffe.

The latter therefore ended up sixth, from Luke King (Audi) Lee Holdsworth (Alfa Romeo), Ben Bargwanna (Peugeot) from the back row, and D’Alberto.

Cameron ended up 11th, Jason Bargwanna (Peugeot) 14th after being disqualified from Race 1 due to a tyre mix-up, and John Martin (Honda) 20th.

Martin had suffered steering damage in a first-corner incident which sent Jay Hanson (Alfa Romeo) spinning, and took the chequered flag two laps down.

Former series leader Jordan Cox (Alfa Romeo) pitted at the end of the formation lap due to a driveshaft failure and was officially a DNF.

Race 3 at the Sydney round of the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships is due to kick off at 13:25 local time/AEST.

CLICK HERE to watch the Supercheap Auto Highlights of Race 2

Results: Race 2

Pos Num Team/Sponsor Driver Car Laps Race time
1 30 HMO Customer Racing Josh Buchan Hyundai i30N 15 24:06.1237
2 25 MPC Bostik Racing Chaz Mostert Audi RS 3 15 24:08.2716
3 150 Valvoline Racing GRM Michael Caruso Alfa Romeo Giulietta 15 24:10.6965
4 11 HMO Customer Racing Nathan Morcom Hyundai i30N 15 24:12.3062
5 34 LMCT+ Racing GRM James Moffat Renault Megane RS 15 24:15.6705
6 33 Lowbake Racing GRM Dylan O’Keeffe Renault Megane RS 15 24:16.2275
7 2 MPC Moutai Racing Luke King Audi RS 3 15 24:18.2957
8 10 Ashley Seward Motorsport Lee Holdsworth Alfa Romeo Giulietta 15 24:18.4677
9 71 Burson Auto Parts Racing Ben Bargwanna Peugeot 308 TCR 15 24:21.1819
10 50 Honda Wall Racing Tony D’Alberto Honda Civic Type R 15 24:25.6035
11 155 Team Valvoline GRM Aaron Cameron Peugeot 308 TCR 15 24:32.5018
12 15 Michael Clemente Motorsport Michael Clemente Honda Civic Type R 15 24:32.6572
13 333 Tilton Racing Brad Shiels Hyundai i30N 15 24:33.4202
14 17 Burson Auto Parts Racing Jason Bargwanna Peugeot 308 TCR 15 24:34.0351
15 37 MPC Astrontech Racing Chelsea Angelo Volkswagen Golf GTI 15 24:34.3573
16 14 Purple Sector / Southern Star Lachlan Mineeff Volkswagen Golf GTI 15 24:34.9180
17 130 HMO Customer Racing Duvashen Padayachee Hyundai i30N 15 24:35.5868
18 111 AH Racing Michael King Hyundai i30N 15 24:50.8877
19 9 Ashley Seward Motorsport Jay Hanson Alfa Romeo Giulietta 15 24:53.5780
20 24 Mobil 1 Wall Racing John Martin Honda Civic Type R 13 25:38.0021
DNF 110 Team Soutar Motorsport Zac Soutar Honda Civic Type R 4 6:59.5548
DNF 5 Garry Rogers Motorsport Jordan Cox Alfa Romeo Giulietta

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