Jaden Ransley has added to his TCR Australia Eseries points haul with another podium in the second race around the virtual streets of Surfers Paradise while Garry Rogers Motorsport driver Dylan O’Keeffe extended his points lead.
O’Keeffe snared victory in the final race of the evening meaning his record of scoring a win at every round so far has been kept alive and puts him on pole position to claim the inaugural championship crown with only a handful of races in the series remaining.
The GRM pilot could well made it two wins from two races when he topped qualifying to start the opening race of the night from pole position.
Avoiding an opening lap crash that saw Ben Bargwanna and John Martin slump to the rear of the field, O’Keeffe managed to maintain a slim lead over a hard-charging Chelsea Angelo.
Angelo then managed to scythe ahead of O’Keeffe who was nursing a wounded car after brushing the wall on the opening lap.
This allowed HMO Customer Racing pilot Will Brown to elevate himself into second before chasing down a three-second lead and muscling his way into the lead on lap 10 of 13.
Angelo would briefly lose second to a rejuvenated Bargwanna but would recover the position to follow Brown home all the way to the line.
After his pole position start, a bruised O’Keeffe would come home in sixth.
It was a disappointing race for the Kiwi contingent with BNT V8 regular Brock Timperley the leading car in eighth.
Courtesy of a woeful race one, Ransley started the final reverse grid race from the front with the young Kiwi hanging on to the lead for until lap seven when O’Keeffe usurped the head of the field.
The move opened the door for a fortunate Martin to steal away second and leaving Ransley done in third.
The race order failed to change much after the battle for the lead unravelled with O’Keeffe claiming a dominant victory.
Despite a win still alluding the Kiwis, Timperley and Rowan Shepherd would hold onto top-10 finishing positions at the line.
“Getting a win in each round is one of the motivating factors, so it was good to win the second race and maintain the record,” said O’Keeffe on his victory.
“I thought I had done enough in the first race. I was out in front and felt comfortable, but I tried to avoid one of the bollards at a chicane and understeered into the wall. The steering was bent and I had no straight-line speed.
“In the last race, I used more off the kerb and got the win, and it was a lot of fun.”
The next event is slated for next Wednesday evening and will be staged around Sandown Raceway.
Main Image: TCR Australia
