The first major race at Highlands Motorsport Park resulted in an upset in the first race of the final round of the Australian GT series yesterday.
Rod Salmon and co-driver Liam Talbot, who were in fifth position, finished first - four places ahead of favourite Klark Quinn who had been leading the series and, with co-driver Craig Baird, had won the qualifying race.
It was Salmon and Talbot's first win in 18 months and was made extra special because it was the first major win on the new track, Salmon said.
''I think a new track evens a lot of things out and everybody has their favourite track but nobody could say Highlands was their favourite [because it had not been raced on] but it's now my favourite track.
''We haven't beaten the Quinns [park owner Tony and son Klark] all season and to beat them on their own race track is extra special and I'll certainly be reminding them of that.''
Though he did not get the position he may have hoped for, Tony Quinn described the race as ''perfect'' despite his car and Klark's car getting punctures. Four cars, those of Michael Hovey, Steve McLaughlan and Greg Crick, Clark Proctor and Steve Ross, and Brendon Cook and David Russell, did not finish due to mechanical failures.
At least one of them will be back on track today. The upset did not knock the Quinns from their perch. Klark is still in first place on the championship leaderboard with 580 points, Tony is in second with 473 points, Salmon is in third with 317 points, Dean Koutsoumidis in fourth with 300 points and John Bowe is fifth with 294 points.
The top teams covered 22 laps of the 4.1km circuit in the 40-minute race. Motorsport park manager Mike Sentch described the first day of racing like a dream come true.
''Watching the first race, with those fantastic Australian GT cars, we've seen our dream in full-speed action. Throughout the day, which saw all categories race virtually without incident, the MyLaps timing system and high tech control lighting system around the circuit has worked faultlessly.''
The second and final race of this last round of the GTs takes place from 12.20pm today. Other events today include the one and three-hour races of the South Island Endurance Series. On-track entertainment at lunchtime will include rally cars and stunt bikes.
The title event, the Highlands 101 will take place tomorrow as well as a Formula One demonstration and the podium presentation. About 5000 people caught some of the action in the park yesterday but double that are expected today and even more tomorrow.
- Photos by Gregor Richardson; prints available from otagoimages.co.nz.
