Allen splashes to fantastic Teretonga win

Justin Allen survived the drama of a wet Teretonga track and a reverse top eight grid to win the second race at round three of the Bridgestone GR86 Championship.

Allen was third on the grid but made a fantastic start and took the lead before the first of two Safety Cars.

The second triggered a shortened race and it finished under the Safety Car. Justin held off the threat of championship challenger Zach Blincoe, and cruised to the chequered flag to take his first win of the season.

“I got a good start and knew the grip was on the outside,” beamed a delighted Allen afterwards. “So that’s where I focussed. I’m delighted to put the car in P1 this week and a big thanks to the team for giving me the car to do it.”

An all Right Karts by M2 Competition front row after the top eight finishers from race 1 were reversed to form the grid, saw Josh Bethune alongside Simon Hunter on the front row. Behind them on the second row it was Mac Templeton and a resurgent Allen, with champion Hugo Allan and Blincoe on row three. Championship leader and race one winner Chris White would line up in eighth, on row four with Ajay Giddy.

The track was still very damp after overnight rain but thankfully without the treacherous standing water of Saturday. Unfortunately the rain arrived again for the start and it would be all about who got the best traction off the line. The driver that did that best of all was Hunter who surged into turn one ahead, followed by Allen and Bethune. An immediate Safety Car was caused by series new comer Jack Szewczuk who beached his car in the turn one sand trap. Before it came out, however, Allen and Blincoe had found a way past Hunter and Justin would assume position one for the restart.

The field was good to go for the start of lap five of 18 and it was the experienced Allen who led away in the familiar NAPA Autoparts car. Blincoe pushed hard into turn one but couldn’t find a way past and Allen quickly pushed home the advantage of a clear track ahead to take a good lead on the field, but Blincoe was right behind.

Further back Giddy was flying and was chasing a top five spot within one full racing lap. Josh Bethune passed Hunter for third on lap six and it was all on in the main lead group with Allan passing Templeton and Giddy trying his best to follow him through. Hunter headed this group but they were two abreast behind him in some of the best racing seen so far.

Lap eight and the Giddy, Templeton and Allan battle was three wide across the line. It couldn’t last and Templeton was muscled out on the exit of the first turn and went off – making contact with the barriers but thankfully only light damage. That was hugely disappointing for the Neale Motorsport youngster, who had been very impressive.

Up front the Safety car gave everyone a chance to regroup, Allen had not been able to shake off Blincoe but a difficult extraction for Templeton’s car – well buried in the wet gravel – meant organisers ran out of time and the final lap board came out for a time certain race – meaning Allen would win under the Safety Car.

Blincoe was second and made inroads into Chris White’s championship lead after he finished sixth. Bethune and Hunter survived to finish third and fourth, with Giddy fifth.

Behind White it was Allan in seventh, Cooper Barnes in eighth, Cameron Hill in ninth and top rookie Lee Zeltwanger a solid tenth.