V8 Utes title chase goes to the wire
Paul Manuell has secured the RYCO 24•7 V8 Utes title for 2019/20 after a dramatic day of racing at the final round at Hampton Downs.
He secured his second V8 ute title by just six points from Glen Collinson after a day of drama when he missed the first race, was forced to start from the pit lane in the second and put in two stunning recovery drives to get home by the skin of his teeth.
“It was really close, but the team pulled out all the stops to get me out there and thankfully we got home to the title,” he says. “We’ve all waited a long time for the final round and I hoped it would be a bit easier, but the racing has been brilliant and I’m stoked to win. Hats off to Glen and the others for making it such a thriller.”
Matt Spratt won September 19’s round on his return to the category with two wins and second place, denying a flying Andrew Porter his first round win.
Reigning champion Spratt got his category return under way with a lights-to-flag victory in the first race, but it was the action behind and – most notably – the absence of championship leader Manuell that captured the attention.
Manuell’s car refused to start and he was forced to sit it out while his team worked furiously to try to solve the problem. Spratt made the most of the situation to take an untroubled victory in the slippery, but drying, conditions.
There was more drama at the start of race two for Manuell, pictutred, with a misfire on the warm-up lap due to a connection problem on the faulty crank sensor that had kept him out of the first race.
A superb comeback drive netted sixth at the end, while Andrew Porter went one better in the second race to win it after fighting off a hard-charging Spratt.
The third race was another thriller as Manuell fought through the field again from last on the grid. Upfront, Spratt got the better of Porter early on and romped home to win, while Porter chased hard all the way.
Peter Ward held third throughout until the final lap. By this stage, Manuell had worked his way up to Collinson and the two effectively sat even on points.
Collinson threw the kitchen sink and more at the final lap, and made a brave attempt to pass Ward on the final corner as he tried to put one car between himself and Manuell to take the championship.
But the two touched, Ward spun and Collinson lost enough momentum to allow Manuell through into third and to take the title, literally in the final few hundred metres of the championship.
