One Raceway Friday Wrap
It was a busy opening day at One Raceway, with drivers very much finding the limits and more at the re-opened and revived venue formerly known as Wakefield Park in New South Wales.
This is the first national car race meeting at the venue since it opened earlier in the month, and the reconfigured layout certainly caught a few drivers out.
TA2 Muscle Car Series
At the end of an eventful day of running in the TA2 Muscle Car Series, it was the regular two drivers up the pointy end of the leaderboard.
The championship challenger Brad Gartner was fastest on the opening day, coming off the back of a round win at Winton in his Hi-Tec Oils sponsored Chevrolet Camaro.
The championship leader, local man, Josh Haynes in his Ford Mustang was second. The Herzog Steel sponsored driver was 0.502s slower.
Sam Bates is making a cameo in the series this weekend, he ended the day third, his best time came in practice 1.
Third through to seventh were separated by less than 0.5s, behind Bates came Zach Loscialpo, the leading Dodge Challenger runner Hayden Jackson, Danny Reidy and Aaron Prosser.
Mark Crutcher also remains in mathematical contention for the title but is an outsider. He would have been hoping for more than eighth on day 1.
Speedway legend Robbie Farr was next ahead of Michael Coulter, Cam Sendall and Mark Spencer.
Formula RX8
In a season that has been controlled by two drivers, it was cool to see local New South Wales driver Geoff Connell end practice day at the top of the timesheets.
Interestingly, all of the top four competitors set their best time in practice 2. Connell was just 0.064s faster Rob Boaden, with championship leader Brock Paine in third.
Although Queenslander Paine ended the day third fastest, he did have a few engine gremlins. Despite this he was only 0.37s off the time set by fast man Connell.
Fourth fastest was Justin Lewis, he was only 0.23s further back.
Thomas Derwent is entering this round as a race winner for the very first time after taking a victory at Winton. Derwent has continued that momentum into this weekend, ending up fifth.
South Aussie Ivan Vantagiato also comes off a PB race result at Winton, he finished second in the final race. He was sixth fastest today ahead of Brett Thompson.
Ayrton Filippi, Leslie Reeves and Terry Lewis rounded out the top 10 on Friday.
Legend Cars Australia
As always in the Legend Cars Australia Series things were tight at the top, 10 cars were separated by just 1s at the end of the days combined practice times.
Dylan Thomas ended the day fastest after topping two of the three practice session, his 1m 07.78s time was 0.17s clear of the field.
Australian Capital Territory driver Ryan Pring ended up second fastest, just 0.006s faster than Robert Hogan. Hogan’s fastest time of the day was set in the second session of the day.
Irishman Billy Finnegan ended the day in fourth, only 0.32s off the time of Thomas.
Aiden Williams rounded out the top five ahead of Ben Goodridge and Bruce Duckworth.
About 0.2s behind him was another driver who set his fastest time in the penultimate session, Brendon Hourigan. He edged out Lincoln Pope and Scott Morgan who rounded out the top 10.
Notably Shane Tate who is in title contention did not set a time on the opening day of action.
Stock Cars Australia
The two Dans ended the day fastest and second fastest in Stock Cars Australia. Danny Burgess in his Oztruck Silverado pipped Daniel Stubbs in the final practice session.
The two drivers were the only cars in the 1m 05s bracket, Burgess set a 1m 05 flat, while Stubbs driving his #19 Chevrolet Monte Carlo NASCAR completed a 1m 05.35s time.
Two Ford Falcons were next, Merrick Malouf and Mark Granger. Beyond that, Michael Ricketts in his improved Nissan Pulsar rounded out the top five.
Brendan O’Connor was sixth in his Ford FG ute, ahead of Damian Sullivan, Colin Matton, Lukas Gates and Zac O’Hara.
Australian Drivers’ Championship
The three title contenders ended Friday at the top of the leaderboard in the Australian Drivers’ Championship, separated by 0.5s.
In the end, it was the inaugural series winner Dean Crooke who set the fastest time of the day, and the new lap record around the newly reconfigured One Raceway. He set a blisteringly fast 55.664s time.
Second fastest was the reigning champion and current championship leader Damon Sterling, just 0.26s back.
Hayden Crossland has taken three wins in the last three rounds and ended up in third.
Many drivers had spins and off-track excursions throughout the day, however the top three kept things clean and tidy.
Niko French missed almost the entirety of practice 1, but despite being a session behind he ended the day an impressive fourth. Lucas Stasi kept things clean and rounded out the top five.
Luke Klaver had a few spins in car #77, however he ended up sixth ahead of Bastian Treptel, Peter Nowlan, Bradley Smith and Hamish Leighton.
Formula Vee
At the end of practice in the Australian Formula Vee Series, Michael Kinsella was at the top of the combined times.
He was 0.4s faster than Daniel Reynolds who is from just down the road in Canberra and knew the former layout of this track like the back of his hand.
Alex Macdonald has made the trip down south from Queensland and will be pleased with his first day, ending up in third position, only 0.6s off the pace of Kinsella.
Fourth to sixth were separated by just 0.12s, Corey Odgen, West Aussie David Caisley and Dylan Thomas.
Angus McDonald, William Pym, Matthew Harriott and Mathew Pearce rounded out the top 10, all of which were covered by less than 2.5s.
There is a bid field of Formula Vee 1200cc competitors, today Stephen Butcher was the class of the field.
Saturday’s action will be livestreamed at www.youtube.com/@superseries.official from 10:00 AEST
The event scedule is available here: www.hi-tecoilssuperseries.au/rd-6-one-raceway-oct-25-27