News
Johnson makes history with fourth straight TCM round win
STEVEN JOHNSON has gone where no Gulf Western Oil Touring Car Masters driver has gone before, claiming his fourth consecutive round victory with an emphatic performance in the final race at the Thrifty Newcastle 500.
It’s Johnson’s fourth straight round win, the first time that has occurred in TCM history.
Johnson, John Bowe and former champion Gavin Bullas had each scored a trifecta of repeat wins however this is the first time anyone was able to convert a fourth since the category was founded in 2007.
His Newcastle win follows success in Tasmania last time out, plus victories in the final two rounds of the 2022 championship at Bathurst and Adelaide.
Johnson, in the Russell Hancock-owned Ford Mustang supported by a host of local, Newcastle-based businesses, claimed a shortened final race over Ryan Hansford and Andrew Fisher in their respective Holden Torana’s.
Fisher edged Adam Bressington for third overall, with the half-points awarded for the final race giving the Camaro driver the final step on the podium.
Lengthy delays in the program proceeding TCM ensured the race was a short dash from go to woah with Johnson out to an early lead.
Hansford had to work his way to second position while Fisher and Bressington battled for third.
The latter did enough to secure third position overall, bumping Hansford off the podium.
In three TCM visits to Newcastle, Bressington has now finished third, second and third overall for Whiteline Racing.
Marcus Zukanovic and John Bowe battled over fifth and sixth position, while Cameron Tilley was next.
Geoff Fane and John Adams completed the 10, while Ian Price failed to finish in his Ford Escort.
Unfortunately, an off-track injury ruled Tony Karanfilovski out of the three Newcastle races with the medical team not clearing him to race following an injury to his hand.
Steven Johnson now leads the Gulf Western Oil Touring Car Masters series following a hectic start to the year, with Round 3 set for the Shannons SpeedSeries event at Winton Motor Raceway in June.