Toyota 86: Gilchrist’s title hunt begins with Round 1 honours

Brock Gilchrist has claimed his second race of the weekend to take overall honours for the round in the Toyota 86 Championship.

The series veteran was immense off the front row, challenged early by Race 2 winner Tom Bewley but holding on through the bus stop chicane to never look back.

It was Dion Pitt who finished in a well deserved second, the youngster passing Clay Osborne on the tenth lap and holding on for second. Osborne settled for third.

The battle for fourth may have well been for race victory, two veterans in Christina Orr-West and Justin Allen locked in a fierce duel with the former holding off the latter in a sprint for the line.

For Bewley it was disappointment, a Lap 3 incident forcing his withdrawal. The youngster has still announced himself as a name for the future with his impressive showing, his accident the first mistake he has made all weekend.

Gilchrist and Bewley started alongside each other for the final race of the weekend, the series’ veteran pipping the youngster into the bus stop chicane with the field falling into line behind, Osborne jumping to third and Orr-West into fourth.

Bewley ran wide out of the carousel on Lap 2 to give Osborne a way through. Pitt also went into battle with Orr-West and got through to take fourth at the end of Lap 2.

It was Lap 3 when Bewley came undone, the youngster making contact with Osborne attempting a pass through a dive and damaging his suspension. He managed to crawl back to the lane, no Safety Car required.

The reshuffle elevated Pitt to third with Orr-West and Allen chasing close behind.

From here it was all Gilchrist, the series veteran pulling away to build a 4 second lead after Lap 9, Osborne being challenged by Pitt behind for second.

Allen had a moment in an attempt to pass Orr-West, holding on impressively in the dirt to maintain his position.

Pitt finally got his pass done on Lap 10 to take second, the top three now having pulled away from the field with Orr-West in fourth some 12 seconds off top spot.

William Exton was another to benefit from a late charge, overtaking John Penny to take sixth place whilst Rylan Gray also worked through for seventh.

That was how things remained, Gilchrist taking the win by a comfortable five seconds ahead of Pitt with Clay Osborne rounding out the podium.

Header Image Credit: Bruce Jenkins