Kiwi drivers Tim Miles and Daniel Gaunt (pictured) have completed a successful weekend at the latest round of the Australian GT Championship in Melbourne.
Audi Sport Customer Racing Australia proved the class of the field at Round 2 of the Australian GT Championship race at Albert Park, claiming two race wins, including a 1-2-3 in the opening race, and the overall round victory.
Kelvin van der Linde was unbeatable in the #74 Valvoline Audi R8 LMS, setting a new qualifying record and claiming two thrilling victories to finish the weekend with maximum points from his sessions.
He was well supported by Geoff Emery, who narrowly missed out on pole in Qualifying 2. He then raced on to a strong eighth in the opening race and third in the final race, handing he and van der Linde the overall round victory.
“Kelvin did an awesome job this weekend,” Emery said after the final race of the weekend. “Really it was just up to me to keep it on the black stuff and bring it home! It was a great weekend!”
James Koundouris’ fine form around the Albert Park circuit continued, qualifying the Supabarn Supermarkets entry inside the top ten in a competitive second qualifying session. He then climbed to sixth in his first race on Friday morning, backing up another sixth place on Sunday.
It followed a sensational drive from co-driver Ash Walsh which put the #44 on the front row for race one, just 0.08s behind pole-sitter van der Linde.
In two thrilling races Walsh went wheel to wheel for victory with van der Linde, and ultimately sealed a stunning third place in the opening, while a determined drive on Saturday netted fourth result behind Supercars enduro racer David Russell.
Daniel Gaunt proved a revelation in the KFC Audi R8 LMS he shared with Gary Higgon, recording two podium positions in races one and three.
Co-driver Higgon took control for races two and four, fulfilling a lifelong ambition of racing around the famous Albert Park street circuit.
“What a fantastic experience,” Higgon beamed. “I really loved it, and learned so much doing it. It was a big learning curve, but I had a ball.
“He’s been absolutely great coaching me,” he added of his co-driver, Gaunt. “What a drive he put in when he came second with the hordes descending upon him yesterday. What a great job!”
Driving the #75 Valvoline entry, Tim Miles eased his way into the weekend, growing in confidence at the wheel of the Audi R8 LMS every time he went out on track.
He quickly found the limit, racing his way to an impressive fifteenth in the first Pro race of the weekend.
A spin in Race 2 saw him down the order, but prompted a spirited recovery drive in Race 3 before soaring to a stunning top ten in Race 4.
“It’s been fantastic,” Miles said of his weekend with the Audi Sport Customer Racing Australia squad in Albert Park. “The team has done a great job and gave me a really fast car.
“It’s a really, really cool place to come,” he added. “The track’s got such a flow to it; it’s got to be one of the most special circuits you can race on anywhere.
“We all talk about Bathurst, but this is a very close second.”
Dean Fiore took no time to get in the groove in Albert Park, where he joined Marc Cini aboard the Hallmarc Construction Audi R8 LMS.
Fiore was immediately on the pace in qualifying to record the sixth best time, improving to fifth in Thursday’s 25-minute encounter.
Cini’s start in Race 2 of the weekend marked his 50th Australian GT Championship start, experience that was put to good use to record two solid finishes, including a fine ninth place in Race 4.
A tough weekend for Ash Samadi came to an end following Race 1, which saw the Ah Apartments Audi R8 LMS cross the line is the slipstream of team-mate Miles in the #75 Valvoline Audi.
It had been a combative drive, which saw the Sydney-based Samadi get the better of ex-Formula 1 driver Ivan Capelli in the early stages. A touch between the two on the opening lap however manifested itself at the end of the race, pitching Samadi into a spin that would rule him out for the remainder of the weekend.
The Audi Sport Customer Racing Australia team now moves to Perth, for the third round of the 2017 Australian GT Championship, with Emery fourth in the points standings.
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