RACE REPORT // SHANNON'S NATIONALS - ROUND 1

Mitch Evans made the best possible start to his Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship campaign by taking a clean sweep of the opening three races for the year at Wakefield Park this weekend, during the opening round of the 2010 Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championship... [read more]

Fifteen year old Evans however did not have things all his own way, with fellow New Zealander Ben Crighton putting in a stellar effort all weekend long to push Evans to the limit, with the duo barely split on the race track and the time sheets

Evans’ clean sweep also provided another milestone for his Team BRM squad, notching up a remarkable 100 races wins in Australian national level competition across both Formula 3 and Formula Ford.

The Shannon’s Nationals also saw the Kerrick Sports Sedan series won by Kerry Baily in his Nissan 300ZX Z32.however it was overshadowed by a giant killing drive in the third and final race by rotary powered Mazda RX7 driver Trent Young.

As the drivers lined up on the starting grid, heavy rain fell on the circuit, making life treacherous for the slick-tyre shod 700 horsepower monsters. Undeterred, Young splashed his way through the field to claim his maiden National Sports Sedan race victory.

Baily won the opening encounter, with reigning series champion Des Wall taking out the second race in his Corvette, with Darren Hossack’s agressive looking Audi third overall for the weekend after a consistent run.

The Commodore Cup National Series turned on the action thick and fast for all three races, with some shoulders out racing providing a mixed bag of results.

While Scott Andrews took overall honours for the weekend, the race victories were shared between Jason Domaschenz, Commodore Cup debutant Adam Beechey and first time winner Matt Chick, who showed supreme car control on a sodden circuit in the finale.

The Mazda MX5 Challenge also made a spectacular first appearance on the Shannons Nationals program, with close racing the order of the weekend.

Matilda Mravicic took out three of the five action packed races, with Chris Tonna claiming victory in the first and the final races, with the last event held on a near-flooded circuit.

Photo/Editorial: Achilles Zsolti