2023 Round 27 Cup Results
ANZCAR Cup - Race 27 - 2023
Explosive Start to the Chase at Darlington, South Carolina
Darlington, South Carolina, USA played host to Race 27 of the 2023 ANZCAR Cup, marking the beginning of the 10-race chase for the coveted ANZCAR Cup.
What transpired on this explosive night of racing left everyone in awe. With its twists, turns, and high aggression levels, this race promised to be an unforgettable showdown, especially for the Chase contenders, as the unforgiving Darlington track added to the drama.
Non-Chase driver Barry Neale, sporting a Team Kiwi Racing throwback paint scheme, grabbed the pole position, edging out title contender Neil Pearson. Ryan Jones, with a fresh DPR paint job, secured the 3rd spot on the grid, while Daniel Hetterscheid started on the outside of the 2nd row. Joshua Carroll-Walden and Steven Williams completed the 3rd row.
The race got off to a fiery start as the first caution flag waved on lap 1, leaving Shayne Bowan with front-end damage and severe toe-out on the right front for the remainder of the race. Immediately, some drivers chose to pit, making setup changes, with mixed results. Pearson led the restart, with Neale right behind him, building an early lead as the chasing pack battled for track position, inevitably earning their Darlington Stripes.
The next caution incident occurred on lap 21, prompting all drivers to pit, except for Andrew Dyson, who was seeking track position after a disappointing 10th-place qualifying start.
Caution 3 struck on lap 49, spelling disaster for race leader Pearson. With nowhere to go, he collided with a spinning JCW, causing significant damage and putting him multiple laps down. During this caution period, some cars pitted, while others opted to stay out.
Neale took control of the race lead again but was on older tires. Hetterschield managed to make the pass for the lead on lap 59, with Dyson following closely behind. However, another caution flag interrupted their battle. This time, Neale chose to pit for fresh tires.
Lap 68 witnessed Dyson attempting to take the lead, engaging in a side-by-side battle with Hetterschield. However, things took a turn as Hetterschield got loose on the high line in turn 1 and turned down into Dyson, causing both cars to wreck. Significant damage for Dyson here. The race was filled with plenty of action even before reaching its halfway point!!
The race restarted on lap 74, with Hetterschield leading briefly before Steven Williams managed to pass for the lead on lap 91, opening the door for four other cars to gain positions. Dave Douglas took the lead on lap 98, while Neale, Jones, and Worley worked their way back to the front.
A notable feature of the race was the rapid drop in tire grip as the stint progressed. Some drivers managed their tires better than others, while those who couldn't saw their performance plummet.
Around the 50-lap mark, drivers started making their final pit stops of the night, provided the race stayed green. Luke Crum and Jaie Schultz stayed out and ran long, only pitting when absolutely necessary.
The race continued without further cautions, and Neale showcased his exceptional long-run pace, securing victory with a commanding lead of 9.4 seconds over Ryan Jones, who finished five seconds ahead of Dave Douglas in 3rd place.
It was a challenging night for some Chase contenders and a triumphant one for others, leaving both cars and egos battered. If this level of action continues throughout the chase, it promises to be an exhilarating spectacle.
Race Statistics:
Total Laps: 160
Cautions: 5 for 19 laps
Lead Changes: 13
Top 10 Finishers:
1: Barry Neale
2: Ryan Jones
3: Dave Douglas
4: Phillip Worley
5: Ruben Phelps
6: Steven Williams
7: Matthew Raymond
8: Luke Crum
9: Norman Clark
10: Jaie Schultz
Incidents
Lap 1 - Phillip Worley
Lap 21 - Joshua Carroll-Walden
Lap 49 - Joshua Carroll-Walden
Lap 59 - Joshua Carroll-Walden (3rd Strike in Race, 1 Race Ban)
Lap 69 - Daniel Hetterscheid (5th Strike in 10 Races, 1 Race Ban)
Restarts
N/A
Other
N/A
Post-race Tech
N/A
Race Replay Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blb9WcqG32Q
Explosive Start to the Chase at Darlington, South Carolina
Darlington, South Carolina, USA played host to Race 27 of the 2023 ANZCAR Cup, marking the beginning of the 10-race chase for the coveted ANZCAR Cup.
What transpired on this explosive night of racing left everyone in awe. With its twists, turns, and high aggression levels, this race promised to be an unforgettable showdown, especially for the Chase contenders, as the unforgiving Darlington track added to the drama.
Non-Chase driver Barry Neale, sporting a Team Kiwi Racing throwback paint scheme, grabbed the pole position, edging out title contender Neil Pearson. Ryan Jones, with a fresh DPR paint job, secured the 3rd spot on the grid, while Daniel Hetterscheid started on the outside of the 2nd row. Joshua Carroll-Walden and Steven Williams completed the 3rd row.
The race got off to a fiery start as the first caution flag waved on lap 1, leaving Shayne Bowan with front-end damage and severe toe-out on the right front for the remainder of the race. Immediately, some drivers chose to pit, making setup changes, with mixed results. Pearson led the restart, with Neale right behind him, building an early lead as the chasing pack battled for track position, inevitably earning their Darlington Stripes.
The next caution incident occurred on lap 21, prompting all drivers to pit, except for Andrew Dyson, who was seeking track position after a disappointing 10th-place qualifying start.
Caution 3 struck on lap 49, spelling disaster for race leader Pearson. With nowhere to go, he collided with a spinning JCW, causing significant damage and putting him multiple laps down. During this caution period, some cars pitted, while others opted to stay out.
Neale took control of the race lead again but was on older tires. Hetterschield managed to make the pass for the lead on lap 59, with Dyson following closely behind. However, another caution flag interrupted their battle. This time, Neale chose to pit for fresh tires.
Lap 68 witnessed Dyson attempting to take the lead, engaging in a side-by-side battle with Hetterschield. However, things took a turn as Hetterschield got loose on the high line in turn 1 and turned down into Dyson, causing both cars to wreck. Significant damage for Dyson here. The race was filled with plenty of action even before reaching its halfway point!!
The race restarted on lap 74, with Hetterschield leading briefly before Steven Williams managed to pass for the lead on lap 91, opening the door for four other cars to gain positions. Dave Douglas took the lead on lap 98, while Neale, Jones, and Worley worked their way back to the front.
A notable feature of the race was the rapid drop in tire grip as the stint progressed. Some drivers managed their tires better than others, while those who couldn't saw their performance plummet.
Around the 50-lap mark, drivers started making their final pit stops of the night, provided the race stayed green. Luke Crum and Jaie Schultz stayed out and ran long, only pitting when absolutely necessary.
The race continued without further cautions, and Neale showcased his exceptional long-run pace, securing victory with a commanding lead of 9.4 seconds over Ryan Jones, who finished five seconds ahead of Dave Douglas in 3rd place.
It was a challenging night for some Chase contenders and a triumphant one for others, leaving both cars and egos battered. If this level of action continues throughout the chase, it promises to be an exhilarating spectacle.
Race Statistics:
Total Laps: 160
Cautions: 5 for 19 laps
Lead Changes: 13
Top 10 Finishers:
1: Barry Neale
2: Ryan Jones
3: Dave Douglas
4: Phillip Worley
5: Ruben Phelps
6: Steven Williams
7: Matthew Raymond
8: Luke Crum
9: Norman Clark
10: Jaie Schultz
Incidents
Lap 1 - Phillip Worley
Lap 21 - Joshua Carroll-Walden
Lap 49 - Joshua Carroll-Walden
Lap 59 - Joshua Carroll-Walden (3rd Strike in Race, 1 Race Ban)
Lap 69 - Daniel Hetterscheid (5th Strike in 10 Races, 1 Race Ban)
Restarts
N/A
Other
N/A
Post-race Tech
N/A
Race Replay Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blb9WcqG32Q
