Qualifying proved to be hotly contested, only .255 of a second separated the top 10 at the conclusion of the 20 minute qualifying session. Madison down continued his form from Practice, putting his Virtual Racing School TTR commodore on pole position for the opening round of the season setting a blistering 2:01.002. James Scott would follow suit, placing the #088 on the front row next to Down. Luke Rosella had a stand out qualifying session to start his season, placing in third on the grid alongside defending series champion Jarrad Filsell & Marcello Rivera who rounded out the top 5.

The flag would drop for 44 laps around the 6 kilometre circuit with Madison Down converting from pole position leading the field into turn 1. Rosella would also have a strong launch, jumping James Scott into the first corner with Scott settling into third ahead of series champion Filsell. Brady Meyers made the most of the start, jumping from eighth to fifth by the time the field reached turn 3.

Meyers would set out and go to work in the early stages. showing intent, the #22 TTR driver would find his way into second position behind TTR stablemate Madison Down by the end of lap three.

The race wouldn’t settle into a rhythm for long, lap seven would mark a turning point early in the race. As Madison & Brady controlled the field working together from the front, Rosella & Rivera were disputing over the third. Side by side through Sunset Bend Marcello found himself on the outside upon corner exit. Both cars fighting tooth and nail, Rosella & Rivera would come together resulting in Rivera finding the outside tyre barrier. Both cars would obtain damage. Filsell would also find himself caught out in this incident, picking up serous aero damage that would hinder him for the remainder of the night.

By lap eleven the ailing car of Jarrad Filsell formed the lead of a battle train that carried all the way from seventh position down the eighteenth on the road. Filsell, continuing to fight on with a wounded car, would manage to put on a solid defensive display keeping the likes of Ethan Grigg-Gault, Dylan Rudd & Jake Maloney at bay. Jarrad would manage to hold off the attacks until lap 15 which saw both Grigg-Gault & Maloney find their way through into Sunset Bend. Jarrad finally loosing out on the battle would make make his first transit of the lane for his opening pit stop.

As the first of the two compulsory pit stops started to be completed for a number of cars another major incident took place on lap 17. Battling for a place inside the top 30, Jordan Ross careered his Watercraft Performance Mustang into the side of 9ine 5ive SimSports driver Bradley Rattew. The incident set off a chain reaction, also seeing Robert Gibbs become involved in the incident picking up heavy damage. For Ross, unfortunately this wouldn’t be the only incident he’s caught in for the night, picking up a range of penalty’s in a race that will one to forget.

Meanwhile, Down would continue to lead the race as pitstops continued to flurry. Building a impressive gap back to stablemate Meyers. James Scott & Andrew Gilliam would make their first trip to the lane on lap on lap 18, being the first of that crucial lead group to make the journey. Down continued to lead until his first stop on lap 21. Pitting last, Down would rejoin the circuit in second position behind Luke Rosella, who pitted as early as lap 12 with a short fuel stop.

The race would remain quiet for the time being, drivers staying line astern ticking off the laps.

The caution would fly for the first time in 2023 on lap 28, Jarrad Filsell finding himself stranded after being involved in yet another accident. A night to forget for the defending champion, he will look to bounce back.

With the caution flying, pit lane would be sparked into action again, with the entirety of the field pitting to serve their second compulsory pit stop of the race.

Madison would win the race out of the lane, re taking the effective lead of the race ahead of Brady Meyers. James Scott slotted into third, followed by Andrew Gilliam & Jake Burton rounding out the top 5. Rosella would find himself sitting in 6th position exiting the lane, contact from teammate Wayne Bourke under safety car ultimately putting a competitive end to Luke Rosella’s night, the driver of the #55 commodore managing a damaged car home for the remainder of the race.

Green flag racing resumed on lap 31, Down converting the restart perfectly. The top five would form a break away pack early, all five drivers creating space back to Ethan Grigg-Gault, Wayne Bourke & Jake Maloney.

The battle between Wayne Bourke, Grigg-Gault & Jake Maloney would come to a head on lap 43. Bourke managing to get alongside the outside of Grigg-Gault heading into Tower Corner. Contact in the middle of the corner saw Bourke run off the road on the exit, Allowing Freer to move into eighth position.

Back at the front, Madison Down would lead the field home to take the victory in the Turn In Race Apparel Sebring Sprint, his second career win in the Motorsport Australia Logitech G Pro Invitational Cup. Brady Meyers would follow his TTR teammate home with James Scott rounding out the podium. Gilliam would complete a brilliant drive from outside the top ten in 4th, Burton 5th, Maloney 6th, Grigg-Gault 7th, Freer 8th, Rudd 9th with Brenton Hobson rounding out the top 10 for the opening round of the season.