It proved an action-packed weekend for Tom McLennan at Round 5 of the Paynter Dixon Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship held at Sandown.
Treacherous conditions on Saturday proved a challenge for the field as McLennan qualified well to be 14th and Race 1 provided the worst of Melbourne’s weather. A tough encounter, McLennan was 15th.
Race 2 highlighted the change of weather at Sandown as conditions started off in the wet and a gamble to start on slicks failed to come off resulting in a pit stop for wets. It didn’t matter as damage accrued early in the race forced his retirement.
Clear skies were a welcome sight for Race 3 where McLennan made rapid progress to end the weekend in 14th from the back of the field.
The next round of the Paynter Dixon Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship is at Mount Panorama, Bathurst on October 9-13.
QUOTES
Tom McLennan
#81 McLennan Motorsport/EBM Porsche
“It was a very eventful weekend,” said McLennan.
“Although I was 14th, it was probably my best qualifying performance of the season to be half a second off championship leader Harri Jones. It’s a competitive field and it was a good way to start off with.
“We rolled into Race 1 held in torrential rain and it was definitely the trickiest conditions I’ve ever raced in, even more so than Taupo. It was a hard race and I managed to finish where I started.
“Race 2 on Saturday afternoon was held in changeable conditions starting in the wet before being dry at the end. We decided to take the gamble and go out on slicks, but unfortunately the rain kept coming making the slick tyre the wrong choice. I got into an incident at Turn 2 on lap 1, which damaged the radiator and we had to retire.
“There was a lot of damage, but the team fixed it up and we finished 14th after starting at the back.
“Not too bad overall, it’s good hard racing and I can’t wait to get to Bathurst next month.”
