2022 Round 27 Cup Results
Neale pops up with a win at Kansas!
As the Cup Series entered the second race of The Chase, the air was full of questions to be answered. Could Dyson go two from two in the series? Could Foster go three from three for the week? Would Pearson bounce back after the misfortune at Darlington? In fact, a solid case both for and against any of the drivers in title contention could be made, and the drivers themselves had 130 laps to sort it out and provide some answers.
Michelmore would take pole with the seemingly ever-present Dyson alongside. SSR would have row two all to themselves, with Hobson and Russell holding positions three and four. The start would see the opposite of the previous race at Darlington, with drivers looking to make their moves early while the tyres were still capable of doing so, a prospect that would get more and more difficult as the rubber wore down. Michelmore would jump out to a handy lead on the first lap while everyone else jostled for position. Barry Neale would use the low groove while most were favouring the top, getting himself to the lead on the fourth lap.
The leaders would run in largely unchanged order until the first caution on lap sixteen, when Raymond Jaeger's car came to a halt on the backstretch. Everyone with the exception of Neale and Bourke would come for service, with Foster going from ninth to third with a two tyre change. At the resumption of racing Foster would quickly jump to the lead, with Michelmore hot on his heels followed by Martin and Russell, while Neale and Bourke tumbled through the field. Scurlock would try the inside line and made his way to second place over the next few laps, but would not progress from there.
Foster would lead until the next caution on lap fourty-four, when Ryan Jones would spin trying to avoid Dave Douglas, who was catching a slide of his own. This sent everyone down the lane once more, with Martin being the one to take two tyres only and vault himself to the front of the queue, only being headed by Douglas who had stayed on track.
This also would provide what had to be the strangest and most unfortunate moments of the race, with Freer not noticing the field in front of him slowing for the caution. The 707 did manage to swerve at the last moment however clipped the rear of Pearson and managing to pluck out the rear suspension, sending both cars to retirement. Freer was as remorseful as Pearson was incredulous, scarcely able to believe how quickly his promising season had fallen apart.
The resulting green saw Foster lead again but this time from Dyson, with Michelmore slotting into third. The caution would be out within a couple of laps, with Tompkins coming together with Bourke and also collecting Clark and Jones in the melee. Foster would lead away again from Dyson, with Russell and Hetterscheid following closely behind. Pit strategy would play out over the remainder of the race as it ran green for the balance of the 130 laps.
Martin would become the first of the prominent figures to come down on lap eighty-four, keen to get four new tyres onto the 21. This would kick off the final round of stops with Hetterscheid coming down three laps later. Crucially, Neale would pit on lap ninety-four and use the undercut to good effect, cycling to the lead as most others ran their tanks dry or very close to it.
Foster and Dyson would finally pit from the top two spots on the hundredth lap, and the chase was very much on to get back to the lead. Despite running flat out for the last thirty laps, the series leaders could not catch Neale, who crossed the line 2.3 seconds to the good over Foster, with Dyson third, Russell and Hobson fourth and fifth, with Bourke, Hetterscheid, Michelmore, Lobb and Scurlock completing the top ten.
Proceedings were brought to a sombre conclusion with Barry Neale dedicating his win to his brother, who he revealed had passed away. Barry has become very much a part of the ANZCAR family over the last several seasons, and all of us extend our sincere condolences to Barry and his family.
Next week the series will drop in to Bristol for what will surely be a manic 200 laps, see you there.
Stewards Report
Incidents
Lap 16 - Raymond Jaeger
Lap 48 - Noddy Tompkins (3rd strike EOL next race)
Restart Infringements
N/A
Other
Lap 45 - Tom Freer - unprofessional conduct involving contact - DQ
No Further Action
Lap 44 - Ryan Jones - lost control during avoiding action for large check up in front
Drivers are reminded that they should not park anywhere other than the pits during a race unless their car is not driveable.
As the Cup Series entered the second race of The Chase, the air was full of questions to be answered. Could Dyson go two from two in the series? Could Foster go three from three for the week? Would Pearson bounce back after the misfortune at Darlington? In fact, a solid case both for and against any of the drivers in title contention could be made, and the drivers themselves had 130 laps to sort it out and provide some answers.
Michelmore would take pole with the seemingly ever-present Dyson alongside. SSR would have row two all to themselves, with Hobson and Russell holding positions three and four. The start would see the opposite of the previous race at Darlington, with drivers looking to make their moves early while the tyres were still capable of doing so, a prospect that would get more and more difficult as the rubber wore down. Michelmore would jump out to a handy lead on the first lap while everyone else jostled for position. Barry Neale would use the low groove while most were favouring the top, getting himself to the lead on the fourth lap.
The leaders would run in largely unchanged order until the first caution on lap sixteen, when Raymond Jaeger's car came to a halt on the backstretch. Everyone with the exception of Neale and Bourke would come for service, with Foster going from ninth to third with a two tyre change. At the resumption of racing Foster would quickly jump to the lead, with Michelmore hot on his heels followed by Martin and Russell, while Neale and Bourke tumbled through the field. Scurlock would try the inside line and made his way to second place over the next few laps, but would not progress from there.
Foster would lead until the next caution on lap fourty-four, when Ryan Jones would spin trying to avoid Dave Douglas, who was catching a slide of his own. This sent everyone down the lane once more, with Martin being the one to take two tyres only and vault himself to the front of the queue, only being headed by Douglas who had stayed on track.
This also would provide what had to be the strangest and most unfortunate moments of the race, with Freer not noticing the field in front of him slowing for the caution. The 707 did manage to swerve at the last moment however clipped the rear of Pearson and managing to pluck out the rear suspension, sending both cars to retirement. Freer was as remorseful as Pearson was incredulous, scarcely able to believe how quickly his promising season had fallen apart.
The resulting green saw Foster lead again but this time from Dyson, with Michelmore slotting into third. The caution would be out within a couple of laps, with Tompkins coming together with Bourke and also collecting Clark and Jones in the melee. Foster would lead away again from Dyson, with Russell and Hetterscheid following closely behind. Pit strategy would play out over the remainder of the race as it ran green for the balance of the 130 laps.
Martin would become the first of the prominent figures to come down on lap eighty-four, keen to get four new tyres onto the 21. This would kick off the final round of stops with Hetterscheid coming down three laps later. Crucially, Neale would pit on lap ninety-four and use the undercut to good effect, cycling to the lead as most others ran their tanks dry or very close to it.
Foster and Dyson would finally pit from the top two spots on the hundredth lap, and the chase was very much on to get back to the lead. Despite running flat out for the last thirty laps, the series leaders could not catch Neale, who crossed the line 2.3 seconds to the good over Foster, with Dyson third, Russell and Hobson fourth and fifth, with Bourke, Hetterscheid, Michelmore, Lobb and Scurlock completing the top ten.
Proceedings were brought to a sombre conclusion with Barry Neale dedicating his win to his brother, who he revealed had passed away. Barry has become very much a part of the ANZCAR family over the last several seasons, and all of us extend our sincere condolences to Barry and his family.
Next week the series will drop in to Bristol for what will surely be a manic 200 laps, see you there.
Stewards Report
Incidents
Lap 16 - Raymond Jaeger
Lap 48 - Noddy Tompkins (3rd strike EOL next race)
Restart Infringements
N/A
Other
Lap 45 - Tom Freer - unprofessional conduct involving contact - DQ
No Further Action
Lap 44 - Ryan Jones - lost control during avoiding action for large check up in front
Drivers are reminded that they should not park anywhere other than the pits during a race unless their car is not driveable.
