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Audi level up as Garth Tander and Yasser Shahin take Race 2 in Queensland
Reigning Fanatic GT World Challenge Australia Powered by AWS winner Yasser Shahin returned to the winner’s circle as he and Garth Tander won the second race of Round 2 at Queensland Raceway.
The professionals took the start in Race 2 and it was Tander leading into Turn 1, which set the tone for the stint.
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C-Tech Laser Audi driver David Reynolds jumped Triple Eight Race Engineering’s Shane van Gisbergen and this was how it remained with all three barely separated until a safety car came out.
The race was neutralised after GT Trophy leader Brad Schumacher collided with fellow Audi driver Matt Stoupas at Turn 6 leaving both stuck in the gravel trap.
At the restart, van Gisbergen tried a move down the inside and Reynolds on the outside of leader Tander, but he held on to complete the stint in the lead.
All three leaders pitted as the times allowed the C-Tech Laser Audi now driven by Tony Bates to take the lead from reigning series winner Yasser Shahin, Gtechniq’s Liam Talbot and Prince Jefri Ibrahim.
The pit times also hampered the Triple Eight Race Engineering Mercedes-AMG GT3, but Ibrahim was charging towards the conclusion aided by a long drawn out battle between Bates and Talbot.
Bates dropped position to Shahin, but with fellow Audi Talbot there was a significantly battle waged as contact was made between the two Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo IIs at Turn 6 resulted in the Gtechniq entry taking second.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim entered calculations as he pressured Talbot in what was an impressive performance by the Triple Eight Race Engineering driver fresh from success in Japan.
Another enjoying a great run was fifth placed Mark Rosser in the Catan Audi as he recovered from a spin to lead the Am Class by a comfortable margin.
Shahin held an 11.017s margin with five minutes remaining, but the tussle between Talbot and Ibrahim ensured the remaining podium positions were undecided.
In the end Shahin levelled up the score for Audi this weekend to win from Talbot, Ibrahim, Bates and Rosser.
Rounding out the Pro-Am Class was the Ross Poulakis Harrolds Racing Team Mercedes shared with Peter Hackett in sixth outright ahead of second in Am Gary Higgon and Paul Stokell in the KFC Audi.
GT Trophy was won by Scott Taylor in his Porsche 911 GT3-R from Launch Racing’s Michael Kokkinos in the Ultra-spec Audi.
The next round of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia Powered by AWS is at Sandown on September 16-18.