2022 S3 Round 9 Thunder Results
Phelps comes in clutch at Homestead Miami!!
Round 9 of the ANZCAR Thunder Series 3 2022 would see the series head to the Homestead Miami for 100 laps.
Qualifying would see Josh Michelmore topping the charts with Ruben Phelps starting on his outside. Lachlan Urquijo, Tom Neil making up the second row with the Natarai Autosport drivers Joshua Carroll-Walden and Norman Clark making up the top 6 starters.
This one would start out with drivers having fuel saving on their minds. Who would go for a strategy of 2 stop race splitting the stints into a mostly even 33ish laps? Would anyone be able to save enough to make it on 1 stop only?
Homesteads multi groove racing would see side by side battling for position for the first 5 laps before drivers would settle into running single file. Urquijo would take over the lead from Michelmore on lap 5.
Pretty smooth and quiet running through this stint as the fuel saving meant not all drivers were pushing very hard. The first pit stops would start occurring around the lap end of lap 33 with Urquijo pitting from the lead followed by JCW, Matthew Raymond and Josh Gallichan.
Michelmore would retake the lead followed by Phelps and Hamish Gallagher who was making his way up the field from starting in 16th position. Lap 39 would see Michelmore pit and Gallagher take over the lead.
Now it would be fair to say that no one in this race server was aware that there was a Blue Moon out there. Because on lap 49 in what could only be described as a “Once in a Blue moon “incident Gallagher would make a mistake running his fuel tank almost out then blowing the entrance to pit road and being forced to make another lap around the track. However, having no fuel to do so meant coming to a stop and being forced to take the tow back to the pits knocking him out of contention in this race.
The caution would see the leading cars come in grabbing fuel and tires while cars caught a lap down through the green flag pit cycle would take the wave around. Phelps would lead off the next run as the battle of cat and mouse would start.
Drivers trying to save their fuel but also making the other driver use up theirs. Get your fuel mileage wrong and you would need a big slowdown in lap time to make sure you make it home without pitting again.
Some drivers would hang back saving a lot early in the run and charge back up to the front as the laps counted down, but Phelps would hold on having saved enough fuel to comfortably make the race distance and getting the win adding another frustrating 2nd place finish to Ryan Jones season.
Notable drives in the race from Mark Smith finishing 5th, Clark storming home at the end to finish 6th, Neil 7th, Phil Bissett 8th, Matthew Raymond 9th and Luke Georgeson rounding out the top 10.
Results:
1st: Rueben Phelps
2nd: Ryan Jones
3rd: Josh Michelmore
4th: Lachlan Urquijo
5th: Mark Smith
Notes:
Caution Lap 49 – Car no. 13 runs out of fuel and is unable to make it back around to the pits.
For a replay of the live race broadcast head to Performance E Streaming YouTube or on the ANZCAR Facebook page.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He1GGTeTgJE
Next week the series heads to Iowa for 150 Laps.
Also to note the top 5 positions in the standings for the season are separated by only 17 points and the top 3 are separated by only 8 points with 2 races left.
Fair to say Gallagher looks to have the full season all but wrapped up as well.
Round 9 of the ANZCAR Thunder Series 3 2022 would see the series head to the Homestead Miami for 100 laps.
Qualifying would see Josh Michelmore topping the charts with Ruben Phelps starting on his outside. Lachlan Urquijo, Tom Neil making up the second row with the Natarai Autosport drivers Joshua Carroll-Walden and Norman Clark making up the top 6 starters.
This one would start out with drivers having fuel saving on their minds. Who would go for a strategy of 2 stop race splitting the stints into a mostly even 33ish laps? Would anyone be able to save enough to make it on 1 stop only?
Homesteads multi groove racing would see side by side battling for position for the first 5 laps before drivers would settle into running single file. Urquijo would take over the lead from Michelmore on lap 5.
Pretty smooth and quiet running through this stint as the fuel saving meant not all drivers were pushing very hard. The first pit stops would start occurring around the lap end of lap 33 with Urquijo pitting from the lead followed by JCW, Matthew Raymond and Josh Gallichan.
Michelmore would retake the lead followed by Phelps and Hamish Gallagher who was making his way up the field from starting in 16th position. Lap 39 would see Michelmore pit and Gallagher take over the lead.
Now it would be fair to say that no one in this race server was aware that there was a Blue Moon out there. Because on lap 49 in what could only be described as a “Once in a Blue moon “incident Gallagher would make a mistake running his fuel tank almost out then blowing the entrance to pit road and being forced to make another lap around the track. However, having no fuel to do so meant coming to a stop and being forced to take the tow back to the pits knocking him out of contention in this race.
The caution would see the leading cars come in grabbing fuel and tires while cars caught a lap down through the green flag pit cycle would take the wave around. Phelps would lead off the next run as the battle of cat and mouse would start.
Drivers trying to save their fuel but also making the other driver use up theirs. Get your fuel mileage wrong and you would need a big slowdown in lap time to make sure you make it home without pitting again.
Some drivers would hang back saving a lot early in the run and charge back up to the front as the laps counted down, but Phelps would hold on having saved enough fuel to comfortably make the race distance and getting the win adding another frustrating 2nd place finish to Ryan Jones season.
Notable drives in the race from Mark Smith finishing 5th, Clark storming home at the end to finish 6th, Neil 7th, Phil Bissett 8th, Matthew Raymond 9th and Luke Georgeson rounding out the top 10.
Results:
1st: Rueben Phelps
2nd: Ryan Jones
3rd: Josh Michelmore
4th: Lachlan Urquijo
5th: Mark Smith
Notes:
Caution Lap 49 – Car no. 13 runs out of fuel and is unable to make it back around to the pits.
For a replay of the live race broadcast head to Performance E Streaming YouTube or on the ANZCAR Facebook page.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He1GGTeTgJE
Next week the series heads to Iowa for 150 Laps.
Also to note the top 5 positions in the standings for the season are separated by only 17 points and the top 3 are separated by only 8 points with 2 races left.
Fair to say Gallagher looks to have the full season all but wrapped up as well.
