Trans-Am Title Decided at Ipswich
FORMER open wheel and sports car racer Robert Hackwood secured his maiden circuit racing championship, claiming the Mulch Smart 5 Litre Classic Series at the final round of the Australian Trans-Am series at Queensland Raceway on October 15 and 16.
Dewi Jones - October 2016
While Charlie O’Brien and Alwyn Bishop had already sealed the outright championship and Sportsman classes respectively, it was left for Hackwood and defending class champion Sean English to battle it out for 5 Litre honours.
Shannon O’Brien claimed pole position with a 1:19.13, with Ian Palmer confirming a Pontiac front row for the opening race.
O’Brien lead from start to finish to claim the first win of the weekend, ahead of Brett Curran (Mustang) and Palmer. Bishop continued his winning ways in the Sportsman class and impressed with a fifth place outright, while Hackwood’s 5 Litre hopes were threatened after contact with John English resulting in a pit drive-through penalty for the following race.
O’Brien went back-to-back in race two, as Simon Trapp recovered from an oil pump drama to take a stunning victory on debut in the 5 Litre class, as Hackwood recovered to second after serving his pit lane penalty.
A thrilling duel saw Curran edge Palmer for second place in Race 3 as O’Brien sealed a hat-trick of victories. Harry Charalambous scored the Sportsman class victory ahead of Shane Wilson (Mustang) and Steve Scales (Falcon Sprint) as Bishop retired with a split sump. Hackwood returned to the podium in the 5 Litre ranks as Sean English’s hopes for a back-to-back championship faded after an off-track excursion on the final lap.
O’Brien completed a perfect weekend to seal the round victory which promoted him to third in the trophy class standings behind Curran in the Angliss Meats Toowoomba/Hutchinson Builders Mustang.
18 drivers will conclude their calendar with a headlining-appearance at the 2016 Muscle Car Masters at Sydney Motorsport Park, in a non-championship capacity, on October 29 and 30.