It was Mustang vs McLaren in the battle for Monochrome GT4 Australia supremacy at Queensland Raceway, but it was Method Motorsport again taking the chequered flag in the opening race.
Highlighted by a superb battle between first across the line Tom McLennan and George MIedecke, but contact on the penultimate lap proved decisive.
Rylan Gray was the star in the Mustang at the beginning disposing of both Method Motorsport McLaren Artura GT4s in the opening corners, the second was spectacularly around the outside at Turn 3.
From there, the Mustang dominated the opening stint as another young gun also scythed through the field in the form of Ryder Quinn in the Black Diamond Building and Construction BMW M4 GT4 G82. Quinn climbed six positions to sit second at the end of the opening stint before handing to Steve Jakic in a superb run.
Others making good ground through the opening stint were Mercedes-AMG GT4 drivers Sam Brabham and Nash Morris.
The Method Motorsport McLarens did the opposite to drop down the order as Nathan Morcom was third and Marcos Flack sat sixth as the pit stop window opened.
Morcom was the first of the leaders to pit followed by race leader Gray and Flack at the halfway mark.
This released Quinn to set the fastest lap of the race at a 1m 13.949s, but behind George Miedecke was desperately trying to hold off Tom McLennan having both taken over the Miedecke Motorsport/Lubrimaxx Mustang and Method Motorsport McLaren Artura GT4, respectively.
Quinn pitted to hand over to Jakic with a 12s lead from Miedecke, McLennan and the Gomersall Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT4 of Jake Camilleri once the final stops were completed with 25 minutes left.
The gap was closing rapidly to Jakic as Miedecke held off McLennan, but the latter attempted an inside move at Turn 3, which just failed.
Just as this was happening, the pair caught Jakic and got the job done at Turn 3 in minimal fuss.
Still maintaining the lead in Pro-Am, Jakic was third outright ahead of Camilleri, Tom Hayman having taken over from Flack and Bailey Love after swapping with Brabham rounding out the top runners.
The intensity of the lead battle failed to relent as Miedecke had an answer for every McLennan challenge as Jakic continued in third, though the second Method Motorsport McLaren of Hayman was closing fast and bringing Camilleri along.
Hayman successfully made the move exiting Turn 1 to elevate to outright third, with Camilleri doing likewise in his Silver Cup entry. Jakic still held the lead in Pro-Am, but Shane Smollen was now closing in to challenge for the class win in the Method Motorsport Porsche.
With five minutes remaining, McLennan dove down at Turn 3 leading to contact, but then sent it at the following corner to hold the lead briefly, but Miedecke held on at the next left hander in a thrilling display of defensive driving.
Drama occurred on the penultimate lap when McLennan made a move on the inside at Turn 3, but more substantial contact was made spinning Miedecke and dropping the Mustang to third.
McLennan crossed the line first ahead of teammate Hayman, Miedecke and Camilleri in the outright in addition to Silver Cup.
Jakic secured victory in Pro-Am Cup from Smollen and Love Racing’s Bailey Love.
Jacob Lawrence guided the Randall Racing BMW to the Am Class victory after John Bowe started as the Buckby Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT4 shared by Ben Newman and Beric Lynton finished second. Peter Lawrence and Jamie Augustine rounded out the Am Cup podium in the second Randall Racing BMW.
Luck was not on the side of Ginetta as both representatives of the marque failed to finish. After a stunning lap from Jarrod Hughes this morning the Mark Cotterell Master Jewellers G55 GT4 encountered a suspected diff problem, while the Mackay Goodwin Lloyds Auctions entry failed to make the start.
It’s an early start for Monochrome GT4 Australia tomorrow as the three hour event starts at 7:30am AEST to broadcast live on GTWorld YouTube and streaming locally on 7plus.