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GT World Challenge Australia

Koundouris, Marshall Lead Audi 1-2 in Adelaide

Melbourne Performance Center wins Round 2 in Adelaide…

Photo: GrandPrix Media

Photo: GrandPrix Media

James Koundouris and Marcus Marshall have combined to win race two of the CAMS Australian GT Championship around the streets of Adelaide.

The HBS Motorsport entry emerged from the mandatory pit stops with a commanding lead, with Koundouris holding on to claim his second Australian GT race win despite a late safety car period.

Marshall remained in contact with the race leaders in the opening stages before handing the car to Koundouris mid-way through the 40-minute event.

The safety car was called for Mark Griffith, who suffered a broken water pump which pitched him around heading into Victoria Park Racecourse.

It bunched the field with only time for a two-lap dash to the flag.

Koundouris and his Melbourne Performance Racing team-mate Geoff Emery leapt away from the pack at the restart, holding on to hand Audi a 1-2 finish.

The Emery car had led the race during the middle part of the race as Christopher Mies took the JAMEC PEM car from tenth to first in eleven laps.

There was contact between Mies and Nathan Morcom at turn nine as the pair battled for the lead, leaving the McLaren 650S GT3 facing the wrong direction, dropping it to the rear of the field before ending the 21-lap encounter in 15th place.

There was drama too for Elliot Barbour in the sister TEKNO Autosports McLaren as a touch with Griffith saw the Beechwood Homes car up the escape road on Wakefield Road.

The incident cost Barbour and co-driver Nathan Antunes – who won the round in Adelaide last year – a lap in the final reckoning.

It was also the incident which eventually triggered the second safety car as the contact damaged Griffith’s car, with the water pump finally crying enough some nine laps later.

Keith Wong had drawn the drawn the first safety car after he lost his Porsche under braking at turn nine, colliding with Rod Salmon and Aaron Tebb to eliminate the trio on the spot.

Race 1 winner Roger Lago claimed third place, racing his way forward in the final laps to underscore his stellar performance in the season opener.

The result also keeps Lago and his JBS Australia Lamborghini R-EX in the lead of the CAMS Australian GT Championship with 123 points, 24 points clear of the second placed duo of Koundouris and Marshall.

The third and final race of the opening round of the CAMS Australian GT Championship is set for 9 a.m. Sunday local time.

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