Brock Gilchrist, Ayrton Hodson and Clay Osborne all featured on the podium in the latest round of the Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia at Symmons Plains.
Gilchrist won the opening 25-minute sprint and finished second in the 45-minute Jim Richards Enduro and Race 3.
Osborne bounced back from Race 1 difficulties to finish third in races two and three, while Hodson was third in the opener and fourth in Race 3.
Two tense victories and a runner-up result for Oscar Targett see him extend his championship lead over Gilchrist to 91 points, with 181 points up for grabs in the season-finale in Sydney.
Osborne qualified on pole for Saturday’s opener but was slow to get away in wet conditions and was swamped by the field. Gilchrist hit the lead from the front row, with Targett swerving around the slower McElrea Racing entry to fall into second.
Osborne’s day went from bad to worse at Turn 4 on Lap 1 when he made contact with Aron Shields at the hairpin, ending the Australian’s race. The Kiwi received a drive-through penalty for the incident, which brought the first of two safety cars and finished in 12th.
Gilchrist fended off Targett on the restart, and the two ran nose-to-tail for several laps. Another incident in the mid-field, however, brought a second Safety Car. The race would not resume, and Gilchrist crossed the line first ahead of Targett and Osborne.
The battle between the two championship contenders continued in Saturday’s 45-minute enduro, where Gilchrist led early. The two exchanged places at Turn 4 on Lap 1, but Gilchrist fought back down the back straight, hitting the front before a Safety Car was called when Jonathan Gliksten went off and stranded at Turn 6.
Tyler Greenbury and Hodson came together shortly after the restart, spinning the Kiwi and damaging the steering on the former’s Porsche, requiring a second intervention.
Gilchrist had again fended off Targett’s advances and was adjudged to be ahead when the yellows were shown.
Target did make a move stick the third time around, getting past the Team Porsche New Zealand entry at Turn 6 and remaining at the front until the chequered flag.
As they battled, a resurgent Osborne emerged in the lead battle, and Gilchrist was forced to fend him off to hold second, which he did. Hodson recovered from his spin to finish sixth.
Gilchrist again nailed the start in Sunday’s sole outing and took the lead off Targett off the line.
The lead two fought for several laps once again before the championship leader made the pass at the Turn 4 hairpin and held on for the victory.
Osborne finished third, setting a new race lap record at Symmons Plains in the process.
Hodson worked his way up to fourth and was followed by McElrea Racing teammate Caleb Sumich.
Two third-place finishes and pole position saw Osborne finish second for the round, behind Targett and Gilchrist, respectively.
The Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia Series will be decided at Sydney Motorsport Park at the Shannons SpeedSeries ‘Race Sydney’ event on October 18-20.
