R13 HOUR 7 - Longhurst comes from 52nd to 1st, but Radisich is catching
19/11/2000 17:15 (Shane Rogers) - Tony Longhurst leads one of the most exciting Bathurst enduros on record with only 12 laps remaining. Longhurst has came from 52nd position early in the race to lead, but is being rapidly caught by Shell Helix Racing's Paul Radisich.
After threatening for over two hours the heavens finally opened as the FAI 1000 entered hour seven on lap 125. Mark Skaife was running 14th, almost one lap down, when Alain Menu bogged the Mitre 10 Falcon after running wide at the Chase. This brought the safety car out again, allowing Skaife to catch up a lap on the field, and tighten his tenuous grip of the Shell Series trophy.
The race restarted on lap 128 with an all out fight between Garth Tander, Tony Longhurst, and Todd Kelly. Longhurst passed Tander on the inside into Griffins bend to take the lead. Longhurst who has made 8 pit stops, hit the wall and had a pit stop fire, was now leading the race.
But the fairytale for Caltex Havoline Racing was to be short lived. He would have to pit again before race end as the car did not receive a full complement of fuel at the previous stop because of the pit fire.
Jason Plato hit John Faulkner in Hell corner, spinning the Asia Online Commodore. While the good run of Castrol young guns Christian Murchison/Luke Youlden ended with engine failure on lap 128.
The Holden Young Lions team had a scary moment when Todd Kelly spun the car coming into Murrays corner on lap 130. Kelly spun harmlessly down the escape road, but dropped back to fourth position.
Brad Jones caught and passed Darren Hossack in the second Kmart car on lap 133, with a tight move at Forrest's elbow that resulted in the driver's side rear vision mirror being dislodged from the OzEmail Falcon.
Tony Longhurst led by 5 seconds from Tander on lap 135, with Murphy a further four seconds behind. While Longhurst still had to pit, others might have to as well. The rain has stopped and the track is again drying rapidly. Meanwhile, Alan Jones retired the Toll Express Falcon with mechanical problems.
A car stopped on top of the mountain prompted DJR to bring both Shell Helix Falcons into the pits on lap 138. Unfortunately for Radisich and Steven Johnson, no safety car was forthcoming.
The pit stops continued. Brad Jones changed onto slicks on lap 139. Longhurst took the opportunity to pit on lap 140, changing to slicks, and putting enough fuel in the car to get to the end. The stop took 18 seconds. Skaife pitted his battered Commodore one lap later, also changing to slicks, taking 16 seconds.
Tander inherited the lead for two laps, but a change to slicks was inevitable. Murphy pitted as well on lap 142, a slick stop getting them out just in front of Tander. But even Murphy was too slow for Longhurst.
Todd Kelly then gained first position, but also pitted for slicks, handing the lead back to the Caltex Falcon. The net result: Longhurst was four seconds ahead of Murphy with 18 laps to go.
Tander caught and passed Murphy at Hell corner on lap 144, going into second position. Radisich was not out of the hunt either. Despite being 15 seconds off the lead, but he was lapping four seconds a lap faster than Longhurst.
Skaife was tenth and just had to stay on the circuit to win the Shell Series title. There were still 12 cars on the lead lap.
Darren Hossack gambled on wets until lap 146 and lost, eventually changing to slicks.
Radisich's charge was at the expense of Team Kiwi Racing, spinning the 777 car around at Forrest's Elbow in a 50/50 racing incident.
With 13 laps to go, Longhurst was up by six seconds on Tander, who was three seconds ahead of Murphy, who had Radisich right behind him.
**POSITIONS AFTER HOUR SEVEN**
1st BESNARD/LONGHURST (Caltex Havoline Racing) - AU Falcon
2nd BARGWANNA/TANDER (Valvoline-Cummins Team) - VT Commodore
3rd MURPHY/RICHARDS (Kmart Racing) - VT Commodore
4th BRIGHT/RADISICH (Shell Helix Racing) - AU Falcon
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