Victorian professional sim racer, Ethan Grigg-Gault, has claimed the 2022 Hyundai Excel Nationals Title at Morgan Park Raceway.
Grigg-Gault has come out victorious in an action-packed finale at the Supashock Hyundai Excel Nationals at Morgan Park Raceway after 100 laps of racing throughout the event.
After a three-year absence, the event organised by Series X3 Queensland did not disappoint with unpredictable racing thanks to the intermittent weather.
Local driver, Bradi Owen, started the 25-lap finale from pole after being the hot favourite to claim victory are dominating the heat races earlier in the weekend but heavy contact with rival Ryan Casha in the closing laps ruined his chances at victory and resulted in a DNF.
Casha eventually crossed the line in second with Brock Giblin rounding out the podium after nursing a slipping clutch.
46 cars – the highest ever nationals starting grid hadn’t completed a lap before the safety car was deployed to a three-car incident involving Sean ‘chubby wombat’ Beggs and Racing Together’s Lincoln Taylor.
Racing resumed after the six-lap caution period with the top 3 skipping ahead of the field and youngsters Rylan Gray and Jarrod Hughes charging through the field with the latter recording a DNF in the prior heat due to a technical infringement.
Further down the field Holly Espray was battling to finish inside the top 10 alongside Alice Buckley who showed promising speed and confidence since Qualifying.
Eventual Masters Champion, Bradley Vereker, gambled on a wet set up that proved costly having lost eight positions to finish 14th.
Victoria’s Dale Carpenter made up 21 positions to finish the weekend in 18th earning him the Hard Charger Award after an earlier gearbox change meant he had to survive the extra repechage race to earn a spot in the final.
It was a difficult weekend for Max Geoghegan and Nicholas McLeod who was handed a 10 second penalty for an incorrect starting procedure with the pair finishing 24th and 27th respectively.
Robert Zoanetti was the highest-placed finishing South Australian in 30th from the seven-strong contingent that made the trek over.
Connor Roberts claimed the highest placed junior being one of 21 drivers under the age of 18 in the field.
The success of Nationals has once again stamped Circuit Excel as the premiere grass roots motor racing category in the county with healthy fields setting the series up for greater exposure in the future.
X3 Series Queensland congratulates all the winners of the 2022 Hyundai Excel Nationals and thanks the volunteer officials involved.
