The fifth round of the 2009 MINI Challenge, delivered by Pizza Capers, delivered some of the best racing in the series to date at Philip Island GP circuit earlier Sunday.

Races Two and Three for the weekend were absolute barn-burners and with sensational debutants Robbie Jones, Robbie Maddison and Scott Manson making a positive impact on the event despite their very short introduction. Jones wound up finishing third overall for the weekend after a polished performance in the RE-CAR #1 for M3 Motorsport, Robbie Maddison was sensational in the Pizza Capers car and Scott Manson was workmanlike in his yournextcar.com.au JCW. Nathan Caratti, Grant Denyer and Chris Alajajian were certainly the drivers to watch throughout today's blustery conditions with Denyer making serious inroads on team-mate Stokell almost one year to the weekend when he was injured in a Monster Truck accident that took him out of the series in 2008.

Nathan Caratti backed up his win yesterday to win Race Two and Three of the 2009 MINI Challenge, delivered by Pizza Capers, today at Philip Island as part of the L&H 500 weekend. Unfortunately however post race technical inspections by CAMS officials revealed an exhaust issue on the #10 car casting some doubt over the final result for the talented Caratti. The Glory #10's eligibility and details of the component infringement will be heard and revealed at a later date. Scott Bargwanna had another stout weekend in the ROCK Energy Drinks MINI and continues to hound the DecoRug combination of Paul Stokell and Grant Denyer in the series point score.

Unfortunately in Race Two Bargwanna's decision to go with wet weather tyres in inclement conditions backfired as the track dried up and the ROCK rocket all but destroyed the front tyres - taking him off the leader's pace and falling back in the pack.

 "It's one of those things where you're a genius if you get it right or a dunce if you don't and in this case we didn't get it right. You can't blame us for trying." Grant Denyer tried the same gamble and it too prevented a much better result. "We were fast early," he said with a wry grin, "but it didn't last."

Series leader Paul Stokell battled a mystery electrical issue in Race One, bounded back in Race Two from the rear but jumped on the anchors a little too hard and spat the DecoRug car off the track late in the event. "Once the ABS kicked in I was a passenger," he frowned, "I'm watching the series lead disappear in one weekend here. It's not much fun." Stokell again had to fight from the back of the bus in the #27 JCW (John Cooper Works MINI) and battled for lap after lap with Beric Lynton and Robbie Maddison in a wonderful stoush before the horrors set in and he DNF'd again. It was a disappointing weekend for the series leader and one he could ill afford points wise. Alternately Beric Lynton had a tremendous weekend in the Crimsafe entry, being involved in some tremendous battles first with Scott Manson (Race Two) and then Paul Stokell and Robbie Maddison in Race Three. Lynton was consistently top five material throughout the round. "I had a ball this weekend," smiled the Gold Coast Dealer Principal, "we were really racy and we had to work for every position. This is such a great circuit." Chris Alajajian had a topsy turvey weekend in the NAB / Standox Paints JCW, but the blistering speed of the hard charging Sydneysider is never in question.

"The Chris" rocketed from 11thto 2ndin one memorable blast but got caught up in an incident with Robbie Jones in Race Three that spun the RE-CAR #1 and blotted Alajajian's copybook. Yatala battler John Modystach was a vastly improved competitor in the Prosurv #26 and his scrap with Maddison in Race Two no doubt boosted his confidence significantly. Modystach recorded his best ever weekend in MINI Challenge competition. "It's so much fun when you can run with someone lap after lap," he grinned, "I feel we're getting better and better with every outing." The two Brendan Cooks had similarly frustrating weekends, even at one point getting together in a race incident.

Final results, which are subject to a hearing in October regarding the Caratti situation are as follows:

Race Two:  

1. Nathan Caratti 2. Grant Denyer 3. Robbie Jones 4. Beric Lynton 5. Scott Manson 6. John Modystach 7. Brendon "BJ" Cook 8. Robbie Maddison 9. Brendan Cook 10. Chris Alajajian 11. Paul Stokell   

Race Three:  

1. Nathan Caratti 2. Chris Alajajian 3. Robbie Jones 4. Beric Lynton 5. John Modystach 6. Robbie Maddison 7. Scott Bargwanna 8. Grant Denyer 9. Brendan Cook 10. Brendon "BJ" Cook 11. Paul Stokell   

Series points are now very interesting indeed. Paul Stokell 603 Grant Denyer 564 Scott Bargwanna 492 Nathan Caratti 447 Chris Alajajian 423 BJ Cook 253.5 John Modstach 238.5 Beric Lynton 211.5 Brendan Cook 141