Paul Poon victorious in the 2012 CTM Macau Cup

China Dragon Racing’s Paul Poon won the 2012 CTM Macau Touring Car Cup, fighting of the advances of Team Pro Spec driver Andy Yan, both in Chevrolet Lacettis, whilst last year’s winner Samson Fung was forced to retire.

A minute’s silence was held ahead of the race in respect of Look Fong Chevrolet driver Phillip Yau, who tragically died in an accident at Mandarin bend in the qualifying session on Friday.

Yau’s team-mate Eric Kwong started from ninth on the grid in the sister Chevrolet Cruze, but a mistake at Lisboa saw Kwong fall down the order, and he was only able to recover to finish in sixth.

At the start, Jeronimo Badaraco had a poor getaway in his Son Veng Racing Honda Accord and slipped behind Hideharu Kiroki’s Honda Accord. From the start the one to watch was 2011 CTCC champion Andy Yan, who worked his way up to second place before the safety car was called after Lo Hung Pui crashed out his 778 Autosport BMW 320si.

At the restart, it was a three lap sprint to the finish, with Poon under pressure from Yan’s identical Chevrolet Lacetti. Samson Fung however dropped back and retired which a mechanical failure, which promoted Michael Choi’s Prince Racing Honda Accord Euro R to third.

Poon held on to take the win, with Yan second and Choi third, with only 18 of the 28 starters making the finish.