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Century 21 Racing Extends The Points Buffer After Mallala |
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Monday, 18 September 2006 |
| Attachment 17133 |
| Century 21 Racing driver Garry Holt leads the STS Turbo Australian Performance Car Championship after five rounds. (Richard Craill / Race Torque Media Pic) |
STS Turbo Australian Performance Car Championship team Century 21 Racing has consolidated their position at the top of the championship table following a strong weekend at South Australia’s Mallala Raceway, the fifth round of the 2006 Championship.
Driver Garry Holt, suffering the effects of the flu, managed to score more points than both of his nearest championship rivals at the 2.6km circuit outside of Adelaide despite only winning one of the three races in what amounted to a tough weekend for the Sydney-based Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.
Holt scored pole on Saturday, scorching around the Mallala layout in 1m15.4995 to take the top spot from championship rival Peter Floyd’s HSV Commodore by .2 of a second in a tightly contested session.
That pole position was converted to a strong early race lead in Sunday’s first 10-lap affair before stewards deemed the Century 21 car had jumped the start and penalized it with a drive-through penalty, that Holt took on lap six.
He finished the race in sixth position, and despite many witnesses after the race suggesting that the car had not jumped the start it was to no avail - leaving a fired up driver charged and ready for the second race set to be held later in the afternoon.
Using his Four-wheel-drive grip to his advantage, Holt stormed off the line and passed four cars into turn one – a bold inside move seeing the Century 21 car blast past Floyd, Lynton
and teammate Barry Morcom - before moving past fellow Mitsubishi driver
Graham Alexander on lap two to take the lead.
The Century 21 Real Estate car was never headed after that, going on to
record a three-second victory and to fight back in the best possible
way from the race one disappointment.
Holt went on to score a strong second in the third and final race,
scoring second for the round and once again extending his championship
points buffer after finishing ahead of nearest rivals Beric Lynton and
Peter Floyd in two of the three events.
The Century 21 Real Estate-sponsored Lancer now leads the championship
by 63.5 points (over Lynton’s BMW) and leads Floyd’s HSV by 67 points
with two rounds remaining.
“I’m happy with the weekend,” Holt said after the race.
“The crew did a great job all weekend and we were able to really consolidate lead in the championship over Lynton and Floyd.
“We put the car on pole position but got a stop go penalty in the first
race – Unfortunately despite a lot of witnesses saying that we didn't
jump the start we had already been given the penalty and there was
nothing we could do.
“We had a few problems with the handling of the car thanks to the heat
but overall we are really happy. From the last five races we’ve had two
wins and two seconds which is really good.” He said.
With the next round of the championship at the horsepower friendly
circuit of Symmons Plans, near Launceston in Tasmania, Holt said that
the championship buffer would be handy at a circuit not expected to
suit the Century 21 Real Estate Lancer.
“It won’t suit us but we will go down to Tasmania with a good lead and
hopefully we’ll be able to keep our buffer in the championship
standings,” he said.
“We are also looking forward to our racing next season where we will be
running in front of the V8 Supercar crowds with a fantastic television
package from Channel 7.”
Century 21 Racing and Garry Holt gratefully acknowledge the support of
Century 21 Real Estate, Orix, 2UE, Eastern Creek International Karting
Raceway, Croyden Racing Developments, Elf Oil and Sarina Smash Repairs.
The next round of the STS Turbo Australian Performance Car championship
will be held at Symmons Plains Raceway on November 10 – 12th.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 14 December 2006 )
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