PORSCHE MICHELIN junior Cooper Murray has withheld searing pressure from former champion David Wall to record his second race win in the opening round of the 2020 Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia title race.
Meanwhile, Max Twigg levelled the score in Pro-Am, beating race one winner Dean Cook to the line to make Sunday’s finale a winner-take-all proposition in Carrera Cup’s ‘race within a race’.
Today’s 10-lap dash was a breathless affair with Murray and Wall making similar starts and drag-racing towards turn one, the McElrea driver edging past Wall through the Senna chicane to take a lead he would never lose.
Behind them, Aaron Love ran side-by-side with Cameron Hill but also had to cede the position as they raced to turn five.
The race settled into an intense battle from there, the leading quartet evenly matched for the duration with several drivers coming close to, if not beating, the Adelaide lap record.
Murray ultimately won outright and the Mobil Pro class by 0.8 seconds with Wall second for the second time in two races.
“We got off to a good start and once we got into the lead it was a case of staying there and trying to maintain it like we did yesterday,” Murray said.
“On a street circuit like this and with only a short lap time the times are all very close and it’s very hard top pull a gap – but we were able to come away with the win which is the main thing.”
Cameron Hill crossed the line third, however was later penalised five seconds for a false start – elevating Aaron Love to the podium.
That means the 17-year-old from Perth now sits third overall heading into the final race of the weekend in the battle for the last step on the podium.
Dale Wood and David Russell completed the top five in an intense race; local hero Michael Almond missing out on a spot in the top five after contact with the wall two laps from home damaged the right front corner of his Sonic Motor Racing Porsche.
Max Vidau was sixth in just his second ever Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia race, a recovered Nick McBride – who set the fastest lap – was next with the penalised Hill, Duvashen Padayachee and Harri Jones completed the top-10.
The Pro-Am battle was a reversal of race one, Max Twigg jumping Dean Cook early and leading the race through to the flag.
It was the three-time champion’s first Pro-Am race win since the 2018 season and the 47th of his successful career.
It also means he and teammate Cook are tied on points heading into tomorrow’s winner-take-all finale’ to decide the round.
“It was good, and I got a very good start,” Twigg explained.
“I held my own – I was a little bit cautious through turn one because I got a few kerb strikes early on but I’m certainly happy to have my first win of the year, it’s been a long time coming.
“I’m really enjoy the car, the track and the atmosphere and it’s a nice place to be for the weekend!”
Stephen Grove finished third in class while Tim Miles recovered to fourth, having started at the back of the grid, and Marc Cini fifth.
The third and final race of the weekend will be held at 11:10am, local time, on Sunday and will be shown live on Fox Sports 506, Kayo Sports and Channel 10.
RESULTS, Race 2
1 . Cooper Murray (VIC)
2 . David Wall (NSW)
3 . Aaron Love (WA)
4 . Dale Wood (Vic)
5 . David Russell (QLD)
6 . Max Vidau (SA)
7 . Nick McBride (VIC)
8 . Cameron Hill (ACT)
9 . Duvashen Padayachee NSW
10 . Harrison Jones (QLD)
11 . Josh Hunt (QLD)
12 . Max Twigg (VIC)
13 . Dean Cook (VIC)
14 . Stephen Grove (VIC)
15 . Tim Miles (NSW)
16 . Marc Cini (VIC)
17 . David Ryan (NSW)
18 . Indiran Padayachee (NSW)
19 . Greg Ward (NSW)
DNF . Michael Almond (SA)
DNF . Scott Taylor (QLD)
SCHEDULE: SUNDAY FEB 23
11:10 – 11:30 Race 3 FoxSports / Kayo / Channel 10
Entry List – Round 1, Superloop Adelaide 500
No CLASS CAR # Name Surname SPONSOR NAME
1 Pro-Am 4 Stephen Grove Grove Group
2 Pro-Am 6 Tim Miles No Second Chance
3 Pro 8 Nick McBride Porsche Centre Melbourne
4 Pro-Am 9 Marc Cini Hallmarc
5 Pro 12 Harrison Jones HeliMods
6 Pro 15 Josh Hunt Volante Rosso
7 Pro-Am 22 Dean Cook BMF Racing
8 Pro 23 David Russell Lago Cold Stores/Dayco
9 Pro-Am 30 David Ryan Sparesbox
10 Pro 34 Duvashen Padayachee Hyundai Forklifts Aus
11 Pro-Am 35 Indiran Padayachee RENTCORP FORKLIFTS
12 Pro 36 Cooper Murray Phase 8
13 Pro 38 David Wall Wall Racing
14 Pro-Am 68 Greg Ward Wall Racing
15 Pro 77 Michael Almond Sonic/Bob Jane T-Marts/PSA
16 Pro 78 Aaron Love Sonic/Barbagallo/Porsche Centre Perth
17 Pro-Am 80 Max Twigg
18 Pro 96 TBC TBC Wall Racing
19 Pro 100 Dale Wood Timken
20 Pro 111 Cameron Hill Goodwin and Kenyon Group
21 Pro-Am 222 Scott Taylor Scott Taylor Motorsport
22 Pro 777 Max Vidau Sonic/Bob Jane T-Marts/Exedy
Sources: Angus Thompson/Porsche Cars Australia
Meanwhile, Max Twigg levelled the score in Pro-Am, beating race one winner Dean Cook to the line to make Sunday’s finale a winner-take-all proposition in Carrera Cup’s ‘race within a race’.