PLEASANT conditions greeted drivers for Round two of the 2019 Autocross series at SEAC Park on Sunday, with a cool breeze and overcast skies.
The track was in good condition and proved to be a fast race surface.
With 50 competitors to face the starter, racing was under way at 10am.
Hot shots, Aaron Bowering and Jason Winterfield were on the pace in their Subaru WRX’s from the first lap, along with Kevin Millard sharing Bowering’s car.
But they did not walk away in their 4WD’s.
Young 2WD pilot Nick Cagney was also on the pace, along with Gary Brown, Matt Kirby, Liam Lewis, Geoff Wilson and Dion Becker, all running under the magic two-minute lap.
Millard found more pace in heat two, with Cagney’s commodore a second behind and Jayden Edwards closely following.
Falcon pilot Gary Brown was next, in front of Wilson by just .02 of a second.
Dion Becker, Kirby and Barry Edwards rounded out the top 10.
Heat three saw Bowering and Winterfield flying at the front, while Wilson found some more speed and came in at position three – impressive work for a 69 year old driver.
Kirby also enjoyed this run but was a second behind, with Jayden Edwards filling fifth spot, ahead of Cameron Jesse in sixth.
Barry Edwards finished seventh, with Josh Becker making good time in the Sigma to edge out dad, Dion, driving his falcon for eighth and ninth points.
Nick Cagney filled the 10th spot.
Apart from the lightning-quick Bowering and Winterfield, the scoreboard held a lot of interest at the lunch break.
Directors then saw fit to change the track and presented a different course.
For some it worked, for others it did not.
Mechanical issues had placed a handful of the hard chargers on the side lines.
Winterfield upped the pace in heat four to break Bowering’s run at the top.
Cagney put in a blinder and ran a 1:45.3 lap to just pip Dion Becker with a 1:46.
Millard regained some track speed for fifth fastest with a 1:46.7.
Dylan Gregory charged through the jumps to log a 1:46.8 for his quickest round and personal best.
Liam Lewis came in next with a 1:46.91 followed by Jayden Edwards at 1:47.1, Josh Becker with 1:47.6 and Barry Edwards rounding out the top 10 at 1:48.3.
A further track change for heat five saw Bowering and Winterfield again at the front, with Millard again quick to finish his day.
Cagney finished the day just head off Dion Becker.
Mark Jennings finally put a good lap together to get home with a 1:46.8 for sixth, just in front of Josh Becker.
Lewis filled eighth spot, Jayden Edwards ninth and Ken Moore in 10th.
With all points tallied and penalties taken into account, Bowering stopped the clock with an extremely quick total of 8:39.44 for outright first, followed by Jason Winterfield with 8:53.23.
Cagney had an excellent day for third place with his total of 9:18.73.
