R4 LITES RACES - Besnard makes stunning Lites debut
6/8/2000 18:13 (Press Release) - David Besnard took victory in his first round in the Konica V8 Lites Series today after taking pole position in qualifying.
Besnard’s victory came in spectacular fashion after duelling with local hero Wayne Wakefield, who finished second overall.
Wakefield and Besnard enthralled the 5,200 spectators by rubbing panels regularly at over 250km/h as they battled for the lead in race three.
However a Steward’s inquiry into an incident that resulted in Wakefield and series leader Dean Canto spinning off put the results in doubt until Besnard was cleared of any wrongdoing.
“It was unfortunate the way it ended - a little tap - but I was holding him up, but you cop it on the chin,” said Wakefield.
“I’m rapt obviously to win. I love a close, hard race…but I guess that’s (tap) what happens when you’re that close,” said Besnard.
Canto looked set to put his points lead further ahead until he too was also pushed wide as Besnard battled to take second place from him and then spun off moments later as he tried to regain his place.
He still enjoys a 23-point buffer over second-placed Matthew White, who capitalised on the incident to grab second in the race and third overall.
The fourth round of the Konica V8 Lites Series gave the spectators plenty to cheer about with race one restarted after two huge crashes left battered cars strewn around the circuit.
The restart was a setback to Wakefield, who had beaten polesitter Besnard into turn one, however, at the restart he was not able to repeat his lightning start.
Besnard’s entry into the Konica Series is a chance for him to get more miles under his belt before joining Tony Longhurst in the V8 Supercars for the endurance races later in the year.
Wakefield, who said he thrived on the opportunity to race against a better funded Level 1 team, will head to the final round at Mallala on 26 - 27 August, chasing third position in the Konica series. He now sits four points behind Ryan McLeod.
**RACE ONE TOP TEN**
1st DAVID BESNARD (Caltex Havoline Racing) - EL Falcon
2nd WAYNE WAKEFIELD (Graphic Skills Racing) - VS Commodore
3rd DEAN CANTO (BMC Software Racing) - EL Falcon
4th RYAN McLEOD (JFR K-Mart Racing) - VS Commodore
5th MATHEW WHITE (Terry Wyhoon Racing) - VS Commodore
6th ROD SALMON (The Race Centre) - EL Falcon
7th GARY HOLT (Eastern Creek Karts Racing) - EL Falcon
8th DANIEL MILLER (Miller Racing) - VS Commodore
9th MAL ROSE (Mal Rose Racing) - VS Commodore
10th NEIL SCHEMBRI (Gearbox Motorsport) - EL Falcon
**RACE TWO TOP TEN**
1st DEAN CANTO (BMC Software Racing) - EL Falcon
2nd WAYNE WAKEFIELD (Graphic Skills Racing) - VS Commodore
3rd DAVID BESNARD (Caltex Havoline Racing) - EL Falcon
4th MATHEW WHITE (Terry Wyhoon Racing) - VS Commodore
5th RYAN McLEOD (JFR K-Mart Racing) - VS Commodore
6th DANIEL MILLER (Miller Racing) - VS Commodore
7th GARY HOLT (Eastern Creek Karts Racing) - EL Falcon
8th CRAIG HARRIS (Carsales.com.au Racing) - EL Falcon
9th TERRY WYHOON (Terry Wyhoon Racing) - VS Commodore
10th RICHARD MORK (V8 Racing) - VS Commodore
**RACE THREE TOP TEN**
1st DAVID BESNARD (Caltex Havoline Racing) - EL Falcon
2nd MATHEW WHITE (Terry Wyhoon Racing) - VS Commodore
3rd MAL ROSE (Mal Rose Racing) - VS Commodore
4th WAYNE WAKEFIELD (Graphic Skills Racing) - VS Commodore
5th RYAN McLEOD (JFR K-Mart Racing) - VS Commodore
6th DANIEL MILLER (Miller Racing) - VS Commodore
7th TERRY WYHOON (Terry Wyhoon Racing) - VS Commodore
8th GARY HOLT (Eastern Creek Karts Racing) - EL Falcon
9th ROD SALMON (The Race Centre) - EL Falcon
10th DEAN CANTO (BMC Software Racing) - EL Falcon
**ROUND FOUR OVERALL POINTS**
1st DAVID BESNARD (Caltex Havoline Racing) - EL Falcon [54]
2nd WAYNE WAKEFIELD (Graphic Skills Racing) - VS Commodore [44]
3rd MATHEW WHITE (Terry Wyhoon Racing) - VS Commodore [38]
4th DEAN CANTO (BMC Software Racing) - EL Falcon [35]
5th MAL ROSE (Mal Rose Racing) - VS Commodore [26]
6th RYAN McLEOD (JFR K-Mart Racing) - VS Commodore [22]
7th DANIEL MILLER (Miller Racing) - VS Commodore [20]
8th GARY HOLT (Eastern Creek Karts Racing) - EL Falcon [16]
9th ROD SALMON (The Race Centre) - EL Falcon [10]
10th TERRY WYHOON (Terry Wyhoon Racing) - VS Commodore [8]
**CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE**
1st DEAN CANTO (BMC Software Racing) - EL Falcon [177]
2nd MATHEW WHITE (Terry Wyhoon Racing) - VS Commodore [154]
3rd RYAN McLEOD (JFR K-Mart Racing) - VS Commodore [136]
4th WAYNE WAKEFIELD (Graphic Skills Racing) - VS Commodore [132]
5th GARY HOLT (Eastern Creek Karts Racing) - EL Falcon [68]
6th DANIEL MILLER (Miller Racing) - VS Commodore [66]
7th CRAIG HARRIS (Carsales.com.au Racing) - EL Falcon [57]
8th DAVID BESNARD (Caltex Havoline Racing) - EL Falcon [54]
9th MAL ROSE (Mal Rose Racing) - VS Commodore [54]
10th NEIL SCHEMBRI (Gearbox Motorsport) - EL Falcon [53]
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