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Nathan Herne continues winning streak with Race 1 victory
Nathan Herne has led the opening race from start-to-finish in the Valvoline Team GRM Ford Mustang to continue his Turtle Wax Trans Am Series winning streak.
Herne led a Garry Rogers Motorsport 1-2 as Owen Kelly finished 1.5s behind, while Breeze Holiday Park Ashley Seward Motorsport’s Brett Holdsworth completed the podium in his Chevrolet Camaro.
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Herne won the start as the field went through Turn 1 three-wide, which led to chaos at turn 2 as the Supercheap Auto Ford Mustang of Nash Morris collided with Cody Burcher’s similar PBS Specialty Coatings example and Lochie Dalton’s GRM Up 2/11 Motorsport entry.
Caught in the scuffle was current second place in the series Tim Brook as he was forced to head around the outside of Turn 2 to avoid the incident, dropping to 13th.
Holdsworth maintained third behind Herne and Kelly as the big mover through the pack was Dial Before You Dig’s Jon McCorkindale to be fourth ahead of another to progress in Ben Grice driving the All American Driveline Ford Mustang.
The race was neutralised after Tim Shaw’s Rob Fairs Foundation Chevrolet Camaro had a failure entering Turn 1 leaving NAPA Auto Parts driver Jett Johnson and Mark Crutcher in his Crutcher developments entry to take avoiding action.
Herne took the restart on lap 5, with Holdsworth placing increased pressure on Kelly, with McCorkindale, Grice and debutant Zach Bates piloting the Sullivans Ford Mustang in sixth ahead of a wounded Morris.
As the two leaders built a 6s margin back to Holdsworth, his concern was behind as McCorkindale made a move entering the final lap, however the Chevrolet Camaro slowed at Turn leading to a concertina involving also Grice and Bates.
Through this Bates overtook Grice exiting Turn 2 and despite damage to the Sullivans Mustang held on to take a top five finish on debut.
In front, Herne took a 1.5s victory from teammate Kelly as Holdsworth held on for third ahead of McCorkindale, Bates, Grice, Morris, Sydney Property Care’s Edan Thornburrow, a recovering Burcher and the McAlister Motors Mustang of Hugh McAlister rounded out the top 10.
Problems for Brook hampered his run to 19th.
Joining Shaw as a retirement was Nic Carroll in his Dodge Challenger with a suspension problem.
Race 2 for the Turtle Wax Trans Am Series at Sydney Motorsport Park will be broadcast on both Stan Sport and 9Gem, with it scheduled to take place at 5:40pm AEST.