Australian GT Series
Race 1
Race 2
Race 3
Race 4
Race 5
Race 6
Race 7
Final Points
Podium Photos & Race reports
Round 1 - Stratton Valley - 14/6/22
1st - Phil Kalbfell
2nd - John Batich
3rd - Adrian Gray
1st - Phil Kalbfell
2nd - John Batich
3rd - Adrian Gray
Race Report - Round 1
Another week, another new series ………..and same old faces dominating the top 3 😊
Phil surely must be getting tired of seeing his name at the top of the results each week, although it appeared not given the form he showed in this week’s first round of the Australian GT series. Once again, he drove clear of the field in the BMW Z4 to finish 3 laps ahead in 1st on 87 laps. Some extensive track testing produced good results for 2nd placegetter, John Batich (AMG Mercedes) whose 84 lap total was again 2 laps clear of Adrian Gray in the ever-competitive Spyker in 3rd (82 laps).
The first of the brand-new cars to debut this series was next in line, the NSR AMG Mercedes of the writer managed an 80 lap total to finish 4th, just ahead of another pristine but well prepared (from out of the box) Scaleauto (?) BMW of Bruce Thomas also on 80 laps. Dave Schofield in another AMG Mercedes grabbed 6th on 79 laps, ahead of two drivers tightly bunched on 77 laps. Dave Bantoft in the Porsche GT3 pipped Rhys (BMW) for 7th in this case.
Dave Gray’s Corvette was next in line finishing 9th on 76 laps, clear of Scott Wyman (AMG Mercedes) making it into the top 10 & sneaking past Callan Thomas on 64 laps. Callan, it must be said, suffered quite badly from the usual Thomas “out of the box” approach this week, and will no doubt improve as more (any) work is done to the Snoras Bank Spyker. Thomas Males struggled manfully this week in a car not suited to this series and therefore down in pace somewhat to finish in 12th on 63 laps.
Another week, another new series ………..and same old faces dominating the top 3 😊
Phil surely must be getting tired of seeing his name at the top of the results each week, although it appeared not given the form he showed in this week’s first round of the Australian GT series. Once again, he drove clear of the field in the BMW Z4 to finish 3 laps ahead in 1st on 87 laps. Some extensive track testing produced good results for 2nd placegetter, John Batich (AMG Mercedes) whose 84 lap total was again 2 laps clear of Adrian Gray in the ever-competitive Spyker in 3rd (82 laps).
The first of the brand-new cars to debut this series was next in line, the NSR AMG Mercedes of the writer managed an 80 lap total to finish 4th, just ahead of another pristine but well prepared (from out of the box) Scaleauto (?) BMW of Bruce Thomas also on 80 laps. Dave Schofield in another AMG Mercedes grabbed 6th on 79 laps, ahead of two drivers tightly bunched on 77 laps. Dave Bantoft in the Porsche GT3 pipped Rhys (BMW) for 7th in this case.
Dave Gray’s Corvette was next in line finishing 9th on 76 laps, clear of Scott Wyman (AMG Mercedes) making it into the top 10 & sneaking past Callan Thomas on 64 laps. Callan, it must be said, suffered quite badly from the usual Thomas “out of the box” approach this week, and will no doubt improve as more (any) work is done to the Snoras Bank Spyker. Thomas Males struggled manfully this week in a car not suited to this series and therefore down in pace somewhat to finish in 12th on 63 laps.
Round 3 - Stratton Valley - 5/7/22
1st - Phil Kalbfell
2nd - Mal O'May
3rd - John Batich
1st - Phil Kalbfell
2nd - Mal O'May
3rd - John Batich
Round 4 - Shelmore Park - 19/7/22
1st - Phil Kalbfell
2nd - Rob Golley
3rd - Rhys Filbee
1st - Phil Kalbfell
2nd - Rob Golley
3rd - Rhys Filbee
Round 5 - Shelmore Park - 26/7/22
1st - Phil Kalbfell
2nd - Rob Golley
3rd - Mal O'May
1st - Phil Kalbfell
2nd - Rob Golley
3rd - Mal O'May
Round 6 - Stratton Valley - 2/8/22
1st - Mal O'May
2nd - Phil Kalbfell
3rd - Rob Golley
1st - Mal O'May
2nd - Phil Kalbfell
3rd - Rob Golley
Race Report - Round 6
Well, it’s been a while between drinks for racing reviews in the Aust GT series, and quite a lot has happened since the last review of round 1. The driver numbers being just one change that has altered radically over the intervening weeks. 12 drivers in round 1, 13 in round 2….and then the lean years, for various reasons, leading to a low of 7 drivers by the time round 4 came around. Then, just as we were starting to think that the series was a write off, an explosion of drivers this week saw the (almost) maximum number of 13 back and racing. This almost certainly lead to the closest racing of the series over the field, and we had multiple drivers separated by the tiniest amount (lap position) or a single lap overall.
Another radical alteration since the first round of the series, was the astonishing result of Phil not winning the round. By my calculations, (including) the NSR F1 series) it has been a run of 12 straight round wins by Phil, and not only was this streak broken in our first series this week (courtesy of Dave Bantoft in the Ninco Porsches), but it was an extraordinary 2 out of 2 non-wins with Phil’s big wingless BMW being relegated to 2nd spot in the Aust GT this week as well. Somehow managing to end clear 1st on 87 laps, the writers AMG Mercedes took out the top spot this week with Phil just 1 lap back on 86.
In 3rd this week & another regular podium finisher in another BMW, was Rob Golley on 84 continuing his very strong form over recent weeks. In 4th spot & on his own on 82 laps was the Mercedes of JB, 2 laps clear of two drivers locked together on 80 laps in 5th & 6th. On this occasion Rhys’s BMW just pipped the Spyker of Adrian Gray on track position. 5 laps back on 75 were a group of 3 drivers all just separated by track position. Grabbing the honours and 7th spot was Callan Thomas in the appropriate (for Callan) Playboy liveried Porsche. In 8th & in a very good drive this week in a very good car was the Corvette of Dave Gray, just ahead of the third member of this trio, Dave Schofield’s Merc, in 9th.
Rounding out the top 10 this week was the Porsche of Dave Bantoft on 73 laps, well clear by 4 laps from Bruce Thomas in 11th on 69 laps. Bruce’s BMW had some issues this week & seemed as loose & wobbly as a startled naked sunbather on a Queensland beach. Just 1 lap back on 68 & in 12th spot was Scott Wayman in another AMG Mercedes ahead of the driver in 13th spot with 61 laps, the great looking Aston Martin of Thomas Males.
The End
Well, it’s been a while between drinks for racing reviews in the Aust GT series, and quite a lot has happened since the last review of round 1. The driver numbers being just one change that has altered radically over the intervening weeks. 12 drivers in round 1, 13 in round 2….and then the lean years, for various reasons, leading to a low of 7 drivers by the time round 4 came around. Then, just as we were starting to think that the series was a write off, an explosion of drivers this week saw the (almost) maximum number of 13 back and racing. This almost certainly lead to the closest racing of the series over the field, and we had multiple drivers separated by the tiniest amount (lap position) or a single lap overall.
Another radical alteration since the first round of the series, was the astonishing result of Phil not winning the round. By my calculations, (including) the NSR F1 series) it has been a run of 12 straight round wins by Phil, and not only was this streak broken in our first series this week (courtesy of Dave Bantoft in the Ninco Porsches), but it was an extraordinary 2 out of 2 non-wins with Phil’s big wingless BMW being relegated to 2nd spot in the Aust GT this week as well. Somehow managing to end clear 1st on 87 laps, the writers AMG Mercedes took out the top spot this week with Phil just 1 lap back on 86.
In 3rd this week & another regular podium finisher in another BMW, was Rob Golley on 84 continuing his very strong form over recent weeks. In 4th spot & on his own on 82 laps was the Mercedes of JB, 2 laps clear of two drivers locked together on 80 laps in 5th & 6th. On this occasion Rhys’s BMW just pipped the Spyker of Adrian Gray on track position. 5 laps back on 75 were a group of 3 drivers all just separated by track position. Grabbing the honours and 7th spot was Callan Thomas in the appropriate (for Callan) Playboy liveried Porsche. In 8th & in a very good drive this week in a very good car was the Corvette of Dave Gray, just ahead of the third member of this trio, Dave Schofield’s Merc, in 9th.
Rounding out the top 10 this week was the Porsche of Dave Bantoft on 73 laps, well clear by 4 laps from Bruce Thomas in 11th on 69 laps. Bruce’s BMW had some issues this week & seemed as loose & wobbly as a startled naked sunbather on a Queensland beach. Just 1 lap back on 68 & in 12th spot was Scott Wayman in another AMG Mercedes ahead of the driver in 13th spot with 61 laps, the great looking Aston Martin of Thomas Males.
The End
