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RICHO TAKES REVERSE-GRID THRILLER
BATHURST HERO Jim Richards has taken a convincing victory in the reverse top-10 race in the ENZED Touring Car Masters series today in Bathurst.
Richards started race two fourth and picked off one car a lap to reach the lead by lap three before stretching the legs of the Shannons Falcon Sprint to record another Bathurst victory.
“The key is to get in front of the bigger more powerful cars in the early laps†Richards said post-race.
“The car was good but it just can’t compete with the cars with more power up and down the hill – so we needed to make a break early and try and get to the front before they got there.
“We had a good battle with Cameron and he did a good job.. I’m happy with that.â€Â
The race was a thriller with Cameron Mason and Brad Tilley sharing the front row and taking the lead in the opening laps.
Tilley led early on the opening lap in his recently re-built Falcon GTHO however an electrical glitch saw the car cut-out at the top of the mountain handing the lead to Mason’s Shelby Mustang.
Tilley continued in second position however the electrical issues returned on the following lap and the Sydney driver was forced to retire in a case of ‘what could have been’ for the popular racer.
“It cut out over the crest before McPhillamy and I had a huge moment when it shut off and locked the rears†he explained.
“I know I’m known for driving the thing hard but I don’t drive it that hard there! It’s dissapointing because it was shaping up to be a good comeback for us but you can bet i’ll be driving it bloody hard tomorrow from the back.â€Â
Mason led until the third lap when Richards slipped past Mopar Charger driver Greg Crick also storming his way past the following lap en route to second place.
Mason finished third to score his best TCM race finish yet improving on a previous-best fifth-place result scored in Darwin.
He finished in front of a massive battle pack that included Falcon driver Keith Kassulke King Springs Camaro ace Mark King and Kim Jane’s XB Falcon.
The trio swapped positions on more than one occasion throughout the race including a particularly dramatic moment when John Bowe passed both – just before running off the road at turn one.
On his charge from 10th position race-one winner Bowe dived to the inside of Kassulke into ‘Hell’ corner however ran wide and into the gravel trap to ultimately finish eighth.
Lubrimaxx Camaro driver Andrew Miedecke was in the thick of the fight for fourth fifth and sixth positions in the closing stages however was a non-finisher after contact with Kassulke when exiting the chase.
With Jason Gomersall finishing seventh and Bowe eighth Tony Karanfilovski and Pail Freestone rounded out the top-10.
Les Walmsley held out Andrew Fisher Cameron Tilley and Bill Pye in a close fight for 11th position with Wane Mercer completing the top 15.
The race was shortened to five laps after Carey McMahon crashed his Holden Torana SL/R 5000 at the Cutting on lap four – race officials electing to shorten the race rather than have it conclude under Safety Car.
The results remain provisional pending post-race investigations by race officials.
The final race of the weekend will kick off the big Sunday of action at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 event the final 7-lapper to be shown live on 7 around Australia at 7:20am local time.
RESULTS: TCM Mountain Masters Race 2
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Pos Car Competitor/Team Driver Vehicle Cap CL Laps Race.Time Fastest...Lap1 1 Shannons Insurance Jim Richards (VIC) Falcon Sprint 4700c 5 11:59.0193 4 2:22.77462 75 Mopar Performance Greg Crick (TAS) Charger E55 5570c 5 12:00.7086 5 2:23.14953 3 Hercules Engines Cameron Mason (NSW) Mustang Fastback 5000c 5 12:01.7891 5 2:23.64004 52 Outbound Racing / wheels.com.p Keith Kassulke (QLD) Falcon XB Coupe 5800c 5 12:07.9161 3 2:23.21005 85 Whiteline Transport Racing / K Mark King (QLD) Camaro RS 5800c 5 12:08.2700 3 2:24.87726 48 Sydneys Cheapest Cars Kim Jane (VIC) Falcon XB Coupe 5800c 5 12:08.9062 3 2:24.68637 35 iseek Racing Jason Gomersall (QLD) Torana SL/R 5000 5047c 5 12:10.6038 5 2:24.71218 18 Dunlop Super Dealers/Wilson Se John Bowe (VIC) Mustang Trans Am 5600c 5 12:12.5274 3 2:23.21499 88 TIFS - Warehousing & Distribut Tony Karanfilovski (NSW) Mustang Trans Am 5800c 5 12:20.0398 3 2:26.533410 25 Freestones Transport/Freestone Paul Freestone (VIC) Camaro SS 5800c 5 12:20.6963 2 2:26.619111 99 Outbound Racing / Treloar Rose Les Walmsley (VIC) HQ Monaro 5810c 5 12:22.2702 2 2:27.443612 9 Synergy Race Engines Andrew Fisher (NSW) Falcon XY GTHO 5800c 5 12:22.7341 4 2:23.398513 60 Tilleys Racing Equipment Cameron Tilley (NSW) HQ Monaro 5800c 5 12:22.9555 4 2:26.721114 7 calga.biz Bill Pye (NSW) Camaro 5800c 5 12:23.1691 4 2:23.008815 74 Lyndways Builders Wayne Mercer (VIC) Falcon XY GTHO 5800c 5 12:31.7686 4 2:28.761116 56 Autolite Spark Plugs Brett Youlden (VIC) HQ Monaro 5800c 5 12:32.2538 4 2:26.182017 33 SportsMed Greg Keene (SA) 911 RS 3600c 5 12:38.1005 4 2:30.382618 10 Sunliner RV Tony Hunter (VIC) Monza 2+2 5000c 5 12:41.5286 4 2:30.793219 98 Thunder Road Racing Australia William Vining (NSW) Mustang Coupe 5000c 5 12:41.8331 4 2:30.811120 4 Skye Sands Rusty French (VIC) 911 RS 3600c 5 12:43.2903 4 2:29.818721 72 BMR Industries Bruce McLeod (NT) Falcon XA Superbird 5000c 5 13:31.0649 4 2:39.531422 43 Treloar Roses / Mick Wilson Pl Mick Wilson (VIC) Charger RT 4390c 5 13:31.2081 4 2:41.075523 5 Northern BM P/L Phillip Showers (VIC) Escort RS 1600 2000c 5 13:32.8151 4 2:40.5912DNF 95 Whiteline Transport Racing / L Andrew Miedecke (NSW) Camaro SS 5800c 4 9:41.4523 3 2:22.4436*DNF 50 Flo-gineering Carey McMahon (VIC) Torana SL/R 5000 5000c 4 9:53.2676 3 2:26.5130DNF 11 Lion Mill Solutions Adam Bressington (NSW) Falcon XA GT 5768c 3 8:09.4341 2 2:33.1603DNF 28 Brad Tilley (NSW) Falcon XY GT 5800c 1 2:23.7085DNF 6 Chris Stillwell Racing Sven Burchartz (VIC) Mustang Trans Am 5000c 1 3:55.9636