Garth Walden Racing’s Peter Paddon led at the start of the second Workhorse Radical Cup Australia first round race, and more importantly, led at the end.
He won the 50-minute 31-lap race by 16 seconds over Arise Racing’s Elliott Schutte while Volante Rosso’s Peter Clare held on to third after Josh Hunt did the groundwork, by 0.11 seconds over Arise’s Cooper Cutts. The second fastest times from qualifying and who would start, determined the grid were Team BRM Joey Mawson was on pole in the car he was sharing with Mark Rosser. Paddon started alongside and won the start to lead the first two laps before Mawson forced his way into the lead at turn two. Mawson led until he took the compulsory pitstop and Rosser jumped into the car. Paddon pitted at the same time while 15-year-old Ferrari Academy participant Alex Gardner who was chasing them, pitted a lap later. Shortly after the race one winner limped down the pit entry with a broken gearbox. Once the race was cleansed with all pitstops completed, it was Paddon from Schutte who was being caught by 2022 title holder Chris Perini. However, four laps from the end Perini spun at turn two whilst mounting a bid for second. The spin allowed Clare, Cutts and Nick Kelly to get passed before Perini had another uncharacteristic loop out of turn eight. Cutts’ near top three place was impressive, given that he had a spin earlier at turn six. Rosser finished sixth with Perini next ahead of Zara Horn, another Ferrari Academy, who had taken over from Jordan Oon. Afte a lengthy battle Andrew Eldridge passed Zig Fuhrmeister on the penultimate lap, one circuit after the following Simon Arthur passed Ash Samadi.
Terry Knowles started the Desire Racing machine and handed off to Bart Mawer to finish 12th ahead of Greg Kenny who took over from Melinda Price. Behind them were Stephen Champion, Brad Russell, Jim Hernandez, Sue Hughes and Warwick Churche.