September 27 2020
Four of the five regular Stock Cars Australia drivers who drive an OzTruck returned to racing this weekend at Sydney Motorsport Park.
It was a reunion in more ways than one as the OzTrucks were sharing the track with the TA2’s, a situation that happened way back at the beginning of TA2 racing in Australia plus some of the TA2 drivers had previously raced in Stock Cars Australia.
Eleven TA2’s and four OzTrucks made a combined field of 15 vehicles in what promised to be an interesting weekend.
Race 1 saw Stephen Chilby win as he challenged the mid pack of the TA2 field and Brett Mitchell ran the fastest OzTruck lap of the race.
Race 2 was again a Stephen Chilby win and this time he got the OzTruck fastest lap too, Stephen finished sixth in the fifteen vehicle field showing the OzTrucks can compete with the middle of the TA2 pack.
Race 3 served up an interesting start as the yellow came out early with the TA2’s of C. Scutella and M. Crutcher out of the race, this forced a yellow flag which lasted several laps and then drama occurred as Stephen Chilby and Robert Marchese were both penalized 35 seconds for safety car infringement.
This means that Brett Mitchell was the winner from Danny Burgess with Stephen Chilby third and Robert Marchese fourth.
The points were tied at 73 apiece for the final race between Stephen Chilby and Brett Mitchell and whoever finished ahead would be the winner of the weekend.
Race 4 came along a little later than expected, M. Crutcher in the #4 TA2 had a crash early bringing out the yellow and the #84 of Robert Marchese went past the commentary with a backfiring engine but was still in it, Stephen Chilby had a good start and was into 9th by Lap 3 and by Lap 6 he was up to 6th.
The TA2’s superior straight line speed allowed some of the TA2’s to pass Stephen Chilby in the late stages but he managed to finish 7th with Brett Mitchell in 11th, Marchese in 12th and Burgess in 13th.
Danny Burgess tangled with the #3 TA2 of Barry Kelleher and both were put out of the race, Zac O’Hara reports that both are ok and both vehicles are repairable.
The end result was three wins to Stephen Chilby and one to Brett Mitchell in a great return of multiple OzTrucks on the track.
Hopefully soon the COVID situation will ease somewhat and the entire Stock Cars Australia family can reunite and put on a full show wherever that will be.
Aussie Stock Car News 