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[Australian GT] Ferrari Fires, Crick Builds Points Buffer In Wet And Wild Round |
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Sunday, 21 May 2006 |
FERRARI FIRES, CRICK BUILDS POINTS BUFFER IN WET AND WILD ISLAND ROUND
| Attachment 16424 | | Simonsen leads the assembled GT Pack today at Phillip Island (GT / Klynsmith Photo) |
A completely unpredictable day at Victoria’s Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit has seen Allan Simonsen become the first multiple round winner of the 2006 Speed Energy Drink Australian GT Championship.
Three different drivers scored race wins in this weekend’s fourth championship round, three races held in difficult and changeable wet / dry conditions and producing some scintillating racing amongst a competitive field.
Simonsen, series stalwart John Teulan and D’Arcy Russell shared the wins today, Russell tasting his first success since Phillip Island last August, whilst Teulan’s win in race two was his first ever in Australian GT Racing after five years of trying.
The day’s drama started early, defending champion Bryce Washington’s ADRAD Racing Porsche needing a replacement engine following a failure at the end of Saturday’s qualifying session.
A replacement power plant was sourced from Porsche Australia’s office in Melbourne, the team working right through the night to have the car race-ready by approximately 4am Sunday morning to ensure the South Australian’s title hopes remained alive.
Simonsen scored a win, fifth and second-place results respectively today to win the round; his race two result thanks to a drive through penalty after the Danish superstar was judged to have jumped the re-start following a safety car period.
The locally-based Ferrari led a majority of the final race before being overhauled by the Dodge Viper GTS ACR of D’Arcy Russell with a few laps remaining.
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