2022 Round Thunder Results
Drama and Championship Implications!!
The final race of Thunder Season 2 2022 would head to Watkins Glen Cup layout for 40 laps.
Setting the scene for this race we had Hamish Gallagher 7 points ahead of Josh Michelmore by 7 points for the championship. Barring a crash or equipment failure this should be comfortable for Gallagher to have a solid run and bring it home.
More on this later but an equipment issue would arise and almost shake up the championship.
Starting off the race from the front of the Grid would be Gallagher followed closely by a new face of Scott Cislowski, Matthew Raymond in 3rd, Michelmore starting 4th.
The race would settle into what has been a familiar pattern for the Thunder Road course races this season. Gallagher running out to a comfortable lead, race win favourite Andrew Dyson starting from the back and working his way through the field practicing his clean passing technique.
Several unfortunate incidents down through the field would thin the field out a bit more. Walls jumping out in front of race cars.
With the drivers needing 1 pit stop to be able to make the full race distance we would see the bulk of the field start pitting around lap 20 to split the race into 2 even stints. Race leader Gallagher would pit on lap 20 while the DPR cars of Cislowski and Dyson would pit 1 lap later with Dyson jumping Cislowski in the pits.
From here Dyson would start the mission of chasing down Gallagher for the race lead.
Lap 27 would see the moment that would almost cost Gallagher the championship.
An equipment issue with the accelerator pedal would see him lose 14 seconds on the lap and put the prospect of finishing the race in doubt opening the chance for Michelmore to take the championship.
Gallagher would later explain that a bolt came lose in his pedals and was jamming only allowing 10% throttle at times and causing wheel hop into corners. A swift kick to the pedals was able to dislodge the bolt and allow him to limp it home.
Gallagher was able to recover and battle Cislowski for 3rd for the rest of the race. Other great battles throughout the field would be between Michelmore and Russell for 4th and 5th. Norman Clark and Brad Fenly battling to the end as well.
Matthew Raymond and Ruben Phelps would battle to the very end with a mistake off the last corner allowing Raymond to pass for 6th position.
Results:
1st: Andrew Dyson
2nd: Scott Cislowski
3rd: Hamish Gallagher
4th: Jaiden Russell
5th: Josh Michelmore
Incidents:
None
Other Notes:
None
Catch all the action here thanks to our partners at Locked on Lads TV and the replay of their live broadcast here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKp2tW0MXRI
Thank you again for your support Locked on lads.
And that concludes the Thunder season 2 2022 with Hamish Gallagher taking the championship by 11 points to teammate Josh Michelmore. Ryan Jones having a very strong season and if not for missing some races due to work commitments looking like a contender for the title.
This is Gallagher's 4th Thunder season title in a row and reinforces that he is the driver to beat in these cars for ANZCAR.
The next 2 weeks will see the Thunder series take a break but there will be a special event next Wednesday the 3rd of August with the brick yard 400 in the COT cars.
Season 3 will start with 60 laps at Daytona Super Speedway on Wednesday 17th August and will see another 11-race series with 2 drop rounds in the first 9 races. There will also be a break week in early October in case drivers want to go to the mountain for a big race. The track schedule will line up with cup so we should be at the same track both nights. However, Martinsville is scheduled to be in there but will be changed to another track.
Real life commitments may also see a change in broadcasting for season 3. If the Locked on lads are unable to broadcast Performance E streaming will take over to provide coverage.
The final race of Thunder Season 2 2022 would head to Watkins Glen Cup layout for 40 laps.
Setting the scene for this race we had Hamish Gallagher 7 points ahead of Josh Michelmore by 7 points for the championship. Barring a crash or equipment failure this should be comfortable for Gallagher to have a solid run and bring it home.
More on this later but an equipment issue would arise and almost shake up the championship.
Starting off the race from the front of the Grid would be Gallagher followed closely by a new face of Scott Cislowski, Matthew Raymond in 3rd, Michelmore starting 4th.
The race would settle into what has been a familiar pattern for the Thunder Road course races this season. Gallagher running out to a comfortable lead, race win favourite Andrew Dyson starting from the back and working his way through the field practicing his clean passing technique.
Several unfortunate incidents down through the field would thin the field out a bit more. Walls jumping out in front of race cars.
With the drivers needing 1 pit stop to be able to make the full race distance we would see the bulk of the field start pitting around lap 20 to split the race into 2 even stints. Race leader Gallagher would pit on lap 20 while the DPR cars of Cislowski and Dyson would pit 1 lap later with Dyson jumping Cislowski in the pits.
From here Dyson would start the mission of chasing down Gallagher for the race lead.
Lap 27 would see the moment that would almost cost Gallagher the championship.
An equipment issue with the accelerator pedal would see him lose 14 seconds on the lap and put the prospect of finishing the race in doubt opening the chance for Michelmore to take the championship.
Gallagher would later explain that a bolt came lose in his pedals and was jamming only allowing 10% throttle at times and causing wheel hop into corners. A swift kick to the pedals was able to dislodge the bolt and allow him to limp it home.
Gallagher was able to recover and battle Cislowski for 3rd for the rest of the race. Other great battles throughout the field would be between Michelmore and Russell for 4th and 5th. Norman Clark and Brad Fenly battling to the end as well.
Matthew Raymond and Ruben Phelps would battle to the very end with a mistake off the last corner allowing Raymond to pass for 6th position.
Results:
1st: Andrew Dyson
2nd: Scott Cislowski
3rd: Hamish Gallagher
4th: Jaiden Russell
5th: Josh Michelmore
Incidents:
None
Other Notes:
None
Catch all the action here thanks to our partners at Locked on Lads TV and the replay of their live broadcast here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKp2tW0MXRI
Thank you again for your support Locked on lads.
And that concludes the Thunder season 2 2022 with Hamish Gallagher taking the championship by 11 points to teammate Josh Michelmore. Ryan Jones having a very strong season and if not for missing some races due to work commitments looking like a contender for the title.
This is Gallagher's 4th Thunder season title in a row and reinforces that he is the driver to beat in these cars for ANZCAR.
The next 2 weeks will see the Thunder series take a break but there will be a special event next Wednesday the 3rd of August with the brick yard 400 in the COT cars.
Season 3 will start with 60 laps at Daytona Super Speedway on Wednesday 17th August and will see another 11-race series with 2 drop rounds in the first 9 races. There will also be a break week in early October in case drivers want to go to the mountain for a big race. The track schedule will line up with cup so we should be at the same track both nights. However, Martinsville is scheduled to be in there but will be changed to another track.
Real life commitments may also see a change in broadcasting for season 3. If the Locked on lads are unable to broadcast Performance E streaming will take over to provide coverage.
