DAY
11 REPORT
WINS GIVE TWEEDIE POLE FOR SUNDAY SANDOWN F5000 FEATURE
Sydney
youngster Tom Tweedie has annexed pole position for Sunday’s
Formula 5000 Australia Cup feature after two commanding wins in Saturday’s
qualifying heats.
Tweedie’s
Chevron, which won the Tasman series in 1974 in the hands of British
racer Peter Gethin, was uncatchable, lowering the Formula 5000 (and
outright) Sandown lap record twice, to eventually leave it at a scintillating1m
05.76s.
The
main excitement for the large Sandown crowd centred around a pair
of nose-to-tail dices for second between pole man Richard Davison
(Lola T332) and Kiwi Andrew Higgins (Lola T400) in the opening heat,
joined in the second by veteran Ken Smith (Lola T332) who had battled
through from the back of the grid after missing qualifying.
In
the end, Higgins took both runner-up spots, with Davison and Smith
sharing a podium each. They will thus also share the second row for
Sunday’s 12-lap feature, with Higgins joining Tweedie on the
front row.
Melbournians
Bryan Sala (Matich A50) and Tony Floreani (Elfin MR5) will share the
third row.
The
historic Formula 5000 category is appearing on the V8 Supercar programme
for the first time, supporting the opening round of the 2013 Pirtek
Endurance Cup – the Wilson Security Sandown 500.
Having
taken a sensational F5000 pole yesterday, Richard Davison was able
to watch as son Will did the same for Ford Performance Racing, emerging
on top after the main event’s two qualifying ‘sprint’
races today.
The
Formula 5000 Australia Cup is supported by Gibson Freight and MSC.
Pic: Tom Tweedie (Chevron B24/28)
– first ever below 1m06s at Sandown. Image courtesy John Morris/Mpix
EVENT
REPORT
TWEEDIE EXTENDS F5000 SERIES LEAD
Sydneysider
Tom Tweedie has consolidated his lead in the 2013/14 Formula 5000
Australia Cup with an almost all-the-way win in the weekend’s
feature event, run as a curtain-raiser to Sunday’s V8 Supercar
Sandown 500.
Tweedie’s
Chevron B24 was beaten away from the rolling start by Kiwi Andrew
Higgins (Lola T400), but burst through to lead half-way round the
opening lap and was never challenged.
A
potential three-way scrap for second between Higgins, Kiwi legend
Ken Smith (Lola T332) and Richard Davison (Lola T332), became a two-way
one after two laps when Higgins’ brake pedal went to the floor
at the end of Sandown’s long start-finish straight and he spun.
Fortunately, following cars avoided the stationary car and he was
able to rejoin, albeit with reduced braking capacity, and charge back
through to an eventual fourth-placed finish.
To
his delight, Davison – son of the great former AGP-winner Lex
Davison and father of V8 Supercar stars Will and Alex – was
able to see off the challenge from Smith and earn a well-deserved
second place:
“I’ve
ticked off one of my Bucket List items this weekend – racing
on the same track as the great Ken Smith,” he beamed.
Melbournians
Bryan Sala (Matich A50) and Andrew Robson (Lola T332) completed the
top six.
Formula
5000 Australia Cup points after two rounds: Tweedie 110; Smith 83;
Higgins 79; Sala 61; Aaron Lewis 45; Davison 41; John Bryant 31; Tim
Rush 30; Darcy Russell 23; Andrew Robson 19; Tony Floriani, Rod Carroll
14; Clark Proctor 12.
The
Formula 5000 Australia Cup is supported by Gibson Freight and MSC.
Pic:
Kiwi Andrew Higgins (ex-Mario Andretti Lola T400) led eventual winner
Tom Tweedie, Ken Smith and Richard Davison out of the opening corner
at Sandown, but the youngster was soon past to recoed his seond feature
win. Image courtesy John Morris/Mpix
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