AUS PRODUCTION CAR CHAMPS RETURNED TO QR FOR THE FIGHT IN THE NIGHT

The Australian Production Car Championship returned to Queensland Raceway for the Fight in the Night round of the Hi-Tec Oils Super Series.

The category completed a hectic day of racing across Saturday with two sprint races rounded out by their rather iconic Fight in the Night enduro.

Endurance was truly the name of the game.

Up front in was a case of American muscle as a solitary Chevrolet Camaro pitted itself against a trio of Ford Mustangs.

For Tony Quinn, owner of Queensland Raceway and the Game Over Camaro, it was another evening that ended in frustration.

Having taken pole position for the race, Quinn and Matt McCutcheon had hoped to do likewise in the race with the Camaro fitted with a new crate engine.

The car was almost a late scratching after detonating their last motor in June, turning it into a colander as rods and the like tore through the block and sump. Another engine was in the process of a full rebuild, but a parts supply problem meant it wasn’t going to be finished in time.

A nation-wide call up led to another complete motor being sourced and sent to Queensland just in time for the weekend.

Quinn was fourth in race !, behind Lindsay Kearns in the CMA Car Mods Mustang, Tyler Mecklem in the Parramatta Vehicle Services Mustang, the Ultimate Vehicle Services Mustang of Glen Walker and Maika Ter Horst in the Speedcafe BMW M4.

Brad Carr made it a double for the CMA Car Mods entry in Race 2, from Hadrian Morrell in the Parramatta Vehicle Service machine with Quinn rounding out the podium.

The enduro, as one might expect, became a race of strategy, reliability and opportunity, with the latter proving to be the deciding factor in the race.

Kearns and Carr looked to have an edge on their fellow competitors, having taken the lead as the race began in the late afternoon twilight.

The two leading cars of Morrell/Mecklam and Ter Horst/Gooley completed 126 laps in a race punctuated by two Safety Car interventions.

Taking the opportunity to pit under one of those caution periods, gave the duo a one lap advantage over Kearns and Carr at the finish line.

Tony Quinn’s race came to an end after 38 laps after another engine issue saw the car stop on track.

They weren’t alone in suffering from a mechanical malaise.

Ben Gersekowski, J.Flynn/A.Gealy, Trent Whyte, C.Gunther/M.Randall and David Ling/ Troy Williams also retired from the race.

Ling’s exit was dramatic as heavy smoke and billowed from the Ford Falcon FPV as it pulled to a halt near the paddock exit gate. Quick work by QR fire crews had the car engulfed in extinguishment, with the driver eventually emerged amdist a thick haze of smoke and powder.

Ter Hoist made a late charge towards the leading Mustang as the three hour mark fast approached, but it was Mecklem and Morrall that held their nerve, taking the win by 20 seconds, having overcome a 30 second time penalty. The BMW of Ter Horst claimed second. Kearns and Carr lost a lap having taken their stop under the green flag, but still held on to third.

Mark Griffith and Tom Hayman were with winners in Class A1, Jake Camilleri took out Class C, while Annabelle Rolfo and Emily Cacaviello were the victors in Class d.

#AustralianProductionCars
#hitecoilssuperseries
#Paramattavehicleservices
#ultimatedieseltuning
#queenslandraceway

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