Kiwi Hunter Robb has finished fifth, fourth and eighth across three races at the penultimate round of the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia at Sydney Motorsport Park over the weekend.
Kobi Williams looked destined for a dominant Race 3 victory at Sydney Motorsport Park, only for late-race heartbreak to completely reshape the result and cap off a dramatic Sunday of Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia action.
The Tyler Greenbury Racing youngster made a lightning start from the front row and led into turn 1, quickly disappearing from the chasing pack. His advantage had stretched to 12 seconds by halfway, and with six minutes remaining, the race appeared firmly in his grasp.
A right-rear tyre delamination on the final lap forced Williams into damage limitation mode, with his commanding 20-second lead evaporating as he nursed the car to the finish, eventually crossing the line in fifth.
The drama opened the door for Sonic’s Xavier Avramides, who had steadily worked his way through the field. The Queenslander reached fourth by lap 7 before moving into contention for the podium, ultimately inheriting the lead and taking victory.
Avramides’ Sonic teammate Hayden Haikal and TGR’s Ryan Suhle completed the podium after both made decisive final-lap moves on Quimby, shuffling him back to fourth at the flag.
The race was filled with action from the opening laps. TekworkX’s Lincoln Taylor initially battled Jones Motorsport’s Hunter Robb for second. Both drivers went on to drop further through the pack, finishing seventh & eighth respectively.
Further back, McElrea’s Kamal Mrad and Sonic’s Ruairi Avern were involved in a synchronised spin at turn 4. Both drivers fell down the order, before working their back inside the top 10. Avern crossing the line in sixth, with Mrad coming home tenth.
In Pro-Am, Anthony Gilbertson produced a remarkable recovery drive from the rear of the field following his Race 2 DNF. The McElrea Racing driver charging through to 9th outright while taking class honours ahead of Dean Wanless & Stephen Moylan.
Taylor Strikes Back in Race 2
Earlier in the day, it was Taylor who claimed a comprehensive Race 2 victory after taking the lead from Williams on the opening lap.
The 2 young Queenslanders race side-by-side through turns 1 & 2 before Taylor completed the pass for the lead at turn 3. He quickly established a 5.6-second lead by Lap 4 while setting a new race lap record in the process, a record that previously stood for 10 years, held by current Supercars co-driver Jaxon Evans.
Taylor went on to cross the line 8.5 seconds ahead of Williams to take victory, with Haikal completing the podium for the second consecutive race.
The Pro-Am lead changed hands late in the race after Gilbertson was forced into the lane with a right-rear wheel bearing failure.
Wanless inherited the lead before Moylan passed him at the final corner with six minutes remaining.
Moylan went on to take the class victory ahead of Wanless, with Kent Leicester completing the top 3 for his third Pro-Am podium of the season.
Despite the heartbreak in race 3, Kobi Williams still claimed the outright round win, ahead of Taylor & Haikal, whilst in Pro-Am, it was Stephen Moylan who took out the round victory, ahead of Wanless & Gilbertson.
All eyes no turn towards the final round of the season at Sundown Raceway on November 6-8, where our champions will be crowned.
Comments