Round 7 - Symmons Plains, November 21st - 23rd

BULLAS AND YOUNG TRIUMPH IN TASSIE
BIANTE Touring Car Masters Race Report
November 23, 2008

Gavin Bullas again showed his class to win Division One and Gary Young stepped up to the plate in the Stillwell Motorsport Ford Mustang to win Division Two at the penultimate round of the BIANTE Touring Car Masters at Symmons Plains Raceway in Tasmania this weekend.

John Bowe set the quickest time in practice and won the first race of the weekend but it was all downhill from there for the affable Tassie legend, leaving the door open for Gavin “Bullet” Bullas to dominate proceedings.

RACE ONE

The Bowe Bullas Show was again on in earnest with several lead changes between the Rain City Industries Boss Mustang and the Wilson Security Chev Camaro before the local hero eventually triumphed. Not before a monumental high-speed arm wrestle had ensued however with most passes being made in turn six under the heavy braking.

The surprise of the race however was Alastair Maclean and Dean Lillee with the duo having a rather physical ‘go’ for the majority of the race and with both coming away with some of the scars of battle.
Lillee had been doing a wonderful job of wheeling the Gavin Bullas GT HO Falcon and ran third for most of the race before Maclean ran late on the brakes coming into the hairpin and gave the Falcon in front some hurry up with a hefty tap in the rear end.

Lillee responded coming out of the corner by tapping Maclean’s Camaro in the rear (Lillee was shuffled back to fourth by the contact) and the two went at it with some spirited racing from then on.
“At the end of the race he (Maclean) pulled up alongside me and I thought he was going to wave his fist at me,” grinned Lillee, “but he apologised! He’d run out of room and I have to brake the Falcon pretty early at that corner. I guess there was nothing in it. It was fun though.”

Greg East again proved to be the front-runner in Division 2 with a win the class and a stout fifth overall in the unstoppable Hype Energy Drinks Holden HQ.

Trevor Talbot was the early leader in the Dukes Body Works XU1 but he was shuffled back to second in Division 2 ahead of Gary Young in the Stillwell Motorsport 68’ Mustang – the Victorian doing double duty and running the Mini Challenge events on the weekend also.

Graham Alexander placed eighth overall in the Corio Auto Parts Monaro ahead of Garry Treloar’s Chrysler Charger RT in ninth and a fabulous Tasmanian debut for Melbourne rookie Steve Markarios in the 351 Motorsport GT XY HO.

Drew Marget brought the borrowed Tony Hunter owned Sunliner RV Monaro in eleventh and the Porsche pairing of Rory O’Neill and John Nelson the next cars through ahead of Cameron Mason in the Datsun 510. Newcastle’s Steve Mason suffered a stuck clutch and retired early.

RACE TWO

Gavin Bullas steamed to an historic 1-2 result for his Rain City Industries Racing Team as he crossed the line to score victory ahead of Dean Lillee in the (Bullas owned) GT HO Falcon.

After the unfortunate demise of John Bowe’s Sunliner RV Chev Camaro (it expired in a cloud of smoke going into the hairpin with engine damage – suspected piston culprit) Bullas was able to extend his lead over Lillee and third placed Alastair Maclean in the Top Shelf Motor Company Chev Camaro and win as he pleased.“I catch them in the corners but in a straight line they just pull away from me,” lamented Maclean later, “I’ll keep on chipping away but it’s frustrating.”

Newcastle’s Steve Mason stormed from the rear of the field in his #1 Hercules Engines Camaro (he had clutch problems in Race One and didn’t finish) to finish a strong fourth ahead of the Corio Auto Parts Holden HQ of Graham Alexander in fifth.“I’m glad the problem in Race One was a simple one and it didn’t cost me money, but it did cost me points and I’m annoyed about that,” said the Novocastrian.

Gary Young scored victory in Division Two driving the superb Stillwell Motorsport 68’ Ford Mustang and claimed sixth overall ahead of Trevor Talbot (Dukes Body Works XU1) Drew Marget (driving the borrowed Tony Hunter Monaro) the ever-improving Steve Markarios (351 Motorsport XY GT HO) Gary Treloar (Chrysler Charger RT) Rory O’Neill (Porsche 911 RS), John Nelson (Nelson Architects Porsche) and Cam Mason (Datsun 510).

Greg East suffered a rare mechanical failure with tailshaft issues that forced the Ron Poyser Motors (Bendigo) Holden HQ out while he was making a typical charge to the front in the Division Two and overall.

Talk around the pits after the event suggested that Bowe, rather than being out of the event, would possibly take the wheel of the Tony Hunter Monaro for the final race of the weekend.

Greg East and Gary O’Brien were both sourcing another tailshaft from ‘town’ to enable them to make the final race as well.

RACE THREE

John Bowe did indeed surface in the Tony Hunter Monaro for the last race of the weekend and to say that the Rare Spares ambassador was impressive from the back of the grid would be an understatement.

The Tasmanian local hero sizzled to 7th before mechanical failure forced him to the pits, but not before he had re-cemented himself as a crowd favourite with a powerful drive.

Gavin Bullas, not surprisingly, relished the chance to stretch the long legs of the Boss Mustang and lead the event comfortably ahead of Steve Mason in the Hercules Engines Chev Camaro in second and the ‘spirited’ Alastair Maclean third.

Fourth home was Dean Lillee in the Gavin Bullas owned GT Falcon ahead of Gary Young with another credible performance in the Stillwell Motorsport 68’ Mustang – he was again the first of the Division 2 cars home.

Trevor Talbot was the second Division 2 car across the line with Graham Alexander’s HQ Holden seventh, Steve Markario again rocking to another top ten in his 351 Motorsport GT Falcon in eighth, Rory O’Neill busting the Porsche 911 RS into ninth and John Nelson rounding out the top ten.
Cameron Mason completed another consistent performance in the Datsun 510 to place 6th in Division 2.

Greg East’s miserable weekend continued with another mechanical failure that saw him pull into the pits and out of the event in the Hype Energy Drinks HQ Holden.

Division 2 Top Three:

3rd – Steve Markarios  149
2nd – Trevor Talbot       168
1st – Gary Young           172

Division 1 Top Three

3rd –  Dean Lillee         152
2nd – Alastair Maclean 156
1st – Gavin Bullas          176

The final round of the 2008 Biante Touring Car Masters Series is at Oran Park on December 4-7, 2008.

The naming rights sponsor of the BIANTE Touring Car Masters Series is the BIANTE Model Car Company – Australia’s leading Model Car Company. For all the information on their stunning range visit www.biante.com.au

Commentary sponsor for the BIANTE Touring Car Masters is Rare Spares. Rare Spares is undoubtedly the most recognised name in the Australian Automotive Aftermarket, which includes the growing restoration industry. Visit www.rarespares.net.au for more…

Results Division 1

Results Division 2

Season Results to date - Note end of year results are from 7 best round results

Thus Gavin Bullas wins the Series with one round to go as even if Steve Mason won 180 points in the next round and Gavin won none, Gavin would still win by 73 points! Congratulations Gavin!,

The points are much closer in Div 2 with Greg East, Rory O'Neal and Trevor Talbot all having a good shot at the title, with Round 8 to be the decider!