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Young guns take the spoils in virtual return to Oran Park
Carsales ARG eSport Cup series leader Harley Haber and wildcard entrant Lachlan Mineeff have taken a win a piece in Round 7 of the online racing series tonight.
Haber, representing the V8 Touring Car class, was unstoppable in the opening race. After claiming pole position, he scored a lights-to-flag win, taking advantage of an opening lap clash between Brit Ash Sutton and TCR Australia contender Jordan Cox.
A brief challenge from Garth Tander was the only real threat to Haber, who went on to score a big 9 second win.
“I couldn’t be happier with that, pole and the race win,” said Haber.
“It’s as ideal as it gets.
“We’re putting in the effort, and effort equal results. We’ve got a testing programme that we run through and we’re doing the best that we can.”
Sutton finished Race 1 in second place, with Tander third ahead of Cox and James Golding, who ran out of fuel on the final lap.
The Top 20 was reversed for the second race, and TCR Australia newcomer Declan Fraser made a fast start from the outside of the front row to take an early lead.
It was short-lived, though, an off at Turn 1 on the second lap gifting the lead to Formula Ford wildcard starter Lachlan Mineeff.
Once in front, Mineeff cruised to victory, his winning margin 3.6s over real-world TCR Europe title winner Josh Files.
“It’s awesome to do a few laps here an re-live a bit of history,” said Mineeff, who was just eight years old when Oran Park was closed down.
“My dad and pop raced trucks here, so to take a win here in this field of drivers who I’ve look up to growing up is awesome. I can’t believe it.”
Haber just missed out on a second podium for the night, his charge from 20th in the grid getting him to within a second of Jaden Ransley at the finish.
That was partly thanks to some late bad luck for Chelsea Angelo, though, the TCR Australia driver running out of fuel on the final lap and dropping to fifth.
Cox could only work his way to 14th in the second race, while an early problem saw Sutton plummet all the way to 42nd.
The next round of the carsales ARG eSport Cup will be held in Formula 3 cars at Silverstone next Thursday night.