R2 LITES RACES - McLeod triumphs amid Island carnage
7/5/2000 22:21 (Press Release) - Ryan McLeod emerged as winner of an action-packed second round of the Konica V8 Lites at Phillip Island today.
McLeod said he was pleased with his performance today and was hoping some Level 1 V8 Supercar Team Managers were watching his efforts this weekend.
"I'm basically doing this series to get a Level 1 drive in the endurance races like Bathurst," McLeod said.
"I think as a junior category, V8 Lites is doing exactly what it is designed to do – our times were only six- tenths of a second slower than the fastest VS Commodores at the Shell Championship Series Round earlier this year," he said.
The field of twenty drivers was narrowed down to thirteen, after two high speed crashes and a number of minor incidents.
Sydney's Gary Quartly was taken to Cowes Hospital after his Commodore crashed into a tyre wall in Siberia Corner and burst into flames. In a separate incident, it took more than an hour to remove Queensland’s John Trimbole from his car after he spun and hit a tyre and earth wall near the end of Race 1.
Phillip Island Chief Medical Officer, Nick Nicolettou said Gary Quartly was in a satisfactory condition and would be released by the end of the day from Cowes Hospital.
"John Trimbole was transferred to Dandenong Hospital from Cowes for x-ray’s and remains in a stable condition," he said.
Both drivers’ VS Commodores were virtually destroyed in the horrifying incidents.
Meanwhile 3,300 fans saw a battle between the three Commodores of Wakefield, McLeod and Harris in Race 1, while the Falcon’s driven by Harris and Canto followed closely behind.
Starting from sixth position after the top half dozen grid positions were reversed for Race 2, Wakefield charged to the lead even though he had a loose front spoiler.
Despite the best efforts of McLeod and White, who finished second and third respectively, they couldn't repass the rising Queensland V8 Superstar.
Round one winner Dean Canto struggled initially with tyres and then pulled out a spectacular performance in race three finishing second behind Ryan McLeod.
"The tyres were only good for a couple of laps and then deteriorated, so my main concern in the first two races was keeping out of everyone’s way," Canto said.
"Set up was right for the final race but the gearbox broke on lap eight," he said.
Round Three of the Konica V8 Lites will be held at Oran Park on 17-18 June, 2000.
**RACE ONE TOP TEN**
1st WAYNE WAKEFIELD (Graphic Skills Racing) - VS Commodore
2nd RYAN McLEOD (JFR K-Mart Racing) - VS Commodore
3rd MATTHEW WHITE (Terry Wyhoon Racing) - VS Commodore
4th CRAIG HARRIS (Harris Racing) - EL Falcon
5th DEAN CANTO (BMC Software Racing) - EL Falcon
**RACE TWO TOP TEN**
1st WAYNE WAKEFIELD (Graphic Skills Racing) - VS Commodore
2nd RYAN McLEOD (JFR K-Mart Racing) - VS Commodore
3rd MATTHEW WHITE (Terry Wyhoon Racing) - VS Commodore
4th DEAN CANTO (BMC Software Racing) - EL Falcon
5th ROD SALMON (One World Hotel Racing) - EL Falcon
**RACE THREE TOP TEN**
1st RYAN McLEOD (JFR K-Mart Racing) - VS Commodore
2nd DEAN CANTO (BMC Software Racing) - EL Falcon
3rd MATTHEW WHITE (Terry Wyhoon Racing) - VS Commodore
4th CRAIG HARRIS (Harris Racing) - EL Falcon
5th WAYNE WAKEFIELD (Graphic Skills Racing) - VS Commodore
**CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE**
1st RYAN McLEOD (JFR K-Mart Racing) - VS Commodore [100]
2nd DEAN CANTO (BMC Software Racing) - EL Falcon [88]
3rd MATTHEW WHITE (Terry Wyhoon Racing) - VS Commodore [86]
4th WAYNE WAKEFIELD (Graphic Skills Racing) - VS Commodore [70]
5th GARRY HOLT (Eastern Creek Karts Racing) - EL Falcon [32]
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