Holden driver Grant Johnson extended his championship lead today when he took out Round 5 of the 2010 Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series - protected by Armor All at the L&H 500 at Phillip Island.
In Race three Johnson and Holden rival Chris Pither battled for the top spot. Pither led off the line against Coopers Clear Racing's Jack Elsegood who started badly dropping him back to fourth. After a lot of pressure, Johnson caught the Ice Break Racing driver on lap four when he pulled an over under move. Pither returned the favour but Johnson was able to hold him out and drive to victory. Elsegood had further issues when he battled with Jesus Racing's Andrew Fisher for third position.
The two had a coming together, which pushed Elsegood wide off the track and dropped him to seventh and Fisher was given a Black Flag (drive-through penalty) for the incident, which saw him finish in 23rd position. Seventh position was still good enough for Elsegood to secure third for the Round after he claimed second in Qualifying and Race One and third in Race two.
The battle for third place in Race three continued between Gary MacDonald and Nulon Oil's driver, David Sieders with the later claiming the honours in a photo finish. Kurt Wimmer wasn't too far behind in fifth and Rockstar Energy Drink driver Jeremy Gray did well to hold his sixth position ahead of Elsegood. Bob Jane T-Marts driver Kim Jane managed eighth place just ahead of Sage Automations Gary Baxter who posted his best result for the weekend in ninth.
Ben Dunn closed out the top ten in Race three and had one of his best weekend's to date after he also claimed sixth in Race two. Dunn started on Pole for Race two, his first time up the front since Wakefield Park in 2007 and did well to hold his position out of the first turn.
Local driver, Jane took Dunn early on in race two and after a bump from Elsegood he went wide on the re-start lap (the re-start was issued after a safety car was called when Wilson Securities driver Charlie Kovacs got stuck in the mud off turn 3).
The bump pushed Jane into fourth position behind Elsegood in third, Fisher in second and Pither in first. MacDonald, Dunn and McNally battled for fifth position, with the Phillip Island veteran winning the battle from Dunn and the West Assue hot shot Mcnally. Wicked Energy drink ring-in Kurt Wimmer, drove well to claim his third top ten position for the weekend in eighth.
Steve Hodges had one of his best results this year driving well to take home a ninth place finish ahead of Rockstar Energy drink driver, Jeremy Gray, who rounded out the top ten. CNW Electrical driver, Peter Burnitt also had one of his best results so far and walked away with an 11th place for Race two. Penalties were handed out in Race two including; David Sieders and Charlie O'Brien for an overlap on the re-start, both received the equivalent of a drive-through penalty.
Wilson Securities, Charlie Kovacs received a technical infringement and was placed on the rear of grid for Race three. Thirsty Camel Racing's, Craig Dontas and Ben Dunn had an incident at turn 11 with hearings continuing as this release went to print. Ice Break Racing's Chris Pither won the Champion Spark Plugs Hole Shot Award for the best race start and $500 cash, while Bisley Workwear driver, Nandi Kiss won the SS Inductions Hard Charger Award and $500 cash for overtaking 13 Utes in Race two.
The 2010 Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series - protected by Armor All will head to Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 for Round 6, Thursday, 7th - Sunday 10th October. Make-A-Wish® Australia is the official charity of Australian V8 Ute Racing who will endeavour to assist the foundation with their mission, which is to "To grant the Wishes of Children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope strength and joy."
Top Ten Race 2 Results
: 1 42 Ice Break Racing Chris Pither Holden SS VE 1:52.73 2 9 Jesus Racing Andrew Fisher Ford Falcon XR8 BF 1:52.67 3 1 Coopers Clear Racing Jack Elsegood Ford Falcon XR8 BF 1:52.70 4 27 Bob Jane T-Marts Kim Jane Holden SS VE 1:53.32 5 41 Ice Break Racing/ Williams Race Gary MacDonald Holden SS VE 1:53.26 6 99 Storage King/Wilson Fabrics Ben Dunn Ford Falcon XR8 BF 1:53.35 7 26 West Coast Racing/ NRW Holding Rhys McNally Holden SS VE 1:53.69 8 32 Chill/Wicked Kurt Wimmer Ford Falcon XR8 BF 1:53.34 9 43 ISRI Truck Seats Steve Hodges Holden SS VE 1:53.92 10 7 Rockstar Energy Drink Jeremy Gray Ford Falcon XR8 BF 1:53.96
Top ten results from Race 3:
1 47 Permacoat Grant Johnson Holden SS VE 1:52.04 2 42 Ice Break Racing Chris Pither Holden SS VE 1:52.15 3 41 Ice Break Racing/ Williams Rac Gary MacDonald Holden SS VE 1:52.59 4 8 Nulon Oil David Sieders Ford Falcon XR8 BF 1:52.31 5 32 Chill/Wicked Kurt Wimmer Ford Falcon XR8 BF 1:53.30 6 7 Rockstar Energy Drink Jeremy Gray Ford Falcon XR8 BF 1:53.44 7 1 Coopers Clear Racing Jack Elsegood Ford Falcon XR8 BF 1:52.79 8 27 Bob Jane T-Marts Kim Jane Holden SS VE 1:53.36 9 3 Sage Automation / NHP Electric Gary Baxter Holden SS VE 1:53.99 10 99 Storage King/Wilson Fabrics Ben Dunn Ford Falcon XR8 BF 1:53.92
Top Five Series Standings: 1 47 Permacoat Grant Johnson 599 2 1 Coopers Clear Racing Jack Elsegood 570 3 9 Jesus Racing Andrew Fisher 512 4 8 Nulon Oil David Sieders 479 5 42 Ice Break Racing Gary MacDonald 465
