WEATHER STRIKES AT WAKEFIELD PARK FOR AMRS ROUND FOUR

The weather played a significant role in proceedings at Wakefield Park for the AMRS round today. Slightly overcast and cool conditions were pushed aside late  morning by a cold front which brought chilly conditions, find gusts and rain periods. Initially thought to be a small rain cell, conditions deteriorated for the early afternoon with the Formula Vee and IROC Porsche race run on a very wet track. GT1 started their qualifying session with some rain but saw moments of bright sunshine peak through some lighter patches of cloud. Drivers found it difficult to stay on track with many spins and slides. The GT1 qualifying was interrupted on at least three occasions as cars were retrieved from dangerous positions. The rain finally stopped by mid afternoon though the wind chill factor, coupled with the previously damp conditions had many reaching for the heavy winter woolies.

PRESS RELEASE/AMRS Wakefield Park – Photos: John Morris

Seton continues winning TA2 run
Aaron Seton has continued his winning run in the Performax TA2 Muscle Car Series, qualifying on pole position and driving to a commanding victory in today’s opening race.
 
While Seton was unchallenged in front, Ashley Jarvis finished second ahead of Hugh McAlister and Russell Wright, McAlister passing Wright for third in the middle stages of the race.
 
As a result, Jarvis has closed in on the series lead with the top three now covered by just 14 points.
 
The other big mover was Cameron Sendall, who worked his way from 11^th on the grid to sixth at the finish, while Chad Cotton was ruled out of proceedings with battery problems in the marshalling area.
 
Three more TA2 races will be held tomorrow.

 
Hourigan breaks through for first Legend Car win
After recording a run of podium finishes so far in 2018, Brendon Hourigan broke through for his first race win of the season with a measured drive in Race 1’s tricky weather conditions.
 
On a wet circuit, Hourigan diced for the lead with James Burge, Zane Morse and Ben Jagger; after Morse and Jagger dropped back down the field with spins, Hourigan applied the pressure to Burge and took the lead late in the race.
 
Series leader Burge reasserted himself to win Race 2 from Zane Morse and Stephen Chilby, after Hourigan lost some places with an excursion at Turn 2.
 
The Legend Cars will stage three races tomorrow, with a full reverse-grid format for the morning race.

 
Harris ends Shaw’s RX8 Cup streak
Ric Shaw’s eight-race winning streak in the Mazda RX8 Cup came to an end today, Will Harris taking victory in Race 1.
 
Harris ran second behind polesitter Stephen McLaine in the early stages of Race 1, before McLaine slipped off the wet circuit at Turn 9. Harris grabbed the lead and withstood pressure from Shaw to take the win, with Nick Dunkley driving from 10^th on the grid to third at the finish.
 
The circuit dried for Race 2 and Shaw beat Harris off the line – the racing veteran led every lap to score his ninth race victory of the season, ahead of McLaine, Harris and Lachlan O’Hara.
 
After spinning off the circuit at the start of Race 1, series debutant Matt Butters charged from 15^th on the grid to fifth in Race 2.

Stoupas claims Audi’s first GT-1 pole
Matt Stoupas has taken Audi’s first pole position in GT-1 Australia, nailing his final flying lap on a drying circuit to edge out Jake Camilleri (MARC Mazda 3).
 
With the conditions constantly improving throughout the two-part qualifying session, the grid order was decided in the very dying stages of the session with Stoupas, Camilleri and Rod Salmon (Audi R8) all exchanging fastest lap times before Stoupas prevailed at the end.
 
Jason Busk (MARC Focus) was fourth, while Jamie Arratoon recorded the best series qualifying result for a Ferrari with fifth.
 
A pair of 50-minute GT-1 races will be held tomorrow.

 
Burchartz Dominant in IROC Challenge
Sven Burchartz won both the day’s IROC Challenge races – he held out Terry Knight in a wet opening race, before driving to a more sizeable victory over Knight in a dry second encounter.
 
While Knight was a comfortable second in Race 1, he was involved in an intense contest with Lachlan Harburg, Greg Keene, Stan Adler and Rohan Little in Race 2.

 
McWhite closes on Miniature Race Cars lead
Craig McWhite took advantage of series leader Chad Cotton’s absence to win both Miniature Race Car races in his Future Racer; he was chased home in both races by the Aussie Racing Car trio of Brad Lemon, Peter Griffiths and Garry Roberts.
 
After qualifying on pole, Jeff Davy (Future Racer) had a tough day with some spins in Race 1, and a DNF with mechanical problems in Race 2.

Wet weather mixes up Stock Cars/Utes/Group 6 results
Richard Mork capitalised on some wet weather in qualifying to claim outright pole position in his Commodore Ute, but normality was restored with the circuit drying for the race, allowing the more powerful Stock Cars to rise to the top of the order.
 
Michael Coulter (Oztruck) took the race victory ahead of his father Steve, with Shane Harris third; Mork won the Aussie Racing Utes division, and Brent Edwards was the best of the Super 6 Touring Cars.
 
Commanding wins for Thomas in Formula Vee
Dylan Thomas took a pair of comprehensive race wins in the Formula Vee races, with Garry Hook his nearest challenger; the most entertaining dice was the battle between Garry Hook, William Pym and Craig Hendrick for third position.
 
Bernie Cannon was the best of the runners in the older, 1200cc cars, profiting from Race 1’s wet conditions to haul his car into a fine sixth outright.

Where to Watch
Sunday’s AMRS action will be live streamed via the AMRS Facebook Page and Blend Line TV YouTube Channel

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