October 7, 2017 | General

JOHNSON ABELNICA DELIVER FORD VICTORIES

THE TOURING Car Masters series has produced a pair of Bathurst thrillers as Eddie Abelnica and Steven Johnson split the honours for Ford at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.

Abelnica edged out the Valliant Pacer of Cameron Tilley to win the jumbled grid Dometic TCM Trophy Race in the morning while the afternoon’s affair was a tense battle between Johnson John Bowe and Adam Bressington for the top three spots in the championship race.

The Trophy race started with Tilley and Cameron Mason on the front row and the pair battled furiously for the opening lap.

Tilley led early before Mason passed at the Chase with an enormous move around the outside of the 220km/hr kink surviving a huge brake lock up to take the lead.

The Mustang Fastback was only in the lead for a short time as a badly flat-spotted left front began to take its toll Tilley re-passing the Ford and establishing a solid lead in his six-cylinder Valliant.

The biggest mover however was Eddie Abelnica who stormed his way through from the middle of the field to contend for a top three spot by mid-race.

After enduring engine dramas yesterday an overnight powerplant change saw the Falcon back on song today and he stormed through the field.

He was second by the end of the fourth lap and set about chasing down the leading Valliant – which had escaped to a two second margin out in front.

With the Falcon more than 30km/hr faster down Conrod Abelnica powered past Tilley just before the chase on the penultimate lap to assume the lead.

The move was initially contentious due to a yellow flag area at the beginning of the chase though the Melbourne driver was later cleared having completed the pass before entering the yellow flag zone.

The yellow was for the stranded Bob Wisely Torana the Queenslander having crashed on the entry to the chase on the opening lap.

Abelnica ultimately won the race – his second of the season – while Cameron Tilley equalled his best ever TCM race finish in second.

Rusty French scored his first top three finish by holding out John Bowe in a race to the line while Paul Freestone and Adam Garwood completed the top five.

After leading early Cameron Mason failed to finish after a engine failure on his Mustang.

The second race started with grid positions based on qualifying Steve Johnson leading the field into turn one.

John Bowe muscled Adam Bressington out for second on the run up Mountain Straight setting up an intense fight between the pair for much of the race.

Bressington remained in close company with the Holden Torana and set up a thrilling exchange when they ran side-by-side through turns two and three – on the run into the Cutting – on the third lap.

Once Bowe was clear of the Whiteline Racing Camaro he set out in pursuit of the leading Mustang and set a new lap record (2m17.5309s) in his attempt to catch Johnson.

He closed to within half a second on the final lap though Johnson was strong enough to hold on to record his fourth win of the 2017 season.

With Bowe second and Bressington third Torana drivers Adam Garwood and Ryan Hansford completed the top five.

Eddie Abelnica Andrew Fisher Jim Richards Mark King and Tony Karanfilovski completed the top-10.

In a shocking day for the AC Delco Torana Bruce Williams failed to finish both races while Terry Lawlor (Gearbox) was another non-finisher.

The final race of the penultimate round of the 2017 season will be held tomorrow morning at 8:35am local time shown live on FOX Sports 506 and Channel 10.

With one race of the round to go John Bowe provisionally leads Steve Johnson by 14 points in the overall TCM Standings with Adam Bressington third a further 3 points back. Ryan Hansford remains in contention just 67 points from the lead.

RESULTS – RACE 1

Pos Car  Competitor/Team                Driver                   Vehicle              Cap   CL Laps     Race.Time Fastest...Lap1    48  Melbourne's Cheapest Cars      Eddie Abelnica (VIC)     Ford Falcon XB Coupe 5800c       6    14:18.4008   5 2:19.1443*2    60  Glennan Transport/ANGLOMOIL Lu Cameron Tilley (NSW)     Valiant Pacer        4390c       6    14:19.9460   5 2:22.0618 3     4  Skye Sands                     Rusty French (VIC)       Ford Mustang Fastbac 5800c       6    14:26.6885   5 2:23.2725 4    18  Wilson Security / PAYCE        John Bowe (VIC)          Holden  Torana SL/R  5047c       6    14:27.0248   4 2:20.8398 5    25  Maxi-Trans Trailers            Paul Freestone (VIC)     Chevrolet Camaro     5800c       6    14:38.1923   4 2:24.6221 6    12  Giraffe Civil Contracting      Adam Garwood (TAS)       Holden  Torana A9X   5000c       6    14:38.6756   4 2:22.6397 7     9  Jesus Racing                   Andrew Fisher (NSW)      Ford Falcon XY GT HO 5800c       6    14:38.8059   4 2:23.2099 8     6  Multispares Racing             Ryan Hansford (QLD)      Holden  Torana SL/R  5000c       6    14:40.2421   5 2:21.1666 9    72  GFR Industries                 Geoff Fane (QLD)         Chevrolet Camaro SS  5800c       6    14:40.9087   3 2:24.3447 10   74  Lyndways Builders              Wayne Mercer (VIC)       Ford Falcon XY GTHO  5800c       6    14:49.5201   3 2:24.8251 11   97  Johns Furniture Removals       Allen Boughen (QLD)      Mercury Comet        4736c       6    14:49.8783   5 2:26.5241 12   28  Speedgas / Tilley Auto Garage  Brad Tilley (NSW)        Ford Falcon XY GT HO 5800c       6    14:55.4304   3 2:24.3160 13   88  TIFS - Warehousing & Distribut Tony Karanfilovski (NSW) Ford Mustang Trans A 5800c       6    14:58.6577   4 2:23.7540 14   46  THD Motorsport                 Leo Tobin (VIC)          Ford Boss Mustang    5000c       6    15:02.8391   4 2:28.5364 15   17  Synergy Race Engines           Steve Johnson (QLD)      1971 Ford Falcon XY  5800        6    15:03.8256   5 2:21.7580 16   95  Whiteline Racing / Fabre Austr Adam Bressington (NSW)   Chevrolet Camaro SS  5800c       6    15:12.9921   5 2:20.4538 17   19  Tincone Industrial Services    Darren Beale (QLD)       Holden  Monaro GTS C 5800c       6    15:32.9270   5 2:32.9915 18    2  Shannons Insurance             Jim Richards (VIC)       Ford Falcon Sprint   5000c       6    15:38.9096   5 2:24.0625 19   11  Vic Roads Custom Plates / Cast Melinda Price (VIC)      Ford Falcon XA GT    5800c       6    15:42.3694   2 2:35.0903 20   91  Performance 9 / Werks Garage   Stan Adler (QLD)         Porsche 911 IROC     3600c       6    16:27.3398   5 2:37.7415 21    1  Hawk Brake Pads                Dave Roberts (USA)       Chevrolet Camaro SS  5800c       6    16:35.5088   5 2:42.4210 DNF   3  Hercules Engines / Lucky's Hot Cameron Mason (NSW)      Ford Mustang Fastbac 5000c       5    12:05.9218   4 2:23.9709 DNF   8  Lady Luck Racing               Terry Lawlor (NSW)       Ford Mustang         5000c       4    10:04.2213   2 2:26.6030 DNF   5  ACDelco                        Bruce Williams (VIC)     Holden  Torana SL/R  5000c     DNF   7  Wisely Motorsport              Bob Wisely (QLD)         Holden  Torana A9X   5000c     DNF  85  Whiteline Racing / King Spring Mark King (QLD)          Holden  Monaro GTS C 5800c     DNF  77  Red Rock Winery / Werks Garage Rohan Little (VIC)       Porsche 911 IROC     3600c     

RESULTS – RACE 2

Pos Car  Competitor/Team                Driver                   Vehicle              Cap   CL Laps     Race.Time Fastest...Lap1    17  Synergy Race Engines           Steve Johnson (QLD)      1971 Ford Falcon XY  5800        6    13:52.7518   4 2:18.0058r2    18  Wilson Security / PAYCE        John Bowe (VIC)          Holden  Torana SL/R  5047c       6    13:53.2632   4 2:17.5309R3    95  Whiteline Racing / Fabre Austr Adam Bressington (NSW)   Chevrolet Camaro SS  5800c       6    13:56.5389   4 2:18.8513 4    12  Giraffe Civil Contracting      Adam Garwood (TAS)       Holden  Torana A9X   5000c       6    14:01.3214   4 2:19.2995 5     6  Multispares Racing             Ryan Hansford (QLD)      Holden  Torana SL/R  5000c       6    14:04.6332   2 2:19.4811 6    48  Melbourne's Cheapest Cars      Eddie Abelnica (VIC)     Ford Falcon XB Coupe 5800c       6    14:04.9552   4 2:19.4862 7     9  Jesus Racing                   Andrew Fisher (NSW)      Ford Falcon XY GT HO 5800c       6    14:12.6188   4 2:20.3742 8     2  Shannons Insurance             Jim Richards (VIC)       Ford Falcon Sprint   5000c       6    14:15.2221   4 2:21.1861 9    85  Whiteline Racing / King Spring Mark King (QLD)          Holden  Monaro GTS C 5800c       6    14:20.6545   5 2:21.5923 10   88  TIFS - Warehousing & Distribut Tony Karanfilovski (NSW) Ford Mustang Trans A 5800c       6    14:21.3751   3 2:22.0618 11   25  Maxi-Trans Trailers            Paul Freestone (VIC)     Chevrolet Camaro     5800c       6    14:33.8722   2 2:22.3388 12   28  Speedgas / Tilley Auto Garage  Brad Tilley (NSW)        Ford Falcon XY GT HO 5800c       6    14:35.3345   2 2:20.6877 13   74  Lyndways Builders              Wayne Mercer (VIC)       Ford Falcon XY GTHO  5800c       6    14:37.0685   6 2:25.3239 14   60  Glennan Transport/ANGLOMOIL Lu Cameron Tilley (NSW)     Valiant Pacer        4390c       6    14:37.4052   6 2:23.9625 15    4  Skye Sands                     Rusty French (VIC)       Ford Mustang Fastbac 5800c       6    14:37.6735   6 2:24.5152 16   72  GFR Industries                 Geoff Fane (QLD)         Chevrolet Camaro SS  5800c       6    14:40.5125   5 2:24.2673 17   97  Johns Furniture Removals       Allen Boughen (QLD)      Mercury Comet        4736c       6    14:42.9651   5 2:25.4018 18   46  THD Motorsport                 Leo Tobin (VIC)          Ford Boss Mustang    5000c       6    14:45.0517   3 2:25.6828 19   19  Tincone Industrial Services    Darren Beale (QLD)       Holden  Monaro GTS C 5800c       6    15:22.9438   6 2:30.2326 20   11  Vic Roads Custom Plates / Cast Melinda Price (VIC)      Ford Falcon XA GT    5800c       6    15:32.3179   3 2:33.1784 21   91  Performance 9 / Werks Garage   Stan Adler (QLD)         Porsche 911 IROC     3600c       6    15:39.5731   3 2:34.4323 DNF   5  ACDelco                        Bruce Williams (VIC)     Holden  Torana SL/R  5000c       4    12:31.4390   2 2:25.6093 DNF   1  Hawk Brake Pads                Dave Roberts (USA)       Chevrolet Camaro SS  5800c       3    12:18.4305   3 3:15.4601 DNF   8  Lady Luck Racing               Terry Lawlor (NSW)       Ford Mustang         5000c       2     6:05.1429   2 3:09.6787