Perfect Penrose dominates in Formula Regional Race 2 victory

Kiwi James Penrose has driven to a commanding victory in Race 2 of the Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship at Highlands.

Starting off pole in a reverse top eight grid from yesterday’s race, Penrose pulled away off the start and never looked back, a commanding lights-to-flag victory of over eight seconds.

So dominant was the win, in fact, the only time another car came within a second of him was during a Lap 2 Safety Car for a Liam Sceats incident.

He pulled away again on the Lap 5 restart, teammate Jacob Abel holding on to make a Kiwi Motorsport 1-2 in a display of impressive defence from Charlie Wurz.

Wurz ended up fourth, a late lunge for second falling short and allowing Ryder Quinn through to take the final spot on the podium.

David Morales finished fifth whilst yesterday’s winner, Callum Hedge, was sixth, driving a sensible, calm race ahead of this afternoon’s feature.

Fellow Kiwi Breanna Morris was 12th whilst Sceats failed to return from his accident.

The race belonged to Penrose, however, who will look to build off an incredible victory.

“Just confidence,” was the Kiwi’s response when asked after the race as to what changed overnight.

“I think I was lacking a bit of confidence yesterday but through that race, out front it just built and built.”

Penrose got off to a flyer from the reverse top 10 grid, pulling away from Ryder Quinn off the start who in turn got picked off by quick Abel.

Sceats also started well but came undone on Lap 2, running into the grass through the exit of the chicane and spinning into the wall at speed, damaging the left front suspension.

A Safety Car was called for to retrieve the FT-60, Penrose leading Abel, Quinn and Wurz respectively until the lights went green come Lap 5.

Penrose jumped late at the restart allowing Abel to come with him whilst Quinn was quickly pipped off in an impressive move by Wurz for third.

Morales and Hedge had worked forward to sit fifth and sixth respectively whilst Chloe Chambers was running a respectable seventh.

Up front, Penrose slowly built on his lead and lapped with consistency in the 1:30’s through the mid-stages.

Hedge also worked his way into proximity to his Race 1 rival, Morales, to sit less than a car length behind with eight laps to go.

As Abel’s tyres faded a train emerged behind him allowing Penrose to pull away to over three seconds up front. This also assisted Josh Mason to get past Chambers at the back of the queue for seventh.

Abel was superb through the dying stages to defend his position from Wurz, the Austrian attempting a late dive on the final lap for second.

The move didn’t come off, Wurz losing time and Quinn, who had been waiting to pounce should something happen, getting his opportunity to sneak through.

That was how things finished, Penrose some 8.5 seconds up the road of Abel with Quinn pinching third.

The final Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship race of the weekend begins at 4pm.

Header Image: Mark Petch