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| · 2013 Las Vegas: NASCAR Nationwide Race Results - Hornish Jr, Ford Win! (Mar 9, 2013)
· 2013 Las Vegas: NASCAR Sprint Cup Final Practice Results - Truex Jr, Toyota Fastest! (Mar 9, 2013)
· 2013 Las Vegas: NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice Three Results - Kahne, Chevrolet Fastest! (Mar 9, 2013)
· 2013 Formula One F1 Driver Line-up, Rumor Round-up & 2014 Silly Season Rumors - March 9th (Mar 9, 2013)
· 2013 Las Vegas: NASCAR Sprint Cup Qualifying Results - Keselowski, Ford On Pole! (Mar 8, 2013)
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2013 V8 Supercar: Gaunt Emerges From Drama To Win Mike Pero Need For Speed Race 1
Dan Gaunt emerged from some late race drama to take his second consecutive win at the Powerbuilt Tools Raceway in BNT V8 SuperTourers this morning.
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Gaunt, who won the final race in the enduro series at the track in November, spent much of the race in third place fending off advances from Greg Murphy behind him, but the race all changed on lap 10 of 12 when the two leaders - pole position holder Ant Pedersen and fellow front man Shane van Gisbergen - clashed in spectacular style at the second esses section.
Pedersen had led away from pole position with the V8 Supercar ace in close attendance, and despite pressing on hard in the early stages, had not been able to break the number 97 MPC Falcon. For eight laps the two were within two or three car lengths of eachother, with van Gisbergen taking the occasional look up the inside. On lap 8 Pedersen had a substantial lock up at the hairpin and from that moment on van Gisbergen was in full attack mode, looking to pressure Pedersen into another mistake.
The reality was that both were struggling a little with tyres having worked them very hard in the opening laps of the race. This was allowing the train behind of Gaunt, Murphy, Heimgartner, Baird (on his oldest tyres so he could a new set for each of the next two races), Moore, Walsh and McIntyre to move closer.
Into the second esses on lap 10 and van Gisbergen made his move down the inside. Pedersen defended and the two cars touched. With both unstable over the kerbs at that point anyway, they both gyrated off into the dirt, costing both any chance of victory or even a major placing. "I'm gutted, the win was there," said a disconsolate Pedersen afterwards. "I think we were both struggling a little for grip, but that's not really a part of the track where a pass is on in my opinion." No action was taken against either driver after the race, with most putting it down to a straightforward racing incident.
Gaunt took full advantage after a faultless race and emerged from the dust cloud in a battle for the lead with Murph. The Tasman ace kept it all together and romped home to take his second win in V8 SuperTourers.
Murphy finished a solid second, pretty happy to bag a big points haul from a fifth place start, whilst Heimgartner was delighted to finish third after a difficult Saturday. Craig Baird was fourth but certain afterwards he could have gone even quicker, despite using his oldest tyres. "There's something at the back not quite right, we'll have a look at it before Race 2 and see if we can get it back to where we know it can be."
Richard Moore continued his good streak with fifth place, with Ashley Walsh and John McIntyre making good recovery drives from lowly grid positions to finish sixth and seventh. Pedersen recovered to take eighth while Paul Manuell and Simon Evans completed the top ten.
Scott McLaughlin had a troubled race, a fuse blowing in his fly by wire throttle system and forcing him to pit for a quick fix. Once back out there he was very fast, clocking the best lap of the race. Andy booth was an early pit visitor, wrecking his race. Eddie Bell failed to make the start after engine pulley dramas forced the team to sit out the race to protect their engine.
PaddockTalk Perspective
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