Race 2 of the second round in the 2025 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Championship proved to be a night to forget for the Kiwi contingent as drama unfolded under the lights at Sydney Motorsport Park.
The race began with Lachlan Bloxsom seizing the lead into Turn 1, while Kiwi pole-sitter Tom Bewley dropped to second and then third, reportedly grappling with a steering issue that hampered his pace from the outset.
The first major incident came on the opening lap when Kent Leicester suffered a heavy crash into the wall, prompting the safety car and an early retirement for the Australian driver.
After several laps of neutralised running, the race resumed—only for chaos to erupt again on Lap 7. Jake Santalucia lost control of his car and came to a stop in the middle of the track.
In a bid to avoid him, Kiwi driver Jackson Rooney locked up and spun, colliding heavily with fellow countryman Hunter Robb. The crash forced both Kiwis into retirement, dealing a heavy blow to their strong early performances, with both having been running solidly inside the top ten. Rooney’s car sustained extensive damage, and Robb’s machine was also significantly compromised.
William Exton was another casualty of the incident. He got caught up in the aftermath and lost valuable ground. He slipped back to 20th and was never given the opportunity to recover.
With just three racing laps completed under green and seven laps run under safety car conditions, the race concluded behind the safety car.
Bloxsom claimed his maiden race victory, followed by James Lodge in second and a standout drive from Kamal Mrad, who charged through the field from 10th to finish on the podium in third.
Jake Santalucia managed to hold on for fourth despite his earlier drama, while Bewley salvaged fifth in a damage-limitation result.
The remainder of the top ten featured Ryan Casha, Daniel Quimby, Jacque Jarjo, Ramu Farrell, and Stephen Moylan.
Header Image: Shannons SpeedSeries
