27th February 2016

Blistering temperatures challenge the best in Warwick

The Rotax Pro Tour’s first trip to Queensland for 2016 has begun in blistering style with scorching conditions greeting the senior class drivers for their practice, qualifying and opening heat races at the Sandy Creek Raceway with Cody Gillis, Lane Moore and Troy Woolston each taking a clean sweep in their first of three sprint races of the weekend.

Klinton Hancey (21) ahead of Troy Bretherton (6) and Lee Mitchener in DD2 Masters (Pic: Coopers Photography)

Queensland’s Klinton Hancey took pole position by the narrowest of margins in DD2 Masters, recording a 42.503, Hancey was just 0.003 seconds ahead of category debutant, Troy Bretherton. Round one winner Kris Walton was a close third, 0.03 seconds behind Bretherton with Lee Mitchener, Scott Howard and Regan Payne making up a sunshine state dominated top six.

Hancey continued his successful beginning to the weekend by taking the win in the first heat race over Bretherton with the pair engaging in regular battles during the race. A DNF to Walton then saw Mitchener take third from Mark Flood and Dean Wanless.

Cody Gillis returned to the form that earnt him his maiden Pro Tour round win in Melbourne by taking pole position in Rotax Light with a 43.029 over local, Nicholas Andrews. Gillis’ team mate Joshua Fife was within one tenth of pole in third place with New Zealander Madeline Stewart recording her best result since joining the series in fourth with Marc Tulloch in fifth.

Round 1 winner Cody Gillis picked up where he left, qualifying fastest and winning both heat races in Rotax 125 Light (Pic: Coopers Photography)

Gillis made it two from two in the day’s races, showing good pace and battling for position with Nicholas Andrews who took second in both events. Fife maintained position to take third in heat one with sixth in heat two with one of the standout performances of the day being with Madeline Stewart who backed up her qualifying performance to take a fifth and third place finish in the races.

The eight minute qualifying session for Rotax Heavy was a tight battle at the front of the pack with Benjamin Ritchie taking pole position with a 44.144, narrowly ahead of Clem O’Mara by 0.02 seconds. Shay Mayes would qualify third with Lane Moore in fourth after dropping a chain mid-session. Coming from the second row in race, Moore picked up a pair of victories, showing strong pace in the latter stages to finish ahead of Ritchie on both occasions. O’Mara snared two third place finishes with Gaven Whitmore and Marcus La Delle finishing fourth and fifth in both races.

With just under two tenths of a second separating the top 13 in DD2, it spelt the beginning of a close battle in the two-speed gearbox category with Victorian Adam Lindstrom taking pole position with a 42.004, just 0.01 seconds over Troy Woolston with Ryan Kennedy and Nathan Tigani making up the second row ahead of Marijn Kremers and Brock Plumb. Woolston showed dominant pace in the hot conditions to take two wins from two starts with Lindstrom taking a second in heat and settling for third in heat two. Tigani came back from a DNF in heat one to finish second heat two with multiple drivers sharing top five results ahead of Saturday’s final heat race and the pre-final.

Round two of the 2016 Rotax Pro Tour takes place at the Sandy Creek Raceway in Warwick, Queensland from February 26-28. To follow either event online throughout the weekend, like Rotax Pro Tour on Facebook, follow Rotax Pro Tour on Twitter and tune into the live audio commentary via Ustream at www.rotax.com.au/streaming.html