Improved Production QLD was run at Morgan Park Raceway with a field of just under 20 cars. It was a cold weekend, with records and winning streaks broken.
Qualifying saw some very quick times set down with Justin Wade on pole with a 1:23.136 followed by Karl Begg, Jason Grimmond, Dave Waldon and Troy Marinelli making his first appearance for 2016 rounding out the top 5.
Race 1: Justin Wade in the Ryno Insurance BWM got away to a great start but ran off the track to relinquish the lead to Jason Grimmond early on. Grimmond led from there and took home his first race win in Improved Production breaking the 6 race winning streak by Wade.
“I got an average start, too much wheel spin in 1st and 2nd second gear, but I got away behind Justin and just followed him. It seemed like Justin’s car was slippery, it was loose, and he dropped a couple of wheels of the track and that was it, I got past. The amount of oil on the track made it super hard, it was everywhere. The car was good though and that was my personal best time too doing a 1:24.753”, Grimmond said post race.
The under 2 litre cars of D’Arcy Wade and Troy Mavin had a great battle and finished 9th and 10th respectively.
Race 2: Grimmond got a lot of wheel spin off the start and Karl Begg took the lead into turn 1. Justin Wade was making his way through the field and managed to climb up to 3rd place by the end, but it was Begg who took the win taking the chequered flag by 5.5 seconds from Grimmond. This was Begg’s first race win in IPRA.
“Start was good, got off the line well, Grimmo just sat there in clouds of smoke, and I just had to maintain the gap from there. It was sort of close for the first few corners, and then just had to get a bit of rhythm and bring it home. Starting on P1 for race 3 will be good”, Begg said.
Dave Waldon broke the under 2 litre lap record at Morgan Park setting a 1:24.174 during the race in his Mazda which is 0.781 seconds faster then the 2013 record set by Andrew Cherni.
Race 3: Grimmond nearly stalled off the line and went backwards before the 1st turn. Begg took the lead early on only to have Justin Wade slip up the inside at Siberia. Begg kept the pressure on Wade right behind, and 2 laps later Wade made a mistake at the same corner, Siberia, and Begg took full advantage to lead the two of them home to back up his win from race 2.
“Pretty happy, started off pole but then I got past at Siberia, and managed to get it back at the same corner. It was eyes forward from that point on to bring it home. I’d like to thank Motec QLD and MotorsportZone.com for their support this weekend”, Begg said after race 3.
David Homer had a head gasket issue in the giant killing Suzuki and fell back from a consistent weekend tolimp his car home in 10th position.
Steven Jukes was in the top 5 for the weekend and has made some gains in his BMW setting a personal best time of 1:25.166.
Karl Begg was 1st for the over 2 litre round, Jason Grimmond 2nd, and Justin Wade rounding out the top 3. Dave Waldon took the under 2 litre round win ahead of D’Arcy Wade then Troy Mavin in 3rd.
Improved Production Queensland would like to thank our supporters CarSelling.com.au and MotorsportZone.com. The next round will be help at Lakeside on July 15th – 17th, tickets will be available at the gate.