AUS Utes: Series Bathurst summary

Sieders wins however Elsegood excluded from Bathurst V8 Ute Result

Nulon Oil driver David Sieders took out Race 3 and Round 6 of the 2010 Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series - protected by Armor All at Mount Panorama Bathurst, Sunday, 10 October 2010, however reigning champ Jack Elsegood was fined $500 and excluded from the Race 3 result after a wheelbase technical infringement was discovered during post race scrutineering. Sieders started on Pole alongside Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour driver, Grant Johnson who beat him off the line. Johnson held the lead until Sieders overtook him in the same spot as Race 1, down Conrod Straight coming into the Chase.

"I was always aiming to get him wherever my strong point was either getting off Forest Elbow or at Turn 1. I didn't think it would happen on that lap but it did."

"It feels awesome to win at my home event and on your first time around Bathurst in a V8 Ute so I'm really happy with the result," said Sieders.

The Western Sydney based driver held the lead for the remainder of the race although pressured all the way from Johnson who claimed second for the Race and the Round and will walk away with an increase in the Series pointscore.

"It's good to put more points on the board. I was hoping to catch Dave but I couldn't get enough straight-line speed however I'm still happy with second," said Johnson.

Sydney's Jack Elsegood saw his back to back series hopes take a dive when race officials deemed the wheelbase on his Coopers Ford was not within the homologated measurements after random checks were made on a number of Utes in Parc Ferme immediately after the race. Elsegood's Ute, prepared by Hi -Tech Motorsport was excluded from the Race 3 results after a solid seventh place earlier in the day.

Roylance Racing's Ryal Harris was the big improver this round, finishing third overall and winning the Champion Spark Plug Hole Shot Award for the best race start in Race 3 and $500 cash.

Jesus Racing's Andrew Fisher drove well to take fourth for the race and maintains third place in the series just under 100 points off Johnson, although now within 26 points of Elsegood's second place.

Fisher held off pressure from Ice Break Racing teammates Chris Pither and Gary MacDonald. The two touched on Lap 5 which gave Elsegood the chance to take MacDonald on the inside.

MacDonald reclaimed his position taking Elsegood on the final corner of lap six to claim sixth for the race. SAGE Automation Racing's Gary Baxter came home in eighth position ahead of come-back kid, Adam Bressington in the Pedigree Petfoods car in ninth.

Bob Jane T-Marts Kim "The Assassin" Jane was on the attack with Coombabah Plaza's Charlie O'Brien but didn't quite have enough pressure on the Bathurst veteran who rounded out the top ten.

Go Channel 88 backed driver, Gary Carson posted one of his best weekend results and walked away in ninth position for the round and 12th for the race. Carson has moved into tenth for the Series.

Mid-field there was a four way battle on for 16th position between Rockstar Energy drink driver Jeremy Gray, Charlie Kovacs, Vittoria Coffee's George Elliot and Bisley Workwear's Nandi Kiss who all had a coming together on lap four through the Chase however survived to finish the race.

Gray also took out the SS Inductions Hard Charger Award and $500 cash for overtaking 12 Utes in Race 2.

Storage King/Red Ass Mexican Food driver, Ben Dunn who won Race 2 yesterday, locked up in the Chase fighting off Elsegood and ended up spinning.

Father and son in-law also came to blows in Race 3 when CNW Electricals Peter Burnitt and Denco/OneConstruct driver Rohan Barry came together which pushed Burnitt into the sand-trap and out of the Race. Barry made a big dive under brakes into Turn 1, locking up and clouting his father in law, after Burnitt himself gave the young gun a shove or two going across the mountain earlier in the race. Barry was handed the equivalent of a drive-through penalty for the incident and lost 31 seconds off his race time.

Next Round of the 2010 Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series - protected by Armor All will take place at the Armor All Gold Coast 600, 22 - 24 October but to re-cap on all of the action from Round 6 tune into Network Seven, Saturday, 16th October at 12:30pm.

Make-A-Wish Australia is the official charity of Australian V8 Ute Racing who will endeavour to assist the foundation with their mission, which is to "To grant the Wishes of Children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope strength and joy."

-source: aus v8 utes