Robb recovers to fourth in Sprint Challenge in Townsville

KOBI WILLIAMS has capped a perfect Saturday on the streets of Townsville, converting the first pole position of his Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia career into a commanding Race 1 victory and leading home teammate Ryan Suhle in a Tyler Greenbury Racing one-two. Lincoln Taylor hung on for third, while Hunter Robb produced the recovery drive of the afternoon, gaining four positions at turn two on the opening lap after starting eighth, ahead of Kamal Mrad.

Wheelspin off the line allowed fellow front-row starter Lincoln Taylor to take the race lead heading into turn one, relegating Williams back to second. Williams hung on around the outside as the pair ran two-wide, getting back into the clear air before the end of lap one.

Behind the two front runners, the pack ran three and four wide, with the TekworkX Motorsport driver settling back into second before a front-right lock-up left him vulnerable. Ryan Suhle capitalised when Taylor ran wide, moving up into second before setting the fastest lap of the race (1m15.1240s). Despite trimming the margin to Williams as the laps ticked over, Suhle couldn’t catch his teammate and crossed the finish line in second.

Mrad, meanwhile, spent much of the race locked in a battle for fifth with Oscar Targett, the sixth-fastest qualifier eventually finding a way around the former Sprint Challenge champion, who joins the field for a one-off cameo this weekend.

Targett’s afternoon soon became busier still; a lock-up from Daniel Quimby almost sent the FCL Transport entry into the back of Hayden Haikal, with the young gun then pouncing to grab sixth after falling back early on when Targett ran wide.

Targett came home seventh ahead of Xavier Avramides, who made a hard-fought move stick on Sonic Motor Racing Services teammate Ruairi Avern for eighth, with Avern and Daniel Quimby completing the top 10.

Round 4 of the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia continues its milestone 100th round weekend with Race 2 and Race 3, live on Fox Sports and Kayo. Race 3 will also be live on 7 and 7Plus.