Herne holds off Stewart to win Trans-Tasman TA2 opener

First blood in the Trans-Tasman TA2 Series has gone the way of Australia, with their two-time national champion Nathan Herne holding off a race-long challenge from Kiwi debutant Ben Stewart to win at Ruapuna.

Just 0.066 seconds separated the pair in a tight qualifying session earlier in the morning, with the Australian taking the advantage. His compatriots Graham Cheney and Mark Crutcher secured spots on the second row ahead of Brent Collins in fifth as the second-fastest Kiwi.

Herne was quick off the line in the rolling start, slotting in at the front of the field with Stewart’s Chevrolet Camaro close behind. Collins quickly took fourth off Crutcher on the opening circuit to fall behind Cheney.

The two leaders quickly built an advantage over the field, with the debuting Kiwi matching the pace of the experienced campaigner.

Likewise, Collins presented a fair matchup to Cheney, threatening the podium places several times in the opening exchanges.

Australians Brad Gartner and Mark Crutcher came together on Lap 4, with the former running into the rear of his compatriot while battling for fifth and spinning him into the infield. Crutcher rejoined in 11th, which elevated Kiwi captain Peter Ward to sixth and brought him to with a second of Gartner.

Up front, less than one second split Herne and Stewart at the end of Lap 6, with Cheney and Collins 4.5 seconds down the road, having built a 6.5-second advantage over the battle pack of Gartner and Ward.

Herne’s advantage sat at just 0.650 seconds at the end of Lap 7 and remained about that until the start of the final circuit.

The Australian used all his experience to take the chequered flag first, crossing the line sixth-tenths ahead of Stewart. Cheney pulled a gap on Collins in the closing stages to secure third, with Gartner provisionally classified fifth, ahead of Ward.

Andrew Turner drove well for a lonely seventh and was followed home by a five-car battle pack, with Australia’s Michael Coulter taking eighth in a dash for the line, just 0.055 seconds ahead of a charging Crutcher, who recovered from his spin for ninth.

Brett Rudd was tenth, meaning five Kiwis and five Australians completed the top ten.

Amie Roberts and Steve Ross delivered 11th and 12th for New Zealand, with Australia’s Anthony Tenkate and Paul Hadley coming home 13th and 14th.

The Trans-Tasman TA2 Series returns for two races on Sunday, the first being ten laps at 10.32 am and the 20-lap feature starting at 2.13 pm.

Sunday’s action from Ruapuna will be broadcast live on Sky Sport 5.

Trans-Tasman TA2 Series Round 1 Race 1 Results