Photo: TCR Australia

Tony D’Alberto doubles up in action-packed Queensland race

Tony D’Alberto made it two wins out of three in TCR Australia’s Queensland Raceway round to extend his points lead.

The Wall Racing driver started second on the grid alongside Jay Hanson, and was into the lead after the first few metres of the race as he was stronger in the second part of the launch.

There was no escaping from Hanson though, and D’Alberto spent the first half of the race with just a few tenths of a second between himself and his chaser.

On lap 12 of 21, Hanson dropped back by half a second and that immediately put him under pressure from Zac Soutar. He was able to pass on the next lap but spending the remainder of the race keeping Hanson behind meant D’Alberto was able to edge away to win.

Will Brown made an on-the-grass move on lap one and then a huge lock-up that pushed Luke King wide at the first hairpin, but he then pulled away from some crazy battles behind to finish fourth, and Bailey Sweeney opened up a late advantage in fifth place although he was firmly involved in the action for most of the race.

The fight for fifth was initially between King and Jordan Cox, who made contact at turn three on lap three. They then ran side-by-side for several corners and Cox stayed ahead but then had a sideways moment and dropped behind King and Sweeney until a last corner tap meant he could get back through.

Sweeney had also cleared King, who reclaimed a position but then got hit out of the way at the first hairpin as Sweeney stormed down the inside and made contact. There was a knock in return at turn four from King, and he got ahead again, then Josh Buchan also cleared Sweeney at the final corner.

Cox tried to escape in fifth, as Sweeney became occupied for several laps with trying to pass Buchan, and once he did he hunted down the cars ahead once more. It took a few laps to catch and pass King, then a few more to get up to the rear of Cox.

On lap 15 he threw it down the inside of turn four, and with only a light tap was able to get the move done for fifth. Cox stuck his nose in at the last corner in an attempt to make an overtake but couldn’t do it, and eventually he would be overtaken by James Moffat too.

Moffat ended up dropping to last place at the end of the race though, meaning Cox claimed sixth place ahead of King, Buchan and Michael Clemente who watched all of the battling very closely but avoided getting involved.

Car issues prevented Michael Caruso from taking the start, and Lachlan Mineeff failed to finish after spinning into the gravel with a few laps to go.

D’Alberto heads the standings with 58 points over Cox ahead of the next TCR Australia round which takes place at Sandown on September 16-18.