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D’Alberto Takes First Round Win of 2024
Tony D’Alberto and Zac Soutar were the big winners from the third and final Supercheap Auto TCR Australia encounter at EVENTelec Race Queensland.
Click here for the full results.
Josh Buchan made a lightning getaway from the second row of the grid to clear Soutar and be attacking D’Alberto, but it was Buchan who instead very quickly found himself under attack.
Soutar restored the initial pecking order with a lovely pass around the outside of the #1 Hyundai at Turn 3 as there was plenty of moving and shaking behind.
Brad Harris lost out most considerably, sliding wide at Turn 5 to drop to ninth – a far cry from his third-place grid slot.
There would be no repeat of Ryan Casha’s earlier heroics either, the Garry Rogers Motorsport youngster losing five places to be 10th.
Going the other direction were Aaron Cameron (eighth to fourth) and Dylan O’Keeffe (13th to seventh).
As light faded, a train of cars followed D’Alberto but there was little in the way of late wheel-to-wheel action.
A fired-up Tom Oliphant did however launch his way past Cameron for fourth at Turn 4, while O’Keeffe completed a productive 21-lapper by depriving Jordan Cox of sixth.
No one could stop D’Alberto though, the veteran holding his nerve to seal the round win.
Second was no disaster for Soutar, helping him ever so slightly further widen his margin to Buchan atop the standings.
Behind Cox, Ben Bargwanna, Challenge class winner Brad Harris, Casha, Will Harris and debutant Ben Stewart rounded out the field.
Nirwan was the sole non-finisher after contact with Will Harris sent him off the road at Turn 4. Suspension damage sustained left him to retire.
Race Sydney (October 18-20) is next up, forming the penultimate round of the season.