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CLASSIC BATTLE IN STORE AT QR
THE SCENE is set for a classic Holden-versus-Ford battle in the Touring Car Masters this weekend following the sole practice session today at Queensland Raceway.
Steven Johnson’s Ford Mustang edged out John Bowe’s Holden Torana by just 0.0194s in an action-packed 20-minute session.
After a quiet day today TCM drivers return for another practice qualifying and the first race tomorrow in a packed Saturday schedule at the Coates Hire Ipswich Supersprint.
Bowe logged just five laps in the session before parking his Wilson Security / Payce Torana professing himself happy with the car but looking to conserve tyres and brakes before tomorrow’s more gruelling session.
Johnson jumped his former teammate on his ninth of ten laps lapping beneath last year’s pole position time to top the session at his home circuit in the Team Johnson Ford.
Johnson won all three races at the venue last time he drove the Mustang at Queensland raceway – in 2015 – and another weekend like that will firmly inject him into title calculations this year.
Eddie Abelnica was third fastest in the Brisbane’s Cheapest Cars XB Falcon only three-tenths of a second from the fastest time set by Johnson.
Tony Karanfilovski was an impressive fourth with overall TCM Championship leader Adam Bressington completing the five fastest in practice.
Jason Gomersall who qualified on the front row here twelve months ago was sixth in his BigMate Racing A9X hatch with Bruce Williams’ ACDelco Torana sedan just behind in seventh.
While Gomersall had a trouble-free session Williams’ survived a wild spin at turn four as his team continues to improve an oversteer-oriented handling balance on his entry.
In a Mustang now 90kg than it was at the last round Leo Tobin stormed into the top-10 in his five-litre Boss Mustang slightly faster than Mark King (HQ GTS 350 Monaro) and Cameron Tilley who was tenth in the Anglomoil Valliant Pacer.
Adam Garwood and Keith Kassulke just missed the top-10 Garwood now back to five-litre Holden power in his Torana and former TCM round winner Kassulke making his first start for the season in his HQ Monaro.
Brett Curran was 13th and first of the Queensland TransAm runners narrowly edging out Shannon O’Brien’s Pontiac by 0.2 seconds.
The session ran mostly uninterrupted only stopped with just over one minute to go when Darren Beale hit the tyres at turn six – seemingly with no stopping power in his Monaro as he approached the final turn before spinning and spearing into the tyres backwards.
The safety system did its job absorbing the impact and causing only superficial damage to the rear of the bright Orange Monaro.
Ryan Hansford was only 18th fastest with issues in the rear suspension of his Torana while Cameron Mason also stopped early with rear end dramas after just five laps.
The TCM field returns for a busy day tomorrow with practice qualifying and a race at the Coates Hire Iswich Supersprint. All sessions will be shown live on FOX Sports 506.ÂÂ
RESULTS – PRACTICE 1
Pos Car Competitor/Team Driver Vehicle Cap CL Laps Fastest...Lap Gap1 17 WM Waste / Illusion Gas Log Fi Steve Johnson (QLD) Ford Mustang Fast 5800 10 9 1:16.7832* 2 18 Wilson Security / PAYCE John Bowe (VIC) Holden Torana SL/R 5047 5 5 1:16.8026 0:00.01943 48 Brisbanes Cheapest Cars Eddie Abelnica (VIC) Ford Falcon XB Co 5800 11 8 1:17.1588 0:00.37564 88 TIFS - Warehousing & Distribut Tony Karanfilovski (NSW) Ford Mustang Tr 5800 11 11 1:17.5374 0:00.75425 95 Whiteline Racing / Fabre Austr Adam Bressington (NSW) Chevrolet Camaro SS 5800 7 6 1:18.0208 0:01.23766 35 Bigmate Racing Jason Gomersall (QLD) Holden Torana A9X Hatc 5000 12 3 1:18.0600 0:01.27687 5 ACDelco Bruce Williams (VIC) Holden Torana SL/R 5000 11 7 1:18.6469 0:01.86378 46 THD Motorsport Leo Tobin (VIC) Ford Boss Mustang 5000 11 11 1:18.8281 0:02.04499 85 Whiteline Racing / King Spring Mark King (QLD) Holden Monaro GTS Coup 5800 11 11 1:19.0583 0:02.275110 60 Glennan Transport / ANGLOMOIL Cameron Tilley (NSW) Valliant Pacer 4390 9 9 1:19.0837 0:02.300511 12 Giraffe Civil Contracting Adam Garwood (TAS) Holden Torana SL/R 500 5047 9 3 1:19.0978 0:02.314612 52 Outbound Racing / wheels.com.p Keith Kassulke (QLD) Holden Monaro GTS C 5800 7 3 1:19.3290 0:02.545813 25 Hutchinson Builders / Angliss Brett Curran (QLD) Ford Mustang Fast 5800 9 9 1:19.5360 0:02.752814 26 Wanna Burger Shannon O'Brien (QLD) Pontiac Firebird Trans 5800 9 3 1:19.7893 0:03.006115 4 Skye Sands Rusty French (VIC) Ford Mustang Fast 5800 13 9 1:19.8909 0:03.107716 19 Tincone Industrial Services Darren Beale (QLD) Holden Monaro GTS Coup 5800 11 8 1:20.5876 0:03.804417 72 GFR Industries Geoff Fane (QLD) Chevrolet Camaro SS 5800 8 7 1:20.6586 0:03.875418 6 Multispares Racing Ryan Hansford (QLD) Holden Torana SL/R 5000 3 3 1:21.1417 0:04.358519 3 Hercules Engines Cameron Mason (NSW) Ford Mustang Fastbac 5000 5 5 1:21.1654 0:04.382220 7 Wisely Motorsport Bob Wisely (QLD) Holden Torana SL/R 500 5000 11 3 1:21.4727 0:04.689521 97 John's Furniture Removals Allen Boughen (QLD) Mercury Comet 5000 13 9 1:21.5129 0:04.7297