Richard Muscat underlined his victory in the 2013 GT3 Cup Challenge by taking out the final round of the season at Phillip Island.
The Victorian took out all three races at the seaside venue, ensuring a season tally of 13 wins from 18 races.
Muscat’s rookie season dominance also included 17 fastest laps and five from six pole positions.
“It’s been a dream weekend; pole position, three race wins and break the lap record,” beamed Muscat, who had secured the title at the previous event at Queensland Raceway.
“This year we also achieved the most race wins and most poles so it’s a great feat for the team.
“I reckon this final round at Phillip Island would be the highlight of the season; winning the 100th GT3 Cup Challenge race (Race 2) and great results for the round.”
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John McCorkindale finished second for the weekend in just his third appearance of the season, taking the runner-up spot in both Sunday races.
Two thirds and a fourth were meanwhile good enough for veteran Peter Fiztgerald to secure third for the weekend and second in the final points standings.
In the ‘Elite Class’ for amateur drivers, South Australian John Goodacre did enough to hold out Stephen Grove for the season honours.
Grove and Goodacre were second and third at Phillip Island respectively, with neither able to trump round winner John Morris.
The Kumho V8 Touring Car Series, Formula 3 Australian Drivers’ Championship, Kerrick Sports Sedan Series, Saloon Cars, Radical Cup and Superkart Championships were also in action at Phillip Island as part of the Shannons Nationals weekend.
The penultimate Formula 3 round of the season saw John Magro keep the pressure on series leader Tim Macrow, taking two of the three races on the way to the round win.
A win in Race 2 and a second in the afternoon’s feature race ensures Macrow will take a still comfortable 34 point margin over his Team BRM team-mate into the season finale.
Jack Le Brocq, Jordan Oon and Nick Foster completed the top five for the weekend.
Foster spent Sunday clawing his way back after spinning out of Saturday’s opener, proving his pace by making it to third by the end of the final.
It was a dramatic Sunday of racing for the Sports Sedans, with Mazda RX7 driver Bruce Banks emerging as an unlikely points leader ahead of the final round.
Tony Ricciardello won the opening two races of the weekend in his Alfa, only to cop a black flag for loose bodywork in the final.
Rivals Darren Hossack and Kerry Baily had earlier felt the wrath of officials in Race 2; their respective Audi and Aston Martin machinery black-flagged for exceeding the circuit’s strict noise limits.
With both cars subsequently absent from the final race, it was Daniel Tamasi’s turn to record a race victory.
Simon Tabinor secured his second consecutive series title in the Saloon Cars, splitting the weekend’s race wins with Wayne King.
Tabinor was handed the round trophy after a major accident saw the final race red flagged early enough for it to be declared a non-race.
The crash occurred at Turn 4, where a spin from the Ford of Ryan Miller triggered a multi-car fracas.
Neale Muston added Sunday’s 50 minute Radical Cup race win to the success he earned on Saturday, while Russell Jamieson proved too strong in three of the four Superkart encounters.
The Shannons Nationals will continue at Wakefield Park on October 18-20 with the Radical Cup, Australian Manufacturers’ Championship and Swift Racing Series.
