Ryan Wood and Matthew McCutcheon made their respective Super2 and Super3 debuts over the weekend in Newcastle with both drivers looking strong but hampered by unfortunate circumstances.
Wood had qualified 10th for yesterday’s race after getting caught in traffic during the 10 minute session. He was able to keep it steady and avoid a series of incidents to come home for a hard fought eighth.
McCutcheon had started fourth in the Super3 field to start from 21st in the joint field and was quickly on the tail of those ahead. He gained a position to finish third, only to be promoted a spot to second after second-placed Cameron McLeod incurred a 5-second penalty post-race.
The scheduled 21 lap race was concluded after only 12 due to a Safety Car period and a delayed start for cleanup after a chaotic Aussie Racing Series race from prior.
A new day brought new form with Wood the story of the afternoon in taking his maiden series pole.
McCutcheon wasn’t so lucky in his qualifying as an engine failure put him at the back of the grid come race time.
Once the lights went green Wood struggled with launch, slight wheel spin allowing a fast-starting Zak Best to take a clear lead. He was also put under pressure from Aaron Love and Matt Chada off the second row to run in the middle of a three-wide sandwich.
Pushed offline he did well to fit into fourth as a rhythm quickly set in with Best quickly building on his lead.
As this had been unfolding McCutcheon had done well over the opening lap, making up four spots to emerge back into Super3 contention.
Lap 6 was where things came unstuck for the field with a multi-car accident bringing out the yellows.
Wood was the unfortunate initiator when he hit the Turn 8 wall at speed, bouncing back into the racing line to be collected by a number of cars behind. Jack Perkins was first on scene and received some major damage as a result, becoming one of four withdrawals and up to nine cars sustaining damage.
Potential steering damage from the Lap 1 three-wide sandwich may have been a cause of Wood’s excursion into the wall but the Kiwi was apologetic and took blame for the incident.
Cars who were able to avoid the blockage were forced into a slow file to pass the accident with McCutcheon suddenly finding himself 14th overall having started 27th.
Despite all cars returning to the lane with varying levels of damage the lights were unable to go back to green with fluid covering the Turn 8 and Turn 9 complex.
This saw Best take the race win over Love and Chada with Wood not returning to action.
McCutcheon finished sixth in Super3 with McLeod taking race honours and Jobe Stewart taking the round victory by finishing second.
It brings an end to the opening round of the Dunlop Series in Newcastle with both Kiwis having made statements they’ll be a force to contend with going forward.
Unfortunate incidents for both hampered their progress but the signs were there that we expect a big season when it resumes at the Perth SuperSprint at the end of April.
Header Image: Wood greeted by his Walkinshaw Andretti United team after his pole position run. Picture: Dunlop Series
