AN IN-FORM Peter Paddon leads the First Focus Radical Cup Australia field to Shell V-Power Motorsport Park in South Australia this weekend, ready to stamp his authority on the series at its halfway point.
An win against the West Aussie brigade in Perth last month solidified the First Focus / GWR driver at the top of the standings, his 357 championship points comparing well to closest rival Cooper Cutts who has 298.
However Paddon – who also leads the Hero Hoists Pro-Am Cup leaderboard - is unlikely to have things his own way this weekend as the Radical grid returns to the 4.9km International Circuit at The Bend, a track almost as if designed for the Radical SR3.
As well as Cutts returning to a brand-new SR3 XXR (having returned to an older-specification car last time out), a former Tailem Bend winner will also make a cameo return this weekend.
Fresh from title-leading form in one-make Porsche racing, Caleb Sumich will share the #92 Arise Racing entry with John DiGiovanni this weekend.
Sumich claimed his maiden Radical win at The Bend in 2022 and makes his return to the category this weekend having raced at the circuit in his Porsche last weekend.
As well as Cutts and the DiGiovanni / Sumich combination, and old favorite combination returns to the grid as Adam Lisle and long-time Copilot Jordan Oon make a return.
The pair have shared six top three race finishes between them in Radical competition and their entry adds more firepower to the Arise assault on what is essentially neutral ground in the ongoing East versus West battle in Radical competition.
Other two-driver combinations include the formidable Chris Reindler / Bryce Moore duo, and the Volante Rosso Racing squad of Melinda Price and Greg Kenny, and Josh Hunt who again shares with Peter Clare.
The South Australian field includes Ash Samadi – who sits a strong third outright in the championship following a consistent start to the season.
Samadi also leads the Workhorse Am class standings following two rounds of competition.
Warwick Churche, Adam Naccarata, Brad Russell, James Hernandez, Sue Hughes and the fast duo of Terry Knowles with Barton Mawer also join the field this weekend.
The two-race format will see one 45-minute race run each on Saturday and Sunday this weekend at the Lamborghini SuperTrofeo Asia event.
Both races will be streamed live via the Blend Line TV YouTube channel, which will also be available via the Radical Cup Australia website.
Last year, teenager Alex Gardner claimed both races at The Bend to build a handy championship lead in what was the penultimate round of the 2023 season. Elliott Schutte finished second overall and Zig Fuhrmeister third.
Racing gets underway this weekend with three practice sessions on Friday, 7 June ahead of qualifying and Race 1 on Saturday and the final race on Sunday.
