Photos: Daniel Kalisz Photography and Speed Shots Photography
Mobil 1 Australian Production Car Series and Monochrome GT4 Australia Series
Race 2 (Fight in the Night)
Shane Smollen and Lachlan Mineeff (GT4) and Iain Sherrin (APC) took an emphatic victory in the 2023 Fight in the Night race.
Starting from pole position, Smollen led off the line and started to build a lead in the early stages, giving Mineeff the job of working his way through the grid after the pit stop phase to eventually take the lead and cross the line first.
Finishing in second was Tony Quinn, who came within seconds of Mineeff in the dying stages but was unable to get close enough to make a move. Rounding out the top three was Mark Griffith and Nash Morris.
In APC, Iain took victory ahead of Lindsay Kearns – who also held the lead of the race through many stages as well as Grant Sherrin, who fell down the grid late on.
Rounding out the podium places was Tim Leahey, who this time got the better of usual FITN teammate, Beric Lynton who finished in fifth.
The combined Mobil 1 Australian Production Car Series and Monochrome GT4 Australia Series will return to the track for their third and final race on Sunday at 10:05am AEST.
National Trans Am Series
Qualifying
It was a Racing Academy one-two in the morning qualifying session, with Cody Gillis and Elliot Cleary locking up the front row in incredible fashion.
Rounding out the top three places was Pioneer DJ’s Elliot Barbour, who will have Sydney Property Care GRM’s Edan Thornburrow alongside him on the second row – with both drivers within two-tenths of a second of Gillis’ 1:11.57.
Series leader, James Moffat will start back in sixth place ahead of his teammate Lochie Dalton, while Tim Brook will have work to do from eighth after dominating the two Friday practice sessions.
Race 1
The first National Trans Am Series race of the weekend has been declared a non-result, after a plethora of first lap incidents resulted in the contest dramatically being cut short.
A rolling start saw The Racing Academy teammates Cody Gillis and Elliot Cleary lead at the start, but two separate incidents that saw five retire from the race ended in the race being suspended.
No series points were rewarded, with the grid to remain the same for race two this afternoon.
Race 2
Tom Hayman has taken his first series win after an enduring battle with Pioneer DJ’s Elliot Barbour in race two at Queensland Raceway.
The duo pulled away after making a fast start to the race, with Hayman making the move on lap 17 to then cruise to the finish line two seconds clear.
Rounding out the podium places was Edan Thornburrow, putting in a good stint to finish ahead of series leader, James Moffat in fourth.
Pole-sitter Cody Gilles would come home in fifth, while his teammate, Cleary had a rather disappointing outing to drop to eighth after starting from the front row.
The National Trans Am Series will return to the track on Sunday for their second to last race of the weekend at 12:05pm AEST.
Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series
Qualifying
Will Brown claimed an emphatic pole position at his home circuit on his return to the series, finishing ahead of series leader, Bailey Sweeny.
Brown was comfortable through both sessions, setting the fastest times while posting the least number of laps between the top drivers.
Starting third for race one is reigning champion, Tony D’Alberto – who swapped positions with Sweeny throughout but will now be joined by Tim Slade in the Lynk & Co.
Race 1
Will Brown converted pole position into his first race win of 2023 after a dominant lights-to-flag performance in the categories first of three races of the weekend.
The 2019 TCR Champion created a gap early on and was never headed, finishing more than 10 seconds clear of second place runner and 2022 Champion, Tony D’Alberto.
Rounding out the top three was Zac Soutar in the Audi, continuing a good run of form after a troubled start to the year.
Jordan Cox would continue his title charge finishing fourth, with series leader Bailey Sweeny coming home in last after starting from the pit lane when the car wouldn’t fire up.
The remaining two Supercheap Auto TCR Australia races will take place on Sunday, with race two kicking off at 12:45pm AEST.
V8 Touring Car Series
Race 1
Notlaw Racing’s Jamie Tilley turned a front row start into a brilliant race win, finishing ahead of RHM/Nulon’s Ray Hislop and pole-sitter, Jude Bargwanna.
A poor start from Bargwanna saw the series leader drop right down the field, having to work his way back throughout the race – but ultimately came up short of another race win.
Finishing in fourth was MoComm Motorsport Communications’ Jim Pollicina, getting the best of Turbo Brisbane’s Jarred Danaher after starting behind the series newcomer on the grid.
Race 2
Ray Hislop won his first race of 2023 after putting in an incredible veteran’s display to finish ahead of Jude Bargwanna.
The duo was involved in an epic battle through most of the race after being the two fast starters ahead of pole-sitter Jamie Tilley – they would then stay within a second of each other all the way to the line.
A mistake from Tilley in the late stages of the race promoted Jim Pollicina to third.
The final Kumho V8 Touring Car Series race will take place on Sunday at 1:30pm AEST.
Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS
Qualifying 1
Shannon’s entry Liam Talbot had a major coup to his title aspirations, claiming pole position for race one ahead of Triple Eight’s Prince Abu Bakar Ibrahim.
The session-best time of 1:08.30 was enough to hold off Ibrahim, who was only four-hundredths of a second behind – setting up an intriguing opening race.
Geoff Emery locked in third, while Ross Poulakis will line up alongside him in fourth.
Qualifying 2
Jamec Racing’s Max Hofer went fastest in Qualifying 2 ahead of Harrolds Racing/Volante Rosso Motorsport Josh Hunt – who almost stole top spot after a last gasp effort fell less than a tenth of a second short.
Shannon’s Garth Tander rounded out the top three ahead of Triple Eight’s Jamie Whincup and Hunt’s teammate, Jayden Ojeda.
The top 10 drivers will now move on to the brand-new Top 10 Shootout to decide the grid for race two on Sunday.
Race 1
Geoff Emery and Austrian, Max Hofer claimed a big win in the category’s first of two one-hour races to keep themselves in title contention.
Emery did all the hard work early in the first stint, leaving Hofer with the job of keeping the car in one piece and crossing the line ahead of Yasser Shahin and Garnet Patterson.
The latter had to work hard for second place, holding off Prince Jefri Ibrahim and Jamie Whincup in an entertaining battle.
Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia returns to the track for the category’s first ever Top Ten Shootout at 11:40am AEST Sunday, before the final race of the weekend begins at 2:10pm AEST.
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia
Race 1
Nash Morris added another win to his excellent Porsche career after a faultless performance in the categories opening race.
Morris finished ahead of a fast-starting Oscar Targett, who made a slight mistake at turn three to lose the advantage.
Marcos Flack rounded out the podium places in a race that saw couple of incidents behind, with a number of drivers, including title contender Ronan Murphy, sustaining damage. Series leader, Marco Giltrap finished in fifth.
Race 2
An interrupted race saw Nash Morris pick up his second straight Porsche win for the weekend, finishing ahead of Hamish Fitzsimmons.
Morris held the lead after starting from pole all the way through until an incident between Tim Wolfe and Bradley car brought out the safety car, putting the race to a halt.
A two-lap sprint after the safety car went back into the pits saw Morris hold on, with Fitzsimmons making a last gasp move on Marcos Flack to take second.
The final Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge race will take place on Sunday at 9:10am AEST.
Keyword: Shannons SpeedSeries Queensland Raceway: Saturday wrap