Method Motorsport duo Tom Hayman and Marcos Flack have charged to the opening race victory at The Bend for Round 2 of Monochrome GT4 Australia.
It proved a thrilling conclusion to the race as McLaren took on Ford for the final podium positions, while the classes proved hard fought
Zagame Motorsport Josh Buchan scored pole this morning and led away for the majority of the first stint until George Miedecke made a pass ahead of his pit stop. The reigning TCR Australia series winner continued to run as long as possible during his stint maintaining a solid lead from Lachlan Mineeff in the Method Motorsport Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 MR CS.
Miedecke handed over to Rylan Gray and he pushed even dropping wheels off in the final corner as their pit stop was longer due to the successes of Phillip Island.
When Buchan pitted he held such an advantage co-driver Jason Yu emerged in the lead ahead of Tom McLennan, who in turn replaced Nathan Morcom a little earlier. However, this was changed quickly as McLennan moved past Yu and set about building an advantage from teammate Hayman, while Gray was also closing in.
Yu had dropped to fifth outright and second in Pro-Am behind Shane Smollen having taken the wheel from Mineeff.
With 15 minutes remaining the two Method Motorsport McLaren Artura GT4s closed as Hayman was attacking McLennan, while negotiating traffic and be mindful Gray was also in calculation.
Hayman managed to make a successful bid for the lead on the final corner at the 12 minute mark and began to build a margin.
Gray continued to hunt down the leaders, but time was running out to catch the leader as he still needed to negotiate McLennan. The Mustang was starting to come into its own as McLennan was playing defensive, but Gray made a spectacular move through Turn 5 to secure second and now had 5s to make up.
Getting a second wind, McLennan was not done in the fight for the runner up slot and was pushing to take back the position though just fell short at the end.
It was Hayman guiding the Method Motorsport McLaren Artura GT4 home after Flack’s strong opening stint ahead of a storming Gray in the Miedecke Motorsport/Lubrimaxx Mustang and McLennan alongside Morcom.
Behind, Smollen and Mineeff finished fourth in the Method Motorsport Porsche from Tim Leahey in the Central West Prestige BMW, Jake Camilleri’s Mercedes-AMG and the Yu/Buchan.
TekworkX Motorsport’s Zoe Woods was an excellent eighth from the Bailey Love/Sam Brabham Love Motorsport Mercedes-AMG and leading Am Cup contender Jacob Lawrence in the Randall Racing BMW.
The outright podium was also for Silver Cup with Hayman/Flack leading Gray/Miedecke and McLennan/Morcom.
Smollen first home in Pro-Am sharing with Mineeff as Yu/Buchan held on for second leaving Game Over’s Tony Quinn and Jackson Rooney completing the podium.
Lawrence led home GB Galvanising Racing’s Vince Giucciardo in the Porsche and the Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Mark Griffith.
Racing continues tomorrow for Monochrome GT4 Australia at 12:05pm ACST or 12:35pm AEST.
UPDATE: The Miedecke Motorsport Ford Mustang was disqualified for being underweight elevating Shane Smollen and Lachlan Mineeff to third outright, with Tim Leahey completing the Silver Cup podium.