Saturday Porsches, Toyotas, SuperUtes and Sports Sedans at Bathurst

Support categories were on track for more races, headed by the Porsches. SuperUtes had two races, Toyotas one while Sports Sedans wrapped up their penultimate round.

PORSCHE PAYNTER DIXON CARRERA CUP AUSTRALIA

The visitors in Harry King, Harri Jones and Chris van der Drift again showed the way in Race 2 of Round 6 and finished first, second and third.

The Jones Motorsport driver made the better start and was slightly ahead into Turn 1, but King (EMA Motorsport) doggedly pushed through the corner to take the lead.

Behind them was a melee that started with Dylan O’Keeffe getting over the curb and sideways. That checked up Fabian Coulthard who was then hit from behind and turned around. The consequences were continued down the field with Rodney Jane pushed into the outside wall which triggered the Safety Car.

With the resumption King was able to stave off Jones. The latter made a bold move attempting to go around the outside of King at Turn 2 which almost came off. Van der Drift (Earl Bamber Motorsport) maintained third while Jackson Walls (McElrea Racing) was fourth until passed by Speedcafe supported David Russell (EBM).

They were followed home by Max Vidau, Garnett Patterson, O’Keeffe, Ryder Quinn and Simon Fallon just in front of his teammate Angelo Mouzouris.

Equity Pro drivers filled the top 18 places with the best of the Pro-Ams again Liam Talbot. Adrian Flack was the class leader initially before Talbot forged ahead. Flack finished second in class with Dean Cook third from Matt Belford, Sam Shahin and Danny Stutterd.

TOYOTA GAZOO RACING AUSTRALIA 86 SERIES

In dominant style, Speedcafe supported Ryan Casha won the second race by 3.6s. He led from the start from Clay Richards and Cody Burcher. They ran line-astern though the first lap but on the second where Bucher passed Richards, Casha pushed out to a 2.5s lead.

From there he gradually extended the margin while Burcher was able to hold off Richards for second. Recently crowned Australian Formula Ford Series champion Matt Hillyer finished fourth.

There was a multi-car scrap for fifth position, led in the main by Jack Westbury. But on the last lap it was Jarrod Hughes who came on top, ahead of Brock Stinson, Reuben Goodall and Jayden Wanzek. Westbury finished ninth in front of Jimmy Holdsworth and Max Geoghegan.

Cooper Barnes and Ryan Tomsett failed to finish after they tangled in the Cutting. Later Tom Davies tagged Michael Sherwell which spun in the Chase.

V8 SUPERUTES SERIES

Former champions Ryal Harris won both V8 SuperUte races in a Ford Ranger where he beat 2023 series leader Aaron Borg (Isuzu D-MAX) in both.

The first race of the day was for half points with a reverse top six of the previous race. Adam Marjoram and Speedcafe supported driver Jimmy Vernon (in Mitsubishi Tritons) were on the front row and from the start it was Harris who split them.

The Ranger driver took the lead on the second lap after a couple of exchanges and was able to gap the others. Marjoram came under fire from Borg who eventually got by, and then Vernon who passed him and then was repassed on a couple occasions.

The Safety Car was deployed when Tom Oliphant’s Toyota Hilux stopped on the way to the Cutting. That left a one-lap dash to the flag where Harris held off Borg and Marjoram. Craig Woods (Hilux) was able to get by Vernon before the latter struck back to claim fourth at the final corner. Just behind them were David Sieders (Mazda BT-50), David Casey (D-MAX) and Gutierrez (Holden Colorado).

Harris was the best away in the second race (the third for the weekend) and led throughout. Borg grabbed second immediately and chased Harris to the chequered flag. Woods won the initial dice for third and consolidated the spot until the last lap when the right front tyre let go and put him in the wall at the Cutting.

Marjoram was next best placed to pick up third ahead of Gutierrez, Vernon and Sieders who both had brief excursions at the Chase. Then followed Casey, Holly Espray (D-MAX), Adrian Cottrell (Colorado) and 10th placed Ben Walsh (Hilux).

PRECISION NATIONAL SPORTS SEDAN SERIES

Series leader Tony Ricciardello consolidated the fourth round victory when he won the third and final race at Bathurst. The Alfa Romeo/Chev V8 pilot led from halfway up Mountain Straight on the first lap, to score a narrow victory over Jordan Caruso (Audi A4/Chev) who broke the lap record with a 2:03.6473.

Brad Shiels (Fiat 124/Rotary Turbo) started sixth and came through to finish third. Steve Tamasi (Calibra/Chev) was at the back of the field for the start and drove to fourth when he overtook New Zealander Angus Fogg (Ford Mustang) at the start of the last lap.

Speedcafe support driver Ash Jarvis (Monaro/Chev) was next, third for the round behind Caruso. Jarvis held off Ryan Humfrey (Falcon XE/Chev) while Steve Lacey (Chev Camaro) passed and headed home Mark Duggan (Aston Martin/Chev).