We returned to the Surfers Paradise precinct this morning for the first true day of the Finals Series.

The 2-part qualifying session was first for the main game drivers as the cars rolled out to blue skies and warm weather.

Both Randle and Waters started with exceptionally clean laps, delivering what was required to smoothly pass through to the second phase of qualifying.

There were minor notes that the drivers had as they pulled in at the chequered flag, small errors in the later part of their runs were addressed and tweaked.

As the track continued to develop in the second session, there was very little between lap times for the drivers around the top of the timing charts.

Small tweaks had been made after the first stop, still finding the edge of keeping the car on the track especially through the notorious beach chicane.

Randle, after having an interrupted first run, had fresh tyres on toward the end of qualifying.With 2 green sectors on the board, it was clear that the time about to be punched would have secured himself in the 10.

That’s just as the red flag flew due to Kostecki’s off at turn 1. The severity of the crash saw the end of the session as it occurred with 3 seconds on the clock.

Waters time held strong and saw him progress to the afternoons Top Ten Shootout.

QUALIFYING

Car #40 Cam Waters: 7th

Car #55 Thomas Randle: 14^th

As the Top ten shoot out rolled around, Waters hit the track 3 cars in to set his starting position for the Race 28.

It was a respectable lap from Waters who gained a position from qualifying and he knew there was a little more pace in the car.

TOP TEN SHOOTOUT

Car #40 Cam Waters: 6th

As race time came, all of Pit Lane took a moment to pay respects to the well-known Gary Rogers who passed away recently. Rogers was a well-respected figure within Australian Motorsport and the legacy he leaves behind will continue forever.

When the lights went out, it didn’t take long before we saw cars making clear contact with walls, especially into turn 1.

Both Waters and Randle scored clean getaways off the line, slotting into the positions the started in. They took their first few laps to find their rhythm before any moves started to be thrown.

An odd yellow flag flew early in the race, with part of the mesh signing on the catch fence coming loose and flapping out into the traffic. Whilst that took a couple of laps to reattach, we saw the first of the pit stops.

Waters was in the lane first with Randle not too far behind in what would be a clear double stack for the team. Waters stop was clean and he gained positions coming out second, just behind Feeney.

Unfortunately for Thomas, the additional 3 seconds of stop time before he was in the box meant teams behind were able to gain spots as they released their cars.

As were turned to green flag racing, it wasn’t long before the next yellow flag and the safety car was dispatched for the tyre barrier that played havoc yesterday, once again spilled across the track and became a hazard.

From there we saw the strategy that would play out for the rest of the race, some people gamble long run to the end whilst others were planning short stops later on.

There was more carnage as we moved into the middle part of the race. Murray exited the beach chicane loose and caused a double hit on his car which sent a tyre into Evans who was close behind.

The chaos of the accident was on the doorstep of Randle who was chasing the pair, and he did an incredible job to avoid it and move though the scene without harm.

When the second round of pit stops were made, it was clear the early strategy calls were going to be the big shakeup toward the end of the race.

Waters battled strongly in the closing stages, knocking off a fuel saving Reynolds and just a few laps shy of catching Feeney. Randle did well to keep a straight car in the final laps as he battled fiercely in a 4 car pack.

RACE 28

Car #40 Cam Waters: 4th

Car #55 Thomas Randle: 9th

We return for a big Sunday where we do it all again, kicking off with qualifying at 10:00am local tome

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