News

November 4, 2014 | General

RICHO TAKES REVERSE-GRID THRILLER

BATHURST HERO Jim Richards has taken a convincing victory in the reverse top-10 race in the ENZED Touring Car Masters series today in Bathurst.

Richards started race two fourth and picked off one car a lap to reach the lead by lap three before stretching the legs of the Shannons Falcon Sprint to record another Bathurst victory.

“The key is to get in front of the bigger more powerful cars in the early laps†Richards said post-race.

“The car was good but it just can’t compete with the cars with more power up and down the hill – so we needed to make a break early and try and get to the front before they got there.

“We had a good battle with Cameron and he did a good job.. I’m happy with that.â€Â

The race was a thriller with Cameron Mason and Brad Tilley sharing the front row and taking the lead in the opening laps.

Tilley led early on the opening lap in his recently re-built Falcon GTHO however an electrical glitch saw the car cut-out at the top of the mountain handing the lead to Mason’s Shelby Mustang.

Tilley continued in second position however the electrical issues returned on the following lap and the Sydney driver was forced to retire in a case of ‘what could have been’ for the popular racer.

“It cut out over the crest before McPhillamy and I had a huge moment when it shut off and locked the rears†he explained.

“I know I’m known for driving the thing hard but I don’t drive it that hard there! It’s dissapointing because it was shaping up to be a good comeback for us but you can bet i’ll be driving it bloody hard tomorrow from the back.â€Â

Mason led until the third lap when Richards slipped past Mopar Charger driver Greg Crick also storming his way past the following lap en route to second place.

Mason finished third to score his best TCM race finish yet improving on a previous-best fifth-place result scored in Darwin.

He finished in front of a massive battle pack that included Falcon driver Keith Kassulke King Springs Camaro ace Mark King and Kim Jane’s XB Falcon.

The trio swapped positions on more than one occasion throughout the race including a particularly dramatic moment when John Bowe passed both – just before running off the road at turn one.

On his charge from 10th position race-one winner Bowe dived to the inside of Kassulke into ‘Hell’ corner however ran wide and into the gravel trap to ultimately finish eighth.

Lubrimaxx Camaro driver Andrew Miedecke was in the thick of the fight for fourth fifth and sixth positions in the closing stages however was a non-finisher after contact with Kassulke when exiting the chase.

With Jason Gomersall finishing seventh and Bowe eighth Tony Karanfilovski and Pail Freestone rounded out the top-10.

Les Walmsley held out Andrew Fisher Cameron Tilley and Bill Pye in a close fight for 11th position with Wane Mercer completing the top 15.

The race was shortened to five laps after Carey McMahon crashed his Holden Torana SL/R 5000 at the Cutting on lap four – race officials electing to shorten the race rather than have it conclude under Safety Car.

The results remain provisional pending post-race investigations by race officials.

The final race of the weekend will kick off the big Sunday of action at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 event the final 7-lapper to be shown live on 7 around Australia at 7:20am local time.

RESULTS: TCM Mountain Masters Race 2

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Pos Car  Competitor/Team                Driver                   Vehicle              Cap   CL Laps     Race.Time Fastest...Lap1     1  Shannons Insurance             Jim Richards (VIC)       Falcon Sprint        4700c       5    11:59.0193   4 2:22.77462    75  Mopar Performance              Greg Crick (TAS)         Charger E55          5570c       5    12:00.7086   5 2:23.14953     3  Hercules Engines               Cameron Mason (NSW)      Mustang Fastback     5000c       5    12:01.7891   5 2:23.64004    52  Outbound Racing / wheels.com.p Keith Kassulke (QLD)     Falcon XB Coupe      5800c       5    12:07.9161   3 2:23.21005    85  Whiteline Transport Racing / K Mark King (QLD)          Camaro RS            5800c       5    12:08.2700   3 2:24.87726    48  Sydneys Cheapest Cars          Kim Jane (VIC)           Falcon XB Coupe      5800c       5    12:08.9062   3 2:24.68637    35  iseek Racing                   Jason Gomersall (QLD)    Torana SL/R 5000     5047c       5    12:10.6038   5 2:24.71218    18  Dunlop Super Dealers/Wilson Se John Bowe (VIC)          Mustang Trans Am     5600c       5    12:12.5274   3 2:23.21499    88  TIFS - Warehousing & Distribut Tony Karanfilovski (NSW) Mustang Trans Am     5800c       5    12:20.0398   3 2:26.533410   25  Freestones Transport/Freestone Paul Freestone (VIC)     Camaro SS            5800c       5    12:20.6963   2 2:26.619111   99  Outbound Racing / Treloar Rose Les Walmsley (VIC)       HQ Monaro            5810c       5    12:22.2702   2 2:27.443612    9  Synergy Race Engines           Andrew Fisher (NSW)      Falcon XY GTHO       5800c       5    12:22.7341   4 2:23.398513   60  Tilleys Racing Equipment       Cameron Tilley (NSW)     HQ Monaro            5800c       5    12:22.9555   4 2:26.721114    7  calga.biz                      Bill Pye (NSW)           Camaro               5800c       5    12:23.1691   4 2:23.008815   74  Lyndways Builders              Wayne Mercer (VIC)       Falcon XY GTHO       5800c       5    12:31.7686   4 2:28.761116   56  Autolite Spark Plugs           Brett Youlden (VIC)      HQ Monaro            5800c       5    12:32.2538   4 2:26.182017   33  SportsMed                      Greg Keene (SA)          911 RS               3600c       5    12:38.1005   4 2:30.382618   10  Sunliner RV                    Tony Hunter (VIC)        Monza 2+2            5000c       5    12:41.5286   4 2:30.793219   98  Thunder Road Racing Australia  William Vining (NSW)     Mustang Coupe        5000c       5    12:41.8331   4 2:30.811120    4  Skye Sands                     Rusty French (VIC)       911 RS               3600c       5    12:43.2903   4 2:29.818721   72  BMR Industries                 Bruce McLeod (NT)        Falcon XA Superbird  5000c       5    13:31.0649   4 2:39.531422   43  Treloar Roses / Mick Wilson Pl Mick Wilson (VIC)        Charger RT           4390c       5    13:31.2081   4 2:41.075523    5  Northern BM P/L                Phillip Showers (VIC)    Escort RS 1600       2000c       5    13:32.8151   4 2:40.5912DNF  95  Whiteline Transport Racing / L Andrew Miedecke (NSW)    Camaro SS            5800c       4     9:41.4523   3 2:22.4436*DNF  50  Flo-gineering                  Carey McMahon (VIC)      Torana SL/R 5000     5000c       4     9:53.2676   3 2:26.5130DNF  11  Lion Mill Solutions            Adam Bressington (NSW)   Falcon XA GT         5768c       3     8:09.4341   2 2:33.1603DNF  28                                 Brad Tilley (NSW)        Falcon XY GT         5800c       1     2:23.7085DNF   6  Chris Stillwell Racing         Sven Burchartz (VIC)     Mustang Trans Am     5000c       1     3:55.9636