EREBUS MOTORSPORT TAKE OUT THE RACE TO THE POLE

The weather played a hand in setting the grid for the 2018 Sandown 500, after rain lashed parts of the track and had teams in two minds for tyre choice in race 1.

Paul Dumbrell led the field and held a handy lead as rain swept in from the southern end of the circuit. Turns 1-3 felt the early brunt of the water with the track saturated at that end, yet still relatively dry towards Dandenong Road. It was at this point in the race that Triple 8 gambled with a stop for Dumbrell while James Moffat was told to stay out by his Tickford team. The latter proved to be the right option as the rain soon stopped and a dry line appeared, however it was not Moffat who was able to capitalise. Two taps from Macauley Jones on the run towards turn 2 was enough to unsettle the SuperCheap Auto Falcon and Moffat surrendered the lead.

Aaron Russell took full advantage of the Ford driver’s misfortune to claim the win from Luke Youlden in the Penrite entry and the Shell V Power pair of Alex Premat and Tony D’Alberto. Moffat recovered to finish 10th, one ahead of early leader Paul Dumbrell.

Andre Heimgartner had the honour of heading the field at the start of race two, though it wasn’t for very long. David Reynolds quickly drew alongside and took over the lead. Scott McLaughlin and Fabian Coulthard followed through shortly and quickly pulled away from the Nissan Altima.

Jamie Whincup was the driver to watch as he quickly moved towards the leaders from his 11th place on the grid. His cause was helped somewhat when the safety car was dispatched after James Courtney found the wall at Dandenong Road and stopped in the gravel trap. The WAU Commodore left the track at the Esses and nosed into the tyre wall. The wall had been strengthened for the race with a number of concrete barriers positioned behind the armco fence to provide extra support. It appeared to be an effective measure as Courtney’s car appeared to run along the wall, although the front right wheel and tyre had become stuck under the tyre belt and was ripped from the car.

SEE OUR SANDOWN 500 PHOTO GALLERY HERE

Reynolds slowly moved away from the Shell V-Power Falcons at the restart, who were also being caught by Whincup in the Red Bull Commodore. Jamie moved into second and closed to within a few metres of the Chickadee inspired Penrite Commodore as the laps counted down. Reynolds staged a spirited defence and remained in the lead at the chequered flag. Reynolds won from Whincup, McLaughlin, Coulthard, Winterbottom, Heimgartner, Mostert, Slade, de Pasquale and Lowndes.

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