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2018 Season – Round 5 Preview!
We are on the eve of practice as the 944 Challenge hit the track to prepare for the fifth and final round of the 2018 Victorian State Circuit Racing Championships! Here is the preview for this round as we look back to Round 2 of the series at Phillip Island in May this year as a form guide. #28 Jamie Westaway – Jamie holds a slender points for the Vic State Series heading into the title deciding round, with a trio of third place finishes will be enough to secure him the title regardless of what title rival Cameron Beller can muster. Will Jamie run a conservative weekend to take the title, or will he fight hard to turn the tables from the earlier visit to Phillip Island in May? #1 Cameron Beller – Cam has nothing to lose as he will have an attitude to repeat his earlier results from Phillip Island, and win all three races, and see what fate deals for the title results. #74 Mark Taubitz – Mark had a strong run at Phillip Island in May, earning his first podium finish and now sits in a comfortable third position in the points. A consistent weekend will ensure he secures that position for the State Season pointscore. #5 Lyndon Watson – Lyndon has shown plenty of speed and had some great results at Phillip Island in May, but some unreliability at Sandown has hampered his points tally, and he will need problems to befall Taubitz to have any chance of stealing third position in the points score from him. He will look for a strong result this weekend as a good springboard for season 2019. #64 Keith Marriner – Keith slipped back a couple of positions in the points after a [...]
Shannons Nationals Invitational Round – Race 3
The third and final Race of the 944 Challenge event at the Shannons Nationals was run as a reverse grid handicap race, again over 9 laps on Sunday afternoon, with the grid and handicaps set by the fastest laps set during Saturdays first race. Thus it was Jim Mitchell who would start from pole position, with Peter Doherty alongside him on the front row. The second row would consist of Manny Mezzasalma with Keith Marriner for company next to him in grid spot four. There would be a 15 second delay before the second group would commence, with Dick Howe, Michael Westaway and Mark Taubitz in that group, with a five second gap before the next group would head off, with that group containing Pedr James, Paul Crocitti and Tony Westaway. There would then be a further 15 second gap before the final group of Rob Holding, Chris Lewis-Williams and Cameron Beller rounding out the final group. Jim Mitchell took the lead off the start from Doherty, Mezzasalma and Marriner, though Doherty would make his way past Mitchell into the lead into turn three with Mitchell slotting into second position. Howe, Michael Westaway and Taubitz were all ducking and weaving for the first half of the lap as all three wanted to be at the head of the pack before Westaway took the lead of the group from Howe & Taubitz. A heavily patched up car of Crocitti took the lead of group 3 from James and Tony Westaway, while Lewis-Williams again got a great start to take the lead in the final group from Beller and Holding. The first position change was on lap 3 when Tony Westaway moved ahead of James for ninth position. Beller was desperately trying to find a way past Lewis-Williams, with Lewis-Williams defending just [...]
Shannons Nationals Invitational Round – Race 2
Race 2 of the 944 Challenge event at the Shannons Nationals was run as a reverse grid event over 9 laps on Sunday morning. As a result of Race 1's finishing order, Tony Westaway lined up on the pole position, with Keith Marriner lining up alongside him on the front row with Manny Mezzasalma and Jim Mitchell lining up on the second row. Peter Doherty and Pedr James would share row 3, with Dick Howe and Michael Westaway on the fourth row. Row 5 would be made up of Mark Taubitz and Paul Crocitti, with the race 1 podium finishers Rob Holding, Chris Lewis-Williams and Cameron Beller rounding out the grid. Jim Mitchell got his customary drag-car-like start off the line to split the front row starters and then dived to the inside of Tony Westaway to lead into Turn 1. Keith Marriner slotted into third position with Mezzasalma fourth, and Doherty and James side by side through the first corner complex. Getting a fantastic start was Chris Lewis-Williams, who took the outside line to follow Doherty and was in seventh position already, with Dick Howe on his outside on the run to turn 3. Crocitti also got a good start down the outside and was next, with Holding also moving up a few spots. The biggest losers off the start were Michael Westaway who got an ordinary getaway, and Mark Taubitz who was boxed in behind him - Cameron Beller also suffered stuck behind those who were slower away, though was able to take the inside run on Taubitz and then out-run Michael Westaway under brakes for turn 3 to move to eleventh position. Tony Westaway ranged up alongside Mitchell and took the lead under brakes into turn 3 with James pulling ahead of Doherty and into fifth position, [...]
Shannons Nationals Invitational Round – Race 1
Race 1 of the 944 Challenge event at the Shannons Nationals was on Saturday afternoon and the only chance for the fastest runners to lead from the start, with Sundays races consisting of a reverse grid, and then a handicap race to round out the event. Off the start it was Chris Lewis-Williams who led into Turn 1 after just edging Cameron Beller in the short drag racce off the start, with ROb Holding, Tony Westaway side by side behind them, with Mark Taubitz and Paul Crocitti side by side right behind them as they ran through turns 1 & 2. Michael Westaway was next edging ahead of Dick Howe, with Jim Mitchell in behind them, with Pedr James, Keith Marriner, Manny Mezzasalma and Peter Doherty rounding out the field. Lewis-Williams and Beller had a small gap while Holding took the inside line to sweep into third position. Taubitz tried to follow him through into turn 4 but had the door firmly shut on him by Tony Westaway - leaving him vulnerable to Crocitti. H0we moved back ahead of Michael Westaway, and then passed Crocitti into turn 9 to take the sixth position. As the field crossed the line to end lap 1, Beller pulled alongside Lewis-Williams and took the lead under brakes into turn 1, with Holding and Tony Westaway now right behind them. a small gap back to Taubitz, Howe, Crocitti, Michael Westaway, Mitchell, James, Marriner, Mezzasalma and Doherty. The top three were nose to tail, with Tony Westaway and Taubitz just off the back of the lead trio. Howe and Crocitti continued to battle with Westaway tagging onto the back of the pair. Doherty meanwhile took Mezzasalma for twelfth position. James was the next driver to make progress, as he moved ahead of Mitchell on lap 3 [...]
Shannons Nationals Invitational Round – Qualifying
The 944 challenge field rolled out for qualifying on Saturday morning for the Shannon’s Nationals round, and proving he hasn’t lost his speed despite not turning a wheel in the past ten months was Chris Lewis-Williams who set the fastest lap first up with a 1:36.2726. Mark Taubitz was second quickest with a 1:37.5693 on his first fast lap, ahead of Cameron Beller third with a 1:38.7129 in third, with Tony Westaway fourth with a 1:39.4822. Dick Howe was fifth fastest with a 1:40.3904 from Paul Crocitti on a 1:41.5013, with Peter Doherty seventh fastest with a 1:42.6179 and Michael Westaway just behind with a 1:42.6892. Jim Mitchell was ninth with a first lap of 1:45.4529 from Manny Mezzasalma, tenth quickest with a 1:46.2730 with Pedr James, Keith Marriner and Rob Holding rounding out the runners with all three not running a representative time on their first laps. Beller moved himself into second position on his next lap when he ran a 1:36..7372 on his next lap, while Tony Westaway improved his best time with a 1:39.0906. Howe improved in fifth with a 1:39.1899 , as did Crocitti behind him with a 1:39.5737. Doherty also improved with a 1:40.7660 lap to remain in seventh position. Mitchell also improved his time with a 1:43.6399 while James moved to tenth quickest with a 1:44.3737 and Holding up to eleventh with a 1:46.0733 moving Mazzasalma back to twelfth ahead of Marriner with a 1:48.6943. Beller improved again next time around with a 1:36.1396, while Holding leapt up to fourth fastest with a 1:38.0625. Howe also improved with a 1:38.2680 in what would be his best time for the session though remained in fifth position. Crocitti remained sixth with a 1:38.8707, with Michael Westaway also displacing his brother with a 1:38.9504 to go to [...]
2018 Season – Shannons Nationals Invitational Round Preview!
The 944 Challenge drivers hit the track in a few days as part of a special invitation to join in with Round 5 of the Shannons Nationals series. Here is a preview for this event which is being proudly presented by aPorschapart, which will see the Dennis O'Keefe Cup presented to the round winner. With no points on the line for this round, to mix things up - the race format will include a reverse grid Race 2, with a handicap Race 3 to give all drivers a great chance of taking home the top prize for the weekend! With free entry for the weekend, make sure you head down to view all the action! Or for those that can't make it down, make sure you tune into the Shannons Nationals Livestream on Sunday for all the action! Saturdays qualifying session starts at 9:50, with Race 1 at 12:55 that day. Sundays Reverse grid race is at 10:40am, with the Handicap race finale at 13:35. Below is a list of those competing this weekend: #28 Tony Westaway – Tony is making his first outing in 2018 after handing the keys over to son Jamie for an assault on the 2018 series championship – Tony will be looking to refamiliarize himself with his championship leading car for the weekend and look to take home some silverware! #1 Cameron Beller – Cam made an uncharacteristic mistake last time out at Winton, but redeemed himself with a victory in the final race. He will be looking to avoid dramas this weekend and to make up for that indiscretion with some race victories this round. #74 Mark Taubitz – Mark had a great run at the Winton round earning a trio of podium finishes to strengthen his third position in the [...]
Round 4. Sandown – Race 3
Race 3 of the weekend would be critical for the two chief title protagonists for the Vic State Series title, with Cameron Beller needing to win the final race to tie round points with Jamie Westaway to give him a chance to race for the title at Phillip Island without having to rely on luck to fall his way. Missing would be Lyndon Watson, the gearbox issues in race 2 unfortunately causing him to pack up early. Off the line and the front row combatants jumped off together, but it was Beller who took the lead when Westaway again struggled going through the gears at the start of the race, though Jamie muscled his way past his uncle Michael with the slightest of touches in turn 1 to hold onto the third position behind Beller and the fast starting Dick Howe. Michael Westaway slotted in behind his nephew with Mark Taubitz right behind after getting a good start but finding himself on the inside of both Westaway's heading to turn 1 - and wisely backed out early to avoid what would have been inevitable contact. Pedr James was next through in sixth, with Mitchell getting another of his customary bullet starts to move into seventh on the run to the first corner, though Keith Marriner diving deeper under brakes to take seventh position through turn 1, with Michell slotting into eighth. Behind him were Toni Andreevski and John Vainoras after both getting a less than ideal getaway. Jamie Westaway quickly moved ahead of Howe on the run down the back straight to move into second position and again chase after Beller, with Howe back to third. Taubitz was hounding Michael Westaway, and on the run down the back straight he made the pass for position into the esses on the [...]
2018 944 Series
Pointscore
| Pos. | Driver | Points |
| 1st | Cameron Beller | 308 |
| 2nd | Jamie Westaway | 296 |
| 3rd | Mark Taubitz | 241 |
| 4th | Lyndon Watson | 229 |
| 5th | Richard Howe | 227 |
| 6th | Keith Marriner | 220 |
| 7th | James Mitchell | 205 |
| 8th | Michael Westaway | 171 |
| 9th | Andrew Jackman | 151 |
| 10th | Pedr James | 146 |
| 11th | John Vainoras | 138 |
| 12th | Toni Andreevski | 124 |
| 13th | Brad Winter | 66 |
| 14th | Ken Rowland | 59 |
| 15th | Marius Catrina | 54 |
| 16th | Rob Holding | 38 |
| 17th | Peter Doherty | 30 |
| 18th | James Gallagher | 16 |
| 19th | Tim Petrusic | 0 |
| 20th | Adam Brewer | 0 |
| 21st | Codey West | 0 |
2018 Vic State Championship
Pointscore
| Pos. | Driver | Points |
| 1st | Jamie Westaway | 468 |
| 2nd | Cameron Beller | 458 |
| 3rd | Mark Taubitz | 324 |
| 4th | Lyndon Watson | 301 |
| 5th | Richard Howe | 248 |
| 6th | Keith Marriner | 241 |
| 7th | Jim Mitchell | 225 |
| 8th | Michael Westaway | 191 |
| 9th | Andrew Jackman | 144 |
| 10th | Pedr James | 142 |
| 11th | Toni Andreevski | 109 |
| 12th | John Vainoras | 100 |
| 13th | Brad Winter | 78 |
| 14th | Ken Rowland | 61 |
| 15th | Tim Petrusic | 58 |
| 16th | Marius Catrina | 50 |
| 17th | Rob Holding | 38 |
| 18th | Adam Brewer | 34 |
| 19th | Peter Doherty | 18 |
| 20th | James Gallagher | 12 |
| 21st | Codey West | 0 |
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