Photos: Porsche Motorsport Australia
Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia
Callum Hedge became the 2023 champion in dramatic circumstances after lead title contender, Jackson Walls crashed out of the final race of the year.
The title deciding race lasted only 500-metres for Walls who made contact with the fence after hitting the kerbs at turn one, prematurely ending his race as a result.
The incident meant Hedge would just need to finish the race to be crowned champion, which he did by crossing the line in seventh place.
It was a neck-and-neck battle leading up to that final race, with Hedge claiming two second place finishes behind round winner, Dale Wood in races one and two.
Walls would finish third and fourth respectively in those races, while Max Vidau and Dylan O’Keefe also impressed with podium finishes of their own.
However, it was Vidau who would ultimately claim the final spot on the overall round podium with two second place finishes to his name.
It was a day to remember for the Earl Bamber Motorsport team, who also secured the Pro Am title with Adrian Flack.
Flack won the opening two races which meant he held a solid lead into the final race of the weekend, where he took a conservative approach to cross the line in fourth and earn enough points to take the class win.
Finishing the year in second place was Dean Cook, while race three class winner, Sam Shahin rounded out the top three.
Dunlop Series
Kai Allen became the youngest-ever Dunlop Series Super2 champion after edging out title rival Zak Best in his home round.
The South Australian entered the round behind Best on the overall standings but was able to take the advantage after the latter was penalised for an incident with Nash Morris in the first of two category races.
Allen would finish that first race in third place, meaning Best would have had to win race two while also requiring Allen to finish outside the top four in order to claim the title.
However, after taking victory in race one, Ryan Wood made it two-from-two by finishing ahead of the second-placed Best – ultimately handing Allen the title after finishing fifth place.
With the end margin at just six points, the title fight would become the third closest in the category’s history behind 2004 and 2007.
Meanwhile, two race wins for Wood secured round honours ahead of Cooper Murray, who had a second and a fourth place to secure second ahead of Allen.
S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship
Aaron Cameron claimed a maiden Motorsport Australia Gold Star award following a dominant display in all three category races.
The Team Valvoline GRM entry entered the round with a healthy lead over Cooper Webster but was barely challenged all weekend long after a pole position led to a cruisy race one win ahead of teammate Jordan Boys and Nippy’s Versa Motorsport’s Blake Purdie.
A disrupted second race saw the top two remain the same, while Hangcha Racing’s Ben Bargwanna this time rounded out the podium places.
Back-to-back race wins had already mathematically confirmed the title for Cameron, but one final lights-to-flag performance in race three would ultimately kick off the celebrations whilst also securing the category’s Tasman Cup for a second time.
The top three remained the same in that final race, also ensuring they would share the overall round podium in the same order.
Photo: Daniel Kalisz Photography
Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS
A three-way title fight heading into the round went right down to the final race, where Liam Talbot would celebrate his first category series win ahead of Geoff Emery and Yasser Shahin.
Talbot entered the round with a slight lead over Geoff Emery but would ultimately finish ahead of his closest series rival in both of the first two races, claiming second and first respectively alongside German driver, Christopher Mies.
Talbot’s race two win immediately ruled Shahin out of title contention, despite the Porsche driver taking victory in race one and three alongside Matt Campbell, eventually securing the round win.
With 16 points the gap and 17 points availble for that final race, all Talbot and Mies needed to do was finish the race to secure the title, while Emery, alongside Max Hofer, needed to win.
In the end, a third place finish would secure the title for Talbot, with Emery and Hofer’s weekend-best second place finish not enough to spoil the party.
Photo: Daniel Kalisz Photography
Gulf Western Oil Touring Car Masters Series
Three podium finishes for long-time series leader, Steven Johnson ensured he would leave Adelaide as champion following a dominant year behind the wheel of his rapid Ford Mustang Trans Am.
It would have required a near-miracle for his closest title rival, Ryan Hansford to close the 75-point gap heading into the round, but he was able to record two podium finishes and end the season on a high.
Taking the round win was hometown-hero Joel Heinrich, who kicked off his winning ways with victory in race one despite only leading half a lap for the entirety of the race.
Hansford would finish second ahead of the eventual champion in Johnson, before the top three would again repeat their efforts in race two – where Heinrich would this time cruise to a more convincing victory.
The third and final race of the weekend saw the round winner complete a clean sweep of race wins for the second time in South Australia this year, but would this time cross the line ahead of Johnson, with Cameron Tilley filling the final step on the podium.
The round also bid a farewell to category legend, John Bowe – who was almost unable to take to the track for his farewell race due to a mechanical issue in his Holden Torana.
Fortunately, an incredible gesture saw Jim Pollicina hand over his own Torana to give Bowe the farewell he deserved after decades of competing in the popular Muscle Car category.
Photo: Daniel Kalisz Photography
TyrePower SuperUte Series
The exciting SuperUte Series was the only support category not to crown a champion in the final round of the year, with already champion-elect Aaron Borg ending a fantastic year with on another high.
Borg won three of four races for the weekend, with David Sieders the only other victor in the weekend’s reverse-grid race two.
However, a mix of drivers were able to find themselves on the podium throughout the weekend, including Adam Marjoram, who ending his season with two seconds and two third place finishes across the four races.
The consistent podium form all but ensured second on the outright podium ahead of Sieders, who followed up his race two win with a further two podiums.
Craig Woods And Cody Brewczynski were the other two drivers to finish in the top three, but the weekend belonged to Borg in the end after he was barely headed all weekend long.
Photo: V8 SuperUtes
Keyword: Supercars support categories crown new champions