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Following on from his first series race win earlier in the day, Steve Kwiatkowski dominated the second race at Mt Panorama yesterday to take out the first round of the 2008 Supaloc Australian Saloon Car Series. At the helm of the Wesport Cars/Eagle Paint & Panel Ford Falcon AU, the South Australian scooted away to a comfortable lead before the race concluded under a safety car.

“I started well and there looked to be some pushing and shoving behind me into the first corner,” Kwiatkowski said. “So I put my head down and went hard, and the next time I peeked in the mirror, there was a sizeable gap.”

Kris Walton (Qld) won the tussle for second and looked comfortably set for a podium until the power steering blew which was followed by a fan belt break a lap later. He pulled out in the Cutting and some laps later, was deemed to be in an unsafe position which brought about the safety car.

When the Walton AU went out, the Supaloc Holden Commodore VT of Kevin Weeks assumed second while fellow South Australian Matt Lovell, in his Batteries Direct AU withstood the challenge of five times champion Bruce Heinrich in his Pacemaker Headers Commodore.

“Thank goodness for that safety car,” said Lovell, “we had miscalculated on the fuel and the car was surging badly. If the race had a resumed we would not have finished.”

Behind that pair was Shawn Jamieson who actually split them early on but tyres life went away and his Morphet Vale Garage VT could not stay with them. He still finished clear of the Falcon AU’s of Peter Dane, Troy Hoey, Michael Seal and Clint Harvey who stormed through the field after starting from the rear of the grid.

Tim Rouse also start from the back and made good progress until a clash with the AU of Daniel Gale delay the momentum. He ultimately finished 19th, two spots ahead of Malcom Niall (AU) another who had failed to finish the first race.

The Australian Saloon Car Company (TASCCO) is a foundation member of the CAMS National Racing Championship, one of the core categories (Production Cars, F3, Saloon Cars and Commodore Cup) in partnership with CAMS that now make up the Shannons Nationals.

The popular six cylinder Holden Commodore verse Ford Falcon category is supported by Supaloc Steel Building Systems, Pedders Suspension, Kumho Tyres, Xtreme Clutch, EMS Fuel Injection, Cebco Brakes and CSA Alloy Wheels.

2008 Supaloc Australian Saloon Car Championship Round One Race Two (10 laps)

1 Steve Kwiatkowski (SA) Ford Falcon AU 29:11.0741

2 Kevin Weeks (SA) Holden Commodore VT 29:12.9658

3 Matthew Lovell (SA) Ford Falcon AU 29:14.5866

4 Bruce Heinrich (SA) Holden Commodore VT 29:15.5969

5 Shawn Jamieson (SA) Holden Commodore VT 29:16.9389

6 Peter Dane (NSW) Ford Falcon AU 29:18.0340

7 Troy Hoey (QLD) Ford Falcon AU 29:18.4968

8 Michael Seal (NSW) Ford Falcon AU 29:19.1501

9 Clint Harvey (WA) Ford Falcon AU 29:19.9837

10 Brenton Burr (SA) Ford Falcon AU 29:20.8596

11 David Rogers (NSW) Ford Falcon AU 29:21.9798

12 Luke Westall (NSW) Ford Falcon AU 29:23.1247

13 Lindsay Merritt (QLD) Holden Commodore VT 29:24.2372

14 Ryan Millier (VIC) Ford Falcon EA 29:25.4784

15 Nathan Callaghan (WA) Holden Commodore VT 29:26.7852

16 Lindsay Kearns (QLD) Ford Falcon EA 29:27.5167

17 Daniel Gate (WA) AU Falcon 3800 29:28.5403

18 Brett Niall (WA) Ford Falcon AU 29:29.7439

19 Timothy Rowse (VIC) Holden Commodore VT 29:31.2238

20 Rodney Dawson (QLD) Ford Falcon AU 29:32.5813

21 Malcolm Niall (WA) Ford Falcon AU 29:34.1519

22 Dion Panizza (WA) Holden Commodore VT 29:35.0715

23 Tony James (WA) Holden Commodore VT 29:35.8169

24 Geoff Brown (VIC) Ford Falcon AU 29:37.3263

25 Tim Young (QLD) Ford Falcon EA 29:37.9977

26 Brett Stewart (WA) Holden Commodore VT 29:39.2539

27 Ryan Dane (NSW) Ford Falcon EA 29:40.1856

28 Paul Pennisi (VIC) Holden Commodore VT 29:42.8275

29 David Mitchell (NSW) Ford Falcon AU 29:45.2060

30 Basil Stratos (VIC) Holden Commodore VT 29:46.6394

31 Robert Lonie (SA) Holden Commodore VT 29:48.2367

32 John Townsend (QLD) Holden Commodore VN 29:49.9072

33 Wayne Christie (NZ) Holden Commodore VN 29:51.5775

34 Mark Pilatti (WA) Holden Commodore VT 29:55.6262

35 Glenn Kenny (NSW) VP Commodore 3800 30:00.8253

36 Wayne Patten (QLD) Holden Commodore VN 9 laps

37 Naomi Maltby (SA) Holden Commodore VN 9 laps

38 Coleby Cowham (QLD) Ford Falcon EA 8 laps

DNF Tony Shanks (QLD) Ford Falcon AU 8 laps

DNF Kris Walton (QLD) Ford Falcon AU 7 laps

DNF Brian French (NSW) Holden Commodore VT 2 laps

DNF Brad Piggott (NSW) Ford Falcon AU 1 lap

EXC John Van Gilst (QLD) Holden Commodore VN

Fastest lap: Weeks 2:38.1204

Supaloc Australian Saloon Car Series 2008 Calendar

Round 1 – Bathurst February 8-10

Round 2 – Oran Park April 26-27

Round 3 – Eastern Creek July 12-13

Round 4 – Phillip Island August 9-10

Round 5 – Mallala November 1-2

Round 6 – Sandown November 29-30

Supaloc Australian Saloon Car Past Champions

Heinrich 2007, Heinrich 2006, Heinrich 2005, Harvey 2004, Heinrich 2003, Heinrich 2002.