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SETON MASON ON TOP AGAIN IN SYDNEY
FOR the second Paynter Dixon Touring Car Masters round in succession Aaron Seton and Cameron Mason have emerged the big winners out of a typically dramatic Saturday at Sydney Motorsport Park.
While Mason surprised to win his second-straight Dometic Trophy race Seton was the winner in the milestone 300th TCM race.
While the trophy race was a flat-out stunner the championship race later in the day was less thrilling with all the action unfolding over a single lap – a lengthy Safety Car curtailing the action from there.
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The milestone 300th Paynter Dixon Touring Car Masters race turned into essentially a one lap dash with Seton bursting into the lead from pole position.
Ryal Harris stormed around the outside of turn one with he and Steven Johnson starting a battle that would last much of the first lap.
As Bowe dropped to fourth Johnson and Harris spent much of turns two three four five six seven and eight side by side before the championship leader was able to assert himself into second outright.
That occurred moments before the Safety Car was called however following a heavy crash for Andrew Fisher at turn four.
The Jesus Racing Ford Falcon GTHO was dicing with Cameron Tilley on the opening lap. The pair made contact with the Falcon apparently suffering broken steering and being sent heavily into the wall on drivers left at turn four necessitating a lengthy recovery.
While Fisher climbed from his damaged car to be taken to the circuit medical centre for precautionary checks the car was harder to move.
The race was held under Safety Car and with the recovery taking substantial time saw it conclude after five laps with Seton winning from Johnson and Harris.
It’s Seton’s third win of the season while Johnson extends his title lead over Bowe who was fourth and Harris.
The TCM field returns for their first ever night race on Saturday evening; the 6-lap dash on the Druitt Circuit to be held at approximately 8:30pm. As per the Dometic Trophy Race the sprint will pay 10 points for starting and 10 for finishing for each competitor.
DOMETIC TROPHY RACE
CAMERON MASON stormed to his second straight Dometic Trophy Race to kick off racing proceedings at Sydney Motorsport Park.
Starting the jumbled grid race from fifth Mason held his position from the start but leaped to second position on lap two as a furious battle for the lead unfolded in front.
Valliant Pacer driver Cameron Tilley who started second had beaten polesitter Bruce Williams into turn one and the pair battled throughout the opening lap.
The pair then ran side by side through turn one on lap two with Williams forced to lift to avoid contact with the Pacer – running wide and off the road at high speed at one of the quickest corners in the sport.
While he recovered in eighth Tilley inherited a strong lead over Mason and a charging John Bowe.
The five-time champ had started last but in customary style burned through the field to be seventh by the end of lap one and fifth a lap later.
Mason caught and passed Tilley on the fourth lap with Bowe slipping past a lap later.
He then set out in pursuit of the leader however fell short by one second at the line.
Tilley finished third Harris from the back to fourth and Zukanovic an excellent fifth.
Bowe also re-set the Sydney Motorsport Park TCM lap record in his pursuit of Tilley on the fourth lap.
Earlier a compaction of the field on the exit of turn two caused dramas for several key contenders including Pollicina Hackwood Bressington Boughen and Tilley Hackwood and Bressington in particular suffering damage.
Jamie Tilley (Pro Sports) and Bowe (Pro Masters) won the Dometic class awards while Mason (ProAm) won his class as well as the race outright.
QUALIFYING
SUPER Saturday at Sydney Motorsport Park started with a thrilling 20-minute qualifying session the best of the season so far.
That saw John Bowe score his first pole position since the final round of the 2018 championship and the 51st of his TCM career.
Bowe edged out Aaron Seton by 0.14 seconds with Johnson a scant 0.008s behind in third.
Ryal Harris was fourth and less than 0.25 seconds from pole in the closest top four of the season.
Ryan Hansford qualified fifth and Rob Hackwood an outstanding sixth in the Wellpro Racing Firebird.
Jim Pollicina Adam Bressington Marcus Zukanovic and Jamie Tilley completed the top 10.
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