Ryan Shule qualified fastest for GT3 Cup Challenge – Photo: InSyde Media

WHILE THE TCR Series has already been decided and S5000 continue to show off its wares, championships were still to be decided in the other categories running with the seventh round of the Shannons Nationals at The Bend.

PORSCHE GT3 CUP CHALLENGE AUSTRALIA SERIES

RYAN SUHLE who is racing with McElrea Racing, has qualified fastest for the sixth and final round’s first race ahead of Sonic Racing pair Aaron Love and Max Vidau. Suhle’s teammate Harri Jones comes to the South Australian venue with a healthy but not uncatchable 92-point lead, was fourth fastest. Next best was Christian Pancione ahead of Tom Taplin and Oliver Shannon in his second outing in the category.

Behind the Pro drivers, Brett Boulton was quickest in the TAG Heuer Pro-Am class in eighth place, but the session went poorly for Sam Shahin. The class points leader was the pacesetter earlier in the day but had a water pump pulley failure in the session that counted and will start 16th and seventh in class.

Andrew Goldie put in a commendable effort to record the ninth best time in his Class B entry ahead of Matt Belford (Pro-Am), David Greig (Class B), Ross McGregor, Graham Williams, Rob Woods and Michael Loccisano, the four in Pro-Am.

MRF TYRES AUSTRALIAN PRODUCTION CAR SERIES

Coleby Cowhan set the pace in Australian Production Cars – Photo: InSyde Media

CONTINUING TO dominate after showing the way in two earlier practice sessions, Coleby Cowhan (Class A2 Ford Mustang) was easily the fastest in qualifying for the first of four one-hour races. He headed Dwayne West (Class A1 HSV GTS) and Nathan Callaghan (Class AM1 HSV Clubsport R8).

The latter is sharing the HSV with outright points leader Chris Lillis while second in the points Iain Sherrin’s BMW M4 which his brother Grant is sharing, languished in fourth spot. Next was Brad Carr (A2 BMW M3) ahead of Dimitri Agathos (with Matt Boylan in their Subaru Impreza WRX STi) and Mark Eddy (A2 Audi TT RS).

Eighth best was Frank Mammarella (Hyundai i30N) who will have Kade Olsen joining him. The Darren Forrest/Paul Razum AM2 Holden Commodore was nine ahead of Adam and Jed Wallis in a BMW 1M, and a pair of C1 VW Golf Rs in the hands of Cem Yucel/Ian Salteri and Matt Thewlis/Ellexandra Best.

The session was halted for a period with issues to both Osborne Motorsport Renault Meganes, driven by Colin Osborne and Tyler Everingham, and before the end of the session the Brett Watters Peugeot 206 GTi returned to the pits under tow.

Ben Grice ended the day fastest in the Excels – Photo: InSyde Media

HEADING THE 42-car field after qualifying for the first of three heats was Ben Grice who was seven tenths of a second faster than his nearest rival. Second best was Andrew Hobby ahead of Cooper Webster, Joel Johnson and Asher Johnston.

Twice Nationals winner will start race one from position five with Adam Bywater alongside. Behind them it will be Daniel Errigo, Liam Gretgrix, Thomas Benford and Arron Hindle with Dale Carpenter and Brock Giblin just outside the top ten.

Mark Laucke lead the charge in Prototypes – Photo: InSyde Media

A WOLF pack headed up the combined times from three practice sessions leading into the fifth and final round. In their third outing of the day, Mark Laucke spearheaded the charge in his Wolf Tornado (turbo Peugeot powered) ahead of the similarly mounted Daniel Gonzalez who set his best time in the opening session.

Third quickest was John-Paul Drake in his Wolf G808CN (Honda) while outright series leader David Barram (Chiron LMP3-004) was ranked fourth. Next came Andreas Laskaratos (G808CN) ahead of James Winslow in the best placed Radical SR3.

Next best of the 15 was Glen Stallbaum (G808CN) ahead of Improved Production racer Michael Naguib (West WR1000), Carmelo Bonaventura (SR3), Siegfried Fuhrmeiste (SR3) and Ian Eldridge (Stohr WF1).

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