Hi-Tec Oils Super Series - The Bend Day 3 Wrap

It was a dramatic final day of action at the Shell V-Power Motorsport Park with roll overs, fires and controversial incidents, Day 3 of the Hi-Tec Oils Super Series really did have the lot.

TA2 Muscle Car Series

Jackson Rice on his return to the category this weekend had a day to remember, he won both races and in doing so secured his maiden TA2 Muscle Car Series round victory.

In the opening race, Rice was attacked late on by a couple of youngsters and relative newcomers to the series, Tyler Cheney and Tommy Smith who scored the race wins on Saturday.

Cheney through everything at him, even broke the lap record, but it was not enough to take his second win in two days, he ended up just 0.5s shy of the win. Smith made it a Chevy Camaro 1-2-3, with Ben Gomersall best of the Fords in fourth and Joel Heinrich fifth.

Race 2 Heinrich proved to be the biggest challenger to Rice, the local South Australian might know the track well, but he was not able to make his way past despite relentlessly applying the blow torch.

Rice did not crack once, he withstood the pressure to take his second win of the day. Behind, Heinrich came Cheney, Brock Paine and Smith.

Australian Innovation Race Cars Series

It was certainly an eventful day in the Australian IRC Series, while Race 3 was declared a non-result. Race 4 was well worth the wait.

Midway through Race 3 Danny Stutterd spun and backed into a concrete wall at high speed, the race was race red flagged as fuel ignited at the back of his machine.

At the time we the IRC cars were in the middle of the pit stop sequence, some drivers had pitted, others were yet to the remainder were completing the stop when the flag was thrown.

This unfairly jumbled up the order and was rightfully it was declared a non-race.

Race 4 was one of the best IRC races to date, a real dual between 2025 Series winner Geoff Emery and Race 1 and 2 winner Lee Stibbs.

Stibbs was the quicker of the two drivers but despite his best efforts, a robust defence was put up by Emery. As a result, Emery secured his first win of the season from Stibbs and John Goodacre. Hunter Robb won the SD class, while invited driver Jake Donaldson won his class.

TFH Legend Cars Australia

The pocket rocket Legend Cars Australia Series produced three scintillating races to round out the weekend.

Josh Thomas won the inverted top 12 inverted grid race in his TFH Racing sponsored car, ahead of the unrelated Dylan Thomas. Dean O’Brien rounded out the top three from Josh Benaud and Chais Tippett.

In Race 6 of the weekend, Riley Skinner scored his maiden victory in the series after a late race overtake on debutant O’Brien, Ruben Dan rounded out the top three after starting the race from 13th.

The final encounter was the best of the lot, Dan and O’Brien exchanged the lead on multiple occasions throughout the final lap. Dan performed a perfectly executed switchback out of the penultima turn to reclaim the race lead and take his third win of the weekend.

O’Brien was second ahead of Dylan Thomas, Tippett and Benaud.

Formula RX8

South African Stiaan Kriel held his nerve today to take both wins in the Formula RX8 Series, but he had to work for both races with young Cadel Ambrose pushing him all the way.

A portion of Race 4 took place behind the pace car due to a fast but gentle roll for James Dixon, he was able to extract himself from the car unharmed.

This left a two-lap sprint to the finish at the end of the encounter in which Kriel held on by 0.5s.

Ambrose came home in second ahead of defending series winner Matthew Boylett and Justin Lewis.

The final race of the weekend was the best of the lot, Ambrose threw the kitchen sink at Kriel and the two went door to door on many occasions.

Ambrose was unable to snatch the lead and pull away, instead he was forced to settle for second behind Kriel.

Behind, Lewis was able to get the better of Boylett and scored his first top three result of the season.