Josh Buchan takes second win in final Phillip Island race
Josh Buchan of Hyundai HMO Customer Racing claimed his second win of the TCR Australia weekend with a lights-to-flag victory in the third and final race at Phillip Island.
Buchan took the lead from the pole position at the start and was followed by Race 2 winner Michael Clemente, driving a Cupra León Competición from Carl Cox Motorsport.
Ben Bargwanna of Garry Rogers Motorsport ran in third place early in the race ahead of team-mate Jordan Cox.
While Buchan started top open a gap in the lead, as Bailey Sweeny (HMO Customer Racing) overtook Aaron Cameron (GRM) for sixth place on lap three.
Audi privateer Zac Soutar attempted to overtake Cameron on lap ten, but out-braked himself and fell behind the Peugeot driver again.
Buchan took his second victory of the weekend as the chequered flag fell, with Clemente and Bargwanna completing the podium.
Cox was fourth, followed by Sweeney, Cameron and Soutar in seventh place. Will Brown of Melbourne Performance Centre finished eighth, followed by Tom Oliphant (Lynk & Co 03 TCR) and Lachlan Mineeff completing the top ten.
“That was excellent,” said Buchan after the race. “Race 1 was great, but I really wanted to back it up, so it wasn’t a one-off, so we are there.
Bailey Sweeney leads the drivers’ championship with 252 points, with Cox 22 points behind in second and Cameron 23 points adrift in third. Buchan is fourth, 29 points behind the leader.
The next round of the TCR Australia series takes place on the 9-11th of June at the Winton Motor Raceway.
