Race action highlighted the first day of the penultimate Shannons SpeedSeries event at Shell V-Power Motorsport Park.
The annual trip for the Shannons SpeedSeries to Australia’s newest venue features GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS, Monochrome GT4 Australia, Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge, Ferrari Challenge Australasia, First Focus Radical Australia Cup and for the first time, the historic Group S sportcars.
While most categories only partook in Practice, Qualifying and Pre-Qualifying sessions, Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge contested its opening race as part of a two-day meeting for the category.
The Shell V-Power Motorsport Park round of the Shannons SpeedSeries marks the final round to be held in Australia before the season finale at Hampton Downs in New Zealand, so make sure not to miss the opportunity to attend one of these events.
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS
It was a busy opening day for GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS competitors courtesy of two practice sessions and Pre-Qualifying to round out the schedule.
Realta/Tigani Motorsport’s Jayden Ojeda ended Friday fastest in Pre-Qualifying on a 1m 45.810s in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo he will share alongside Paul Lucchitti.
Just 0.246s behind was Supercars ace Ryan Wood in the all-New Zealander Wolfbrook/Team MPC Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II to be co-driven by Steve Brooks, with third being Jordan Love and Steve Wyatt in the Arise Racing GT Ferrari 296 GT3.
Renee Gracie can sew up the Am Class title with a round to spare and she was fastest in the OnlyFans/Team MPC Audi.
Ojeda and Lucchitti started the day as they ended it as the fastest in opening practice as championship leaders Jaxon Evans and Elliott Schutte led the way in the second session.
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS heads into Qualifying mode at 8:40am ACST/9:10am AEST.
Monochrome GT4 Australia
In Monochrome GT4 Australia, it was a tale of clean-sweeps throughout the classes on the opening day of Round 5.
It was the Purdie Racing Audi R8 LMS GT4 of Blake Purdie and Daniel Price leading the way in Silver Cup after achieving a 1m 56.599s in Pre-Qualifying to hold the advantage at the end of proceedings. It was exciting for the team, which is based within the grounds of Shell V-Power Motorsport Park.
Nash Morris completed the day second alongside Zoe Woods in the TekworkX Motorsport Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS CS from title leaders Tom Hayman and Max Geoghegan in the Method Motorsport McLaren Artura GT4.
Multispares Racing’s Aaron Cameron and Ryan Hansford replicated Purdie Racing’s feat in their Silver-Am Ford Mustang, but a margin of just 0.168s from Zac Soutar in the Tufflift Racing TSM McLaren to be co-driven by Glenn Nirwan.
Class title contenders Aaron Seton and Jason Gomersall completed the top three in the Gomersall Motorsport Ford Mustang GT4.
99Motorsport’s Jarrod Keyte and Marcus LaDelle scored the bragging rights in Am Cup from Method Motorsport duo Nathan Callaghan and Chris Lillis in their Porsche, while Jacob Lawrence rounded out the top three driving the Randall Racing BMW M4 GT4 G82.
Monochrome GT4 Australia’s Saturday begins with Qualifying at 10:50am ACST/11:10am AEST.
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge
Pro-Am driver Ramu Farrell showed up the Pro Class drivers to seal the opening race victory in dominant fashion.
Farrell started second and slid down the inside of Tom Bewley into Turn 1, with this proving the decisive pass. Farrell soon built up a considerable advantage back to a hotly contested battle for second outright and the Pro Class lead.
Bewley was able to hold on from series leader Jake Santalucia and Lochie Bloxsom.
Jacque Jarjo finished runner up in Pro-Am ahead of Andrew Georgiadis.
Daniel Quimby continued his impressive run in an older-specification Cup Car to finish top of Class B seventh outright.
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge continues at 8:00am ACST/8:30am AEST with Race 2, while the finale follows at 12:20pm ACST/12:50 AEST.
Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Australasia
Enzo Cheng was the driver to beat to start the final round of the inaugural Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Australasia season.
Cheng set the pace on a 1m 51.392s to also lead the Coppa Shell class from Aemel Nordin.
Antoine Gittany led the way in Trofeo Pirelli as he aims to seal the class title, with Cameron Campbell and Mark Hudders close in times.
Paul Brockbank led the way in the Trofeo Pirelli 488 Class ahead of Michel Stephan and Japan’s Baby Kei.
Qualifying begins Saturday’s schedule at 9:30am ACST/10:00am AEST.
First Focus Radical Cup Australia
Cooper Cutts led the way in all three sessions ending the day on a 1m 50.124s in final practice.
Ruairidh Avern was second ahead of Cutts’ key title contender Peter Paddon, with the top three covered by just 0.729s.
Leading Am Class was Ibby Hadeed from Terry Knowles and Bradley Russell.
Qualifying for the First Focus Radical Cup Australia begins at 10:10am ACST/10:40am AEST.
Group S
An eclectic mix of heritage Group S sportscars took to the track for a sole practice session to complete the day.
Terry Lawlor set the pace in his Shelby GT350 on a 2m 16.605s to lead Doug Barbour in his Porsche 911 Carrera by 0.157s.
Geoff Morgan in another Porsche rounded out the top three ahead of Qualifying first thing at 7:50am ACST/8:20am AEST.
Action on 7plus begins at 8:40am ACST/9:10am AEST tomorrow at the start of GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS Qualifying.