A progressive grid for race two formed from the finishing order of race one, and the option to complete a pit stop without taking tyres to gain track position made this one of the most mentally taxing rounds for drivers to find the optimum strategy.

It was TTR’s Madison Down who nailed a lap right on the death of qualifying to claim his maiden pole position of 2022. Alongside him, SSR Boost Mobile driver Jarrad Filsell was right in the mix, Vendeval’s Jake Burton lined up on the second row, right where he could attack from. The usual suspects, including round one winner Brady Meyers, completed the top 10. ERT’s Marcelo Rivera Stunned the field by lining up third on the grid, only .05 off pole!

When the green flag dropped, it was the Jarrad Filsell show. Car 94 was the class of the field and was able to control the race from the front, bringing home his first race win for 2022 and showing the field a clean pair of heels. Jake Burton was able to find his way past Down and looked the only challenger that could match it with the 94. Lap 3 saw championship leader Brady Meyers run into trouble, damaging the left front of his TTR Commodore, causing him to drop through the field with poor pace, and finishing a dismal 33rd.

Ethan Warren continued to quietly collect points, taking fourth, whilst ERT duo of Marcelo Rivera and Brad Ryan would play the no tyre strategy to come home in fifth and sixth respectively. Hamstead and Moloney came home just in front of the ever consistent Griffin Gardiner with SSR’s Luke Rosella rounding out the top 10.

Further back in the pack it was on for young and old with Kurt Stenberg having to cut turn 2 after being forced off the racing surface, losing valuable time on a track where it’s almost impossible to get it back. Jordan Ross was spun at turn two after contact with Cooldrive’s Josh Anderson, the 36 lucky to escape penalty in an incident that saw Brenton Hobson run right into the side of his team mate, damaging both their chances of a good result.

The pit exit at Winton always provides some nervous moments, and in race one, ERT’s Ethan Grigg Gault made contact with car 143, spinning the SSR car off the track and attracting the wrath of the stewards, penalising Ethan with 20 seconds, dropping him to 30th. Blake Worbys and Greg Favelle would also come together on the exit of turn nine, spinning the 63. Greg also fell afoul of the stewards for his part in the incident, copping a 20 second penalty.

Race two was much of the same right at the very front. This time Burton was able to stay on the back of Filsell enough to apply pressure, but never really looking likely to make a move. It was the same race one podium with Down bringing it home in third, again ahead of quiet achiever Ethan Warren. Jake Moloney capitalising on his pace with better affect in race two brought the 29 Mustang home in fifth with TTR team mate Hamstead closely behind.

Anderson recovered from his lacklustre race one, playing the right tyre strategy to vault up the field to eighth, just behind Marcelo Rivera, who announced himself as a genuine podium contender at Winton. A mid race safety car brought out for stricken Coby Jones at turn four made the entire field play their strategy card, vaulting the likes of Anderson, Ross and Hobson up through the field. Upon the restart, cars that had chosen new tyres were able to attack, Bourke in the SSR commodore was on a charge, forcefully moving his way through car after car, until a last lap move for seventh backfired, earning the 89 a post-race five second penalty, eventually finishing 14th.

The championship race took a steep turn for Brady Meyers, after his shocker of a round dropped him from first to eighth in the points. Jarrad Filsell stamped his authority on the title chase, assuming the lead from Burton and Warren, who continues to stalk the leaders. Anderson recovered from a lowly qualifying position to accumulate enough points to remain fourth and in striking distance.

Attention now turns to Red Bull Ring on the 29th of June in Austria. Red Bull Ring will provide the polar opposite racing to Winton and with long straights and high draft dependency, who will come out on top?