31 May Volkswagen outlasts high-powered rivals to win on endurance return
The Hi-Tec Oils APC Enduro Championship returned to long format racing at Sydney Motorsport Park as after two-hours, it was father-son duo Rob and Allan Jarvis greeting the chequered flag in the T0A57D Motorsport Volkswagen Polo GTi.
Outgunned at the start of the race, the Volkswagen proved a reliable choice come the end of the race when it crossed the line clear of the PB Motorsport Services Holden Astra HSV VXR shared by Oskar Butt and Troy Derwent.
Upholding the Australian honours in third was the FPV GT of David Ling and Troy Williams, but the story of the race was the failure of the two Ford Mustang Mach 1s.
Starting from pole courtesy of victory in Race 1, the Parramatta Vehicle Services Mustang started by Hadrian Morrall made the jump into Turn 1 quickly followed by the similar Ultimate Diesel Tuning example of Trent Whyte.
A fast start from the KG Motorsport Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG of Chris Gunther placed it in third and it might have been a challenge to the pair of Mustangs if not for a puncture on the opening lap causing an early pit stop.
Morrall and Whyte were inseparable for the first stint of the race until the first pit stops, but this is when the race went array for the Parramatta Vehicle Services Mustang Mach 1.
Morrall came in for a driver change to Mecklem, but the ring gear came off the flywheel requiring the team to retire from the race.
This left Whyte to hand over to Supercars driver Bryce Fullwood for what appeared to be a straight forward path to victory, but this wasn’t to be the case.
Fullwood set the fastest lap of the race at a 1m 43.147s, but an alternator cable snapped in the closing stages and this required a tow ensuring the Ultimate Diesel Tuning Mustang was also retired.
Exceeding its giant killer status, the Jarvis duo took the win by 47s from series debutants Butt and Derwent.
Ling and Williams scored the final podium place leaving the KG Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG to complete the classified runners in addition to securing Class A1 honours.
The A1 Towing Bathurst BMW 1M E82 failed to make the start following a collision during Race 1.
The third and final event of the opening Hi-Tec Oils APC Enduro Championship round in Sydney concludes with a 30-minute sprint event at 6:20pm AEST live on SBS Viceland, Fox Sports and Kayo.