Double up for Reece Chapman in Perth
It was the Guardian Interlock Systems entry of Reece Chapman taking the inverted grid race at Carco.com.au in Perth for Round 3 of the Battery World Aussie Racing Cars Super Series.
Starting from second, TFH Hire’s Josh Thomas won the start and gapped Jeff Watters in the Fight MND entry, Cody Mckay also close for company in third.
Leading the Gold Cup for the weekend was Action Line Marking’s Scott Dornan, but he spun at Turn 1 and dropped to the back as he headed into limp mode. Contact was made by Corish Motorsports’ Mason Harvey after the latter clipped the kerb.
Thomas held a 0.4s lead at the end of lap 3, but a mistake dropped him back behind Riskie Racing’s Brandon Madden as another contender in Western Sydney Motorsport’s Cody Brewczynski lost pace.
Madden held more than 1s margin to Thomas, who dropped to third after Masters Cup leader Kent Quinn for Norganic Proteins slid down the inside at there final corner as Chapman began to scythe his way through the field to be third by lap 5.
Competition Coatings-supported Nathan Williams was enjoying a strong run in fourth as Race 1 winner Kody Garland completed the top five for MTA NSW at the halfway mark.
Hometown driver Harvey was also completing a superb comeback after failing to finish the opening event.
A mistake from Madden at Turn 5 opened the door for Chapman to take the lead at the final corner to complete a drive from 11th.
Gold Cup contender Joseph Andriske spun at the final corner in the Riskie Racing entry to drop out of the class lead and dropped some dirt at that location.
A thrilling battle resulted in a bump dropping Madden and Chapman behind Quinn, who now led from Garland, but it wasn’t over.
Osborn’s Transport’s Joel Heinrich, Josh Anderson of Corish Motorsport, Harvey and Williams made this a big battle pack.
Garland secured his shot at the lead at the final corner on lap 8 as Chapman was putting the blowtorch behind as the top eight were separated by just 1.4s.
Chapman snatched the lead on the penultimate lap and increased his advantage to 0.854s to the flag from Garland, Anderson, Heinrich, Madden, Quinn, Williams, Harvey, Thomas and Gold Cup winner Dornan.
Rookie Cup was won by Harvey from teammate Jordan Freestone and debutant Lachlan Evennett for WLM Motorsport.
Dornan recovered to take Gold Cup from Fight MND’s Jeff Watters and Emma Clark for Mable.
Masters Cup was secured by Quinn from Mckay and Pro Cool Racing’s Troy Jones.