Just two points separate Callum Hedge and Porsche Carrera Cup Australia championship leader Jackson Walls after the Kiwi challenger finished second in Saturday’s sole race.
Walls was overcome by Max Vidau early in the race and forced to settle for fourth, losing 12 championship points to his rival and creating a winner-take-all scenario for the final race of the season.
Dale Wood doubled down to take his second win of the weekend, dominating off pole and holding on in a one-lap sprint to the line after a mid-race Safety Car.
Wood got the better launch off the front row once again and was clear into Turn 1, while Hedge was forced to fend off Walls, who started directly behind, on the run to Turn 1, the championship leader taking to the grass as the Kiwi held his line.
The gap to the front quickly grew as the battle behind continued, and Vidau jumped to third and onto the rear of the Team Porsche New Zealand and Earl Bamber Motorsport entry.
Hedge then began to eat into Wood’s lead, which was over two seconds at the end of Lap 2, but had his progress cut short when a Safety Car was called for an accident in the Pro-Am class.
Matthew Belford ran into the outside wall at Turn 8 at speed, his left rear detaching and sending the car spinning down and across the straight before lightly nosing into the inside wall.
The cleanup and recovery saw the race reduced to a one-lap sprint to the line, with a good launch from Wood, seeing him comfortably take the result from his teammate, and Vidau rounding out the podium.
Wood will start off pole in the finale, with Hedge on the front row and Walls on the row behind. If the duo finish in the top ten, the title will be decided on whoever finishes ahead.
The season-finale begins at 3.15 pm on Sunday.
Header Image: Porsche Motorsport Australia
