News
JOHNSON BUSTS BATHURST RECORD FOR POLE
STEVEN JOHNSON has smashed the ENZED Touring Car Masters lap record at Mount Panorama to storm his way to pole position today in Bathurst.
In the series’ best qualifying performance of the year Johnson’s 2m18.16s lap was a full one second faster than Bowe’s time in the same car last year and secured him his third pole from four attempts in 2015.
Johnson’s return to TCM this weekend comes in the first year in the last 22 that he won’t start the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 and serves as a reminder of his prodigious pace at Mount Panorama.
Behind the dominant Johnson a stunning battle was staged for the second spot on the front row of the grid with Glenn Seton edging out a four-car group of legends that included Andrew Miedecke (3rd) Eddie Abelnica (4th) and John Bowe (5th).
Bowe spent a majority of the session in pit lane and left his run at the top spot to the closing minutes ultimately falling short in his one-lap dash.
Practice pace setter Glenn Seton continued his early weekend form into the 20-minute qualifying session by putting the Thunder Road Racing Team Mustang into second having headed the charts prior to Johnson’s record breaking run.
Miedecke and Seton battled for second for much of the session and ultimately ended up split by just 0.1 seconds after a great fight.
Abelnica was another star of the session and was never outside of the top four group. His Sydney’s Cheapest Cars XB falcon was also the fastest car in a straight line all weekend topping 290km/hr in practice and going close to that mark in the qualifying session later in the day.
Abelnica’s strong qualifying performance backed up his strong performance in the series’ most recent round at Sydney Motorsport Park where he qualified second and finished in the same position in the opening two races. ÂÂ
Just 0.4s covered Seton in second and Bowe in fifth setting up a stunning fight to be the first to chase Steve Johnson in tomorrow’s opening 7-lap race.
Points’ leader Jim Richards ended qualifying sixth just 0.1s ahead of Mark King.
Jason Gomersall Brett Youlden and Andrew Fisher completed the top 10.
TCM MOUNTAIN MASTERS – QUALIFYING
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Pos Car Competitor/Team Driver Vehicle Cap CL Laps Fastest...Lap Gap1 17 PAYCE/Wilson Security Steven Johnson (QLD) 1969 Ford Mustang Tr 5800 3 2 2:18.1606R 2 30 Thunder Road Racing Australia Glenn Seton (QLD) 1964 Ford Mustang Co 5000 7 5 2:19.2791 0:01.11853 95 Whiteline Transport Racing / L Andrew Miedecke (NSW) 1969 Chevrolet Camar 5800 7 6 2:19.4055 0:01.24494 48 Sydneys Cheapest Cars Eddie Abelnica (VIC) 1974 Ford Falcon XB 5800 7 6 2:19.4876 0:01.32705 18 Dunlop Super Dealers/ Wilson S John Bowe (VIC) 1974 Holden Torana 5047 5 5 2:19.6824 0:01.52186 2 Shannons Insurance Jim Richards (VIC) 1972 AMC Javelin 5890 4 2 2:20.2614 0:02.10087 85 Whiteline Transport Racing / K Mark King (QLD) 1970 Chevrolet Camar 5800 6 5 2:20.4531 0:02.29258 35 iseek Racing Jason Gomersall (QLD) 1974 Holden Torana 5047 7 6 2:20.5715 0:02.41099 56 Gabriel Shock Absorbers Brett Youlden (VIC) 1972 Holden HQ Mona 5800 5 2 2:21.5185 0:03.357910 9 Jesus Racing Andrew Fisher (NSW) 1971 Ford Falcon XY 5800 6 2 2:21.7203 0:03.559711 3 Hercules Engines Cameron Mason (NSW) 1966 Ford Mustang Fa 5000 6 5 2:22.3017 0:04.141112 25 Freestones Transport/Freestone Paul Freestone (VIC) 1968 Chevrolet Camar 5800 7 5 2:23.2872 0:05.126613 88 TIFS - Warehousing & Distribut Tony Karanfilovski (NSW) 1969 Ford Mustang Tr 5800 6 3 2:24.0731 0:05.912514 10 Sunliner RV Tony Hunter (VIC) 1971 Chevrolet Monza 5000 4 3 2:24.7475 0:06.586915 60 Glennan Transport / Tilleys Ra Cameron Tilley (NSW) 1969 Valiant Pacer 4390 7 6 2:24.9513 0:06.790716 74 Lyndways Builders Wayne Mercer (VIC) 1971 Ford Falcon XY 5800 7 7 2:25.2766 0:07.116017 4 Skye Sands Rusty French (VIC) 1970 Ford Mustang Fa 5800 7 6 2:25.5897 0:07.429118 11 Lion Mill Solutions/Ultra Perf Tony Edwards (VIC) 1973 Ford Falcon XA 5768 5 4 2:25.7427 0:07.582119 90 Kalus Kenny Intelex Sven Burchartz (VIC) 1974 Porsche 911 IRO 3600 7 6 2:26.0710 0:07.910420 12 Giraffe Civil Contracting Adam Garwood (TAS) 1974 Holden Torana 5047 8 5 2:26.3591 0:08.198521 46 THD Motorsport Leo Tobin (VIC) 1972 Holden HQ Mona 5810 5 4 2:29.4221 0:11.261522 7 Red Rock Winery Rohan Little (VIC) 1974 Porsche 911 IRO 3600 7 6 2:40.3762 0:22.2156