Marco Giltrap has won this afternoon’s Porsche Sprint Challenge opener at Symmons Plains, topping compatriot Ronan Murphy who moved up the order following a dramatic last-lap incident at the front of the pack.
It was so close to a Kiwi lockout on the podium, with Zac Stichbury finishing fourth, a late lunge on Oscar Targett seeing him fall less than one-tenth short of the third step.
Giltrap’s win was ultimately a lights-to-flag affair, the youngster holding off a fast-starting Lachlan Bloxsom to hold his line through Turns 1 & 2 to pull a car length clear.
Murphy also got away well, holding firm in the front five and challenging those ahead early. An early Safety Car was called for following contact back in the pack, a lengthy delay required for Armco checks on the exit of Turn 3 into Turn 4.
Giltrap launched well off the restart, leaving the cars behind to battle it out for the minor placings. Marcos Flack sat second on Lap 14, which was ultimately called the final lap due to time, only for Aron Shields to tap him at the hairpin and send him around. A fast-charging fourth-placed Bloxsom made contact with a slowing Shields, hitting the wall with nowhere to go. Tom McLennan was also caught in the incident, the seas parting for the Kiwis who weaved through for Murphy to move from fifth to second and Stichbury to move from eighth to fourth.
The last-lap incident also has championship implications for the Australian cars, with a number of contenders caught in the carnage. That boosts Giltrap’s title hopes, with Murphy and Stichbury also making great gains.
The Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia returns for one more race today, at 4.35 pm, with tomorrow’s sole race at 1.45 pm.
Both races will be shown live on Sky Sport 5.
Header Image: Giltrap Group
