Gold Coaster Ryal Harris walked away with his second consecutive Bathurst round win today when he claimed Race 3 in Round 5 of the Auto One V8 Ute Racing Seriesprotected by Armor All, leaving with a 13 point lead of the ENZED Drivers Championship, at Mount Panorama, Sunday, 7th October.
It was a Ford/Holden front row with Bundaberg Racings Cameron McConville alongside Harris, McConville getting the early jump to lead for the first two laps before a big lockup at Turn 2 let Harris through.
I used the V8 Supercar braking markerwhich is always an issue when you are jumping from a V8 Supercar into another categoryI totally miscued and flat spotted the tyre to the canvaswhich I then had to battle with for the rest of the race. McConville said.
McConville held second in the race until David Sideways Sieders chased him down and set a new lap record on the way in a time of 2:32.8379.
Harris went on to win in a polished defensive drive, despite Sieders pulling alongside twice in the last 3 corners.
It feels so good to win at Bathurst again and even better to lead the Series. We were in a similar situation last year, so I just have to keep a good head about me. My home round is coming up next and I won everything there last year so Im feeling confident. Id just like to say a big thank you to the guys at Roylances who were all watching from the corporate box and also Rexel and Big Gun Racing for their support, said Harris.
Sieders Ford came on strong in the final race and over the last lap, the Londonderry based driver pressured Harris all the way.
One more lap could have been it. Im definitely happy with second, the car wasnt ideal at the start as our goal is to always be the quickest Ford out there, but we got there in the end it just took us too long, explained Sieders.
McConville held on to third and took third for the Round as well, Truckline Racings Ryan Hansford claimed fourth for the race and 6th overall for the Round, almost 20 years after his father first won Bathurst with Larry Perkins. MacDonald finished fifth and the Jesus Racing Ford sixth. Rentco Racings Kris Walton came home seventh, ahead of Nathan Pretty in eighth. Pretty has also moved into second in the Series after the round.
Teammate Craig Dontas had pressure from former V8 Ute Champion Jack Elsegood but held on to ninth position and Elsegood rounded out the top ten in his Trend Micro Ford FG.
Gerard McLeod had a coming together with Kiwi Peter Ward coming up to Griffith bend, spinning the MacMahon Mining Holden around. He was soon called into the pits for a mechanical black flag due to a lose rear bumper.
Ward came home in 26th overall taking out the Bathurst Challenge Trophy as the highest ranking New Zealand driver.
Craig Dontas won the Champion Spark Plugs Hole Shot Award and $500 cash for the best Start in Race 3.
Warren Wake Up Millet claimed the Masters Award for the best performing driver over 45 years of age, after finishing 22nd overall for the weekend.
Amber Anderson and her V8 Nights Ford walked away with the Armor All Best Presented Award and Kris Walton is still leading the Rookie of the Year title.
The V8 Utes will head to the Armor All Gold Coast 600 in two weeks time to battle for Round 6 rights on the streets of Surfers Paradise, but to recap on the action of this weekend tune in to Network Seven next Saturday, 13th October from 1:30pm. Check local guides.
