AUS: Series Eastern Creek Saturday report

EVANS BACK ON TOP AFTER EASTERN CREEK SPRINT WIN

MITCH EVANS has returned to peak form in the best possible way after sweeping the Saturday action as round six of the Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship continued today at Eastern Creek.

Evans took his fifth Meguiar's Pole Position award of the season in the morning and held out teammate Ben Barker to win the first sprint race this afternoon under perfect, sunny conditions at the 3.9km circuit in Western Sydney.

It was Evans' first win since round three at Phillip Island and elevated him to within one solitary point of the championship leader (Barker) with Tweedie's third place keeping him in contention, just a handful of points behind in third.

"It was a good race and really works well for the point's situation," A confident Evans' said after his return to the top of the results sheet.

"I got a pretty good start and once I got in front I was able to hold the margin to Ben but it was a pretty tough race. It's been a good race for the championship for both of us and gets me back into second so overall. The car feels good but I think there is more to come tomorrow."

Evans' and Barker made nearly identical starts today and battled side-by-side into the first turn.

In the middle of a braking duel into turn two, both ran wide and allowed a plucky Tweedie to take advantage and move to second place, ahead of Barker, though the points leader would retake the position at turn four with a ballsy move around the outside of the 170km/hr corner.

As the two Team BRM cars extended their lead - never more than one second apart - Tweedie held off Mat Sofi to secure third place.

After his traditional stunning start - that briefly saw him hold third place on the opening lap tussle - Chris Gilmour finished fifth ahead of Chinese driver Zhang Shan Qi, who came from the back of the field after being forced to take two new tyres after flat spotting his Kumho's in qualifying.

Queenslander Ben Gersekowski put in a stout performance to finish seventh, after a mighty dice that waged for most of the race with Graeme Holmes, Nick Foster and Nathan Morcom.

Holmes headed the battle for most of the race before losing the car at turn nine with two laps to go.

R-Tek driver John Magro spun away a sure-fire seventh place when he looped his Dallara at the turn nine hairpin on lap six after locking the rear wheels.

Earlier, Evans was unstoppable as he swept to his fifth Meguiar's pole award from as many attempts this year.

The only time the 16-year-old has not started from pole was when he missed the second round, at Symmons Plains, due to an overseas testing opportunity.

Tomorrow will see two races - one nine lap sprint and a 14-lap feature - to decide how the 2010 F3 Australian Drivers Championship plays out at the season finale in October.

-source: formula3.com.au