Muscat consolidates lead in Townsville sun
There were three different winners from the three races that made up the third round of the Australian GT Championship presented by Pirelli held at the Townsville street track of the weekend.
The GT Championship was supporting the V8 Supercars at the Queensland track. The weekend would see three 40 minute races all with compulsory pitstops – and in usual Australian GT style, the higher seeding driver pairing you have and the higher you qualified, the longer your pitstop.
There were a couple of changes from the previous round with ex-V8 Supercar driver, Tony D’Alberto joining John Bowe in the Maranello Ferrari 458 GT3 as regular (gentleman) driver Peter Edwards had other commitments. This suddenly made this car a serious contender for victory.
Additionally former F3 runner, Hayden Cooper stepped into a GTS class Ginetta and Porsche ace Michael Almond raced beside Ben Foessel in the Motorschool GTC class Porsche.
The weekend started off – and ended spectacularly for Keith Kassulke and his Ascari after an electrical fault caused an engine bay fire. The car should be repaired for the next round in Sydney in August.
In qualifying, Steven Richards put his Lamborghini Gallardo FL2 put in a stunning lap of 1:12.332 – which was half a second quicker than the best lap in V8 Supercar qualifying. Klark Quinn (McLaren), John Bowe (Ferrari) and Richard Muscat (Mercedes) all qualified within a second of Richards.
“It wasn’t a bad lap. I could have gone half a second quicker on the next lap, but I got caught up in traffic. The car is great, I think we’re in a pretty good position. Justin [McMillan] was quick in his practice session earlier in the day, so overall I think we’re looking good for the three races this weekend,” Richards said after qualifying.
Race 1 was held on the Saturday and Richards, starting from pole led until the pitstop cycle. Behind him, a clash down the field between Foessel, Dale Paterson (Mosler) and Brendon Cook’s Porsche eliminated the Mosler and gave Foessel a left rear puncture.
Tyre problems would also beset Bowe, who would have to pit early with a slow puncture. His issues were compounded by a blend line issue, ensuring drive through penalty, ruining his race.
A heavy crash at the 20-minute mark also eliminated two Audis of John Magro and Steve Mclaughlan. McMillan had taken over from the lead and was returning to the track as the two Audis were approaching and battling hard. The three cars got caught up in turn 1, putting the two Audis heavily in the wall, though McMillan was able to continue.
The resulting safety car and pitstops were to benefit Klark Quinn who took the lead – one he was not to lose. Muscat finished second and Tony Quinn third.
Race 2 was held on Sunday morning and was the domain of newcomer Tony D’Ablerto. Errors from his main competitors – with Muscat spinning and Klark Quinn’s McLaren having a spectral sensor failure – resulting in overfueling and fire opened the door for the Ferrari.
D’Alberto drove from 17th to third by lap 12, and handed over to John Bowe to finish the job and take the win from Tony Quinn and Richard Muscat.
“That was fantastic. The car was fantastic, and the other drivers gave me plenty of room as I came through the field. JB [Bowe] did a brilliant job and maintained the gap to Tony [Quinn], and that was all we needed,” D’Alberto said after the race.
Race three was finally the race that Championship leader, Richard Muscat would win. After his race 2 dramas, Klark Quinn was back and battled his way to fourth.
After their race 1 shenanigans, Patterson’s Mosler and Cook in his Porsche fought over the same piece of tarmac, with Cook locking up and hitting the Mosler, forcing the luckless Patterson into retirement.
Muscat, however was unfazed by what was happening down the field, leading by 12 seconds after the pitstops. He wouldn’t lose the lead, beating out the D’Alberto/Bowe Ferrari by four seconds with Tony Quinn taking third.
Le Mans runner, James Winslow was back in a Trophy class Audi, but it was a tough weekend, taking fourth in class in race 1, and second in class in both races two and three.
In the Championship standings, Muscat (285) now leads Bowe (242), Tony Quinn (212) and Klark Quinn (201). Rod Salmon leads the Trophy class, Ben Foessel leads GT Challenge and Tony Alford leads GT4 Sports.
Race#1 – 40-minutes (5 July)
1. Klark Quinn (GT – McLaren MP4-12C) – 25-laps
2. Richard Muscat (GT – SLS AMG GT3)
3. Tony Quinn (GT – Aston Martin Vantage GT3)
4. James Koundouris (GT – Porsche GT3-R)
5. Justin McMillan/Steve Richards (GT – Gallardo FL2 GT3)
6. Rod Salmon/Nathan Antunes (GTT – Audi R8 LMS GT3)
7. Michael Hovey (GTT – Porsche Type 997 GT3 Cup)
8. Theo Koundouris (GTT – Porsche 997 Cup-S)
9. Ross Lilley (GT – Gallardo FL2 GT3)
10. Dean Koutsoumidis/James Winslow (GTT – Audi R8 LMS GT3) – 24-laps
11. Andrew MacPherson (GT – Porsche 997 GT3-R)
12. Tony Alford (GTS – Lotus Exige Cup R)
13. Simon Ellingham (GTT – Porsche Type 997 GT3 Cup)
14. Hayden Cooper (GTS – Ginetta G50 GT4)
15. Brendan Cook/Matt Kingsley (GTC – Porsche GT3 Cup)
16. Mark Griffith (GTS – Ginetta G50 GT4)
17. John Bowe/Tony D’Alberto (GT – Ferrari 458 Italia GT3) – 23-laps
18. Ben Foessel/Michael Almond (GTC – Porsche GT3 Cup)
19. Tony Martin (GTS – Ginetta G50 GT4)
20. Indiran Padayachee (GTC – Porsche GT3 Cup)
21. Jan Jinadasa/Daniel Gaunt (GTT – Lamborghini Gallardo LP520) – 22-laps
DNF. Ockert Fourie/John Magro (GTT – Audi R8 LMS GT3) – 17-laps
DNF. Steve McLaughlan (GTT – Audi R8 LMS GT3) – 15-laps
DNF. Dale Paterson (GTT – Mosler MT900 GT3) – 0-laps
DNS. Keith Kassulke (GTT – Ascari KZR-1 GT3)
Race#2 – 40-minutes (6 July)
1. John Bowe/Tony D’Alberto (GT – Ferrari 458 Italia GT3) – 29-laps
2. Tony Quinn (GT – Aston Martin Vantage GT3)
3. Richard Muscat (GT – SLS AMG GT3)
4. Justin McMillan/Steve Richards (GT – Gallardo FL2 GT3)
5. Rod Salmon/Nathan Antunes (GTT – Audi R8 LMS GT3)
6. Ross Lilley (GT – Gallardo FL2 GT3)
7. Andrew MacPherson (GT – Porsche 997 GT3-R)
8. Dean Koutsoumidis/James Winslow (GTT – Audi R8 LMS GT3) – 28-laps
9. Michael Hovey (GTT – Porsche Type 997 GT3 Cup)
10. Jan Jinadasa/Daniel Gaunt (GTT – Lamborghini Gallardo LP520)
11. Ben Foessel/Michael Almond (GTC – Porsche GT3 Cup)
12. Dale Paterson (GTT – Mosler MT900 GT3)
13. Brendan Cook/Matt Kingsley (GTC – Porsche GT3 Cup)
14. Simon Ellingham (GTT – Porsche Type 997 GT3 Cup)
15. Theo Koundouris (GTT – Porsche 997 Cup-S)
16. Hayden Cooper (GTS – Ginetta G50 GT4)
17. Tony Alford (GTS – Lotus Exige Cup R) – 27-laps
18. Indiran Padayachee (GTC – Porsche GT3 Cup)
19. Mark Griffith (GTS – Ginetta G50 GT4)
DNF. Tony Martin (GTS – Ginetta G50 GT4) – 20-laps
DNF. Klark Quinn (GT – McLaren MP4-12C) – 17-laps
DNF. James Koundouris (GT – Porsche GT3-R) – 12-laps
DNS. Ockert Fourie/John Magro (GTT – Audi R8 LMS GT3)
DNS. Steve McLaughlan (GTT – Audi R8 LMS GT3)
Race#3 – 40-minutes (6 July)
1. Richard Muscat (GT – SLS AMG GT3) – 30-laps
2. John Bowe/Tony D’Alberto (GT – Ferrari 458 Italia GT3)
3. Tony Quinn (GT – Aston Martin Vantage GT3)
4. Klark Quinn (GT – McLaren MP4-12C)
5. Justin McMillan/Steve Richards (GT – Gallardo FL2 GT3)
6. James Koundouris (GT – Porsche GT3-R)
7. Rod Salmon/Nathan Antunes (GTT – Audi R8 LMS GT3)
8. Dean Koutsoumidis/James Winslow (GTT – Audi R8 LMS GT3) – 29-laps
9. Andrew MacPherson (GT – Porsche 997 GT3-R)
10. Theo Koundouris (GTT – Porsche 997 Cup-S)
11. Ross Lilley (GT – Gallardo FL2 GT3)
12. Jan Jinadasa/Daniel Gaunt (GTT – Lamborghini Gallardo LP520)
13. Michael Hovey (GTT – Porsche Type 997 GT3 Cup)
14. Ben Foessel/Michael Almond (GTC – Porsche GT3 Cup)
15. Simon Ellingham (GTT – Porsche Type 997 GT3 Cup) – 28-laps
16. Indiran Padayachee (GTC – Porsche GT3 Cup)
17. Mark Griffith (GTS – Ginetta G50 GT4)
18. Tony Martin (GTS – Ginetta G50 GT4) – 27-laps
19. Tony Alford (GTS – Lotus Exige Cup R) – 25-laps
DNF. Hayden Cooper (GTS – Ginetta G50 GT4) – 18-laps
DNF. Dale Paterson (GTT – Mosler MT900 GT3) – 12-laps
DNF. Brendan Cook/Matt Kingsley (GTC – Porsche GT3 Cup) – 5-laps
The Australian GT Championship presented by Pirelli will next race at Sydney Motorsport Park on August 22-24, alongside the V8 Supercars for two, 30-minute races and one, 60-minute race.
Sam Tickell
photos courtesy of MPix/Australian GT
