Wet and wild opening race at Ipswich

The Queensland State of Origin round of the PROMAXX Performance Exhausts TA2 Muscle Car Series kicked off today, with Nathan Herne dominating the opening day’s proceedings.

Herne scored his maiden PWR Pole Award by eight tenths of a second in qualifying, with John McLaughlin joining him on the front row from Murray Kent, Anthony Tenkate and Kyle Gurton.

Gurton set a time on his first flying lap good enough for fifth position before a mechanical failure put him out for the rest of the weekend.

With a large rain band forming over South-East Queensland, Race 1 was officially declared a wet race.

Herne was the pioneer on the first lap as the field set off from the rolling start, before he aquaplaned at Turn 6 and ventured off into the gravel trap.

Herne rejoined the track in sixth, and charged his way back through the field to lead the race by Lap 3 and was never headed from there.

McLaughlin, who won the opening round of the series at Winton in March, maintained his position to finish second ahead of Peter Robinson, who scored his first podium race result since 2018.

Shaun Richardson scored a personal-best fourth ahead of debutants Nick Lange and Chris Pappas.

Kent retired from the race with visibility issues, while Tenkate spun at Turn 2 on the final lap and beached the Tenkate Plant Hire Mustang in the gravel trap.

With heavy rain sustaining for the afternoon, organisers postponed Race 2 until Sunday morning with a revised three 10-lap race schedule. Race 2 will be held at 9:05am, followed by Race 3 at 10:55am and Race 4 at 2:20pm.

Spectators are welcome on Sunday for $30, with kids 12 & under free with a paying adult.