WOOD CONTINUES PODIUM STREAK IN TOWNSVLLE

PRESS RELEASE/Sonic Motor Racing Services – Photo: Velocity Magazine (Darin Mandy)

Dale Wood has extended his lead at the top of the Carrera Cup standings after a strong second outright at Round 5 of the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia Championship at the Townsville 400.

Driving the Polyflor Porsche, Wood enjoyed another consistent round of front-running performances, qualifying in fourth and bagging results of fourth, fourth and second from three intense Carrera Cup races around the streets of Townsville.

Five rounds in and Wood is still focussed on achieving the best possible results in every race, with the overall championship not playing on his mind with still a long way to run.

Michael Almond started strongly with third and second in the opening two races, off the back of his round victory last time out in Darwin.

The South Australian got the jump off the start in Race 3, but dropped back to eighth by the end of the first lap and recovered to sixth at the chequered and fourth outright for the weekend.

Jordan Love qualified eighth in the #777 Bob Jane T-Marts entry, as he bounced back from a major incident in the final race at Darwin. The West Aussie climbed two spots to sixth in Race 1 before he was turned around by team-mate Thomas Maxwell on Lap 7 at the Turn 13 hairpin.

Starting 12th in Race 2, Love recovered to sixth in Race 2 and charged back to the podium with third in Race 3, and sixth outright.

Thomas Maxwell had a strong start to the weekend, topping his first Porsche Carrera Cup official session during practice on Friday.

The Northern Territorian continued his practice form to qualify at a personal-best result in fifth. Maxwell was running well inside the top ten during Race 1 before the incident with Love, coming home in 19th following a drive-through penalty.

Maxwell charged well back to 12th in Race 2, before fighting his way to eighth in Race 3.

Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia remains in the top end of Australia for the next event, as the championship heads to South Australia for Round 6 at the The Bend Motorsport Park’s OTR Supersprint on August 23-25.

Dale Wood
#100, Sonic/Polyflor

Qualifying: 4th
Race 1: 4th
Race 2: 4th
Race 3: 2nd

“The points are certainly rolling in at the moment, but I don’t try and think about that too much. We want results, we want podiums and we want trophies,” said Dale Wood.

“I’m surprised and so wrapped to come away with second for the weekend here in Townsville.

“We haven’t been off the podium yet this year so it’s a great effort from the team as always to deliver those results as we look ahead to Tailem Bend.”

Michael Almond
#77, Sonic/Bob Jane T-Marts/PSA

Qualifying: 6th
Race 1: 3rd
Race 2: 2nd
Race 3: 6th

“I was happy with the pace we had all weekend, and Team Sonic did a great job to keep up the pace as the track evolved and the tyre grip changed,” said Michael Almond.

“I probably went too conservative into Turn 2 at the start of the final race, gave too much room and got left out as the freight train of cars went by.

“I’m looking forward to the next round back home in South Australia at Tailem Bend.”

Jordan Love
#777, Sonic/Bob Jane T-Marts/SRG

Qualifying: 8th
Race 1: 12th
Race 2: 6th
Race 3: 3rd

“To come back from where we were after the first race was really good,” said Jordan Love.

“We used up our tyres early on coming back through the field so once we got to third we were vulnerable but the car was still fast, so the adjustments we made after Race 2 definitely paid off.”

“We’ll keep our head down and focus on bringing home a strong result for the team when we head to the next round at The Bend.”

Thomas Maxwell
#5, Sonic/Hosepower

Qualifying: 5th
Race 1: 19th
Race 2: 12th
Race 3: 8th

“It was not the weekend we wanted after the pace we showed on Friday,” said Thomas Maxwell.

“Considering the circumstances we fought back well and made up a few spots each race.

“Townsville as a street circuit is naturally a tricky track to pass on, but the speed we had enabled us to pick a few up as the races progressed.

“I haven’t been to The Bend before but from what I hear it’s very long and a more European style of track, so it could suit me well with the fast, sweeping corners.”

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