Saturday September 14th

Sydney youngster Tom Tweedie has annexed pole position for Sunday’s Formula 5000 Australia Cup feature after two commanding wins in Saturday’s qualifying heats.

Tweedie’s Chevron, which won the Tasman series in 1974 in the hands of British racer Peter Gethin, was uncatchable, lowering the Formula 5000 (and outright) Sandown lap record twice, to eventually leave it at a scintillating1m 05.76s.

The main excitement for the large Sandown crowd centred around a pair of nose-to-tail dices for second between pole man Richard Davison (Lola T332) and Kiwi Andrew Higgins (Lola T400) in the opening heat, joined in the second by veteran Ken Smith (Lola T332) who had battled through from the back of the grid after missing qualifying.

In the end, Higgins took both runner-up spots, with Davison and Smith sharing a podium each. They will thus also share the second row for Sunday’s 12-lap feature, with Higgins joining Tweedie on the front row.

Melbournians Bryan Sala (Matich A50) and Tony Floreani (Elfin MR5) will share the third row.

The historic Formula 5000 category is appearing on the V8 Supercar programme for the first time, supporting the opening round of the 2013 Pirtek Endurance Cup – the Wilson Security Sandown 500.

Having taken a sensational F5000 pole yesterday, Richard Davison was able to watch as son Will did the same for Ford Performance Racing, emerging on top after the main event’s two qualifying ‘sprint’ races today.

Sunday September 15th

Sydneysider Tom Tweedie has consolidated his lead in the 2013/14 Formula 5000 Australia Cup with an almost all-the-way win in the weekend ’s feature event, run as a curtain-raiser to Sunday’s V8 Supercar Sandown 500.

Tweedie’s Chevron B24 was beaten away from the rolling start by Kiwi Andrew Higgins (Lola T400), but burst through to lead half-way round the opening lap and was never challenged.

A potential three-way scrap for second between Higgins, Kiwi legend Ken Smith (Lola T332) and Richard Davison (Lola T332), became a two-way one after two laps when Higgins’ brake pedal went to the floor at the end of Sandown’s long start-finish straight and he spun.

Fortunately, following cars avoided the stationary car and he was able to rejoin, albeit with reduced braking capacity, and charge back through to an eventual fourth-placed finish.

To his delight, Davison – son of the great former AGP-winner Lex Davison and father of V8 Supercar stars Will and Alex – was able to see off the challenge from Smith and earn a well-deserved second place: “I’ve ticked off one of my Bucket List items this weekend – racing on the same track as the great Ken Smith,” he beamed.

Melbournians Bryan Sala (Matich A50) and Andrew Robson (Lola T332) completed the top six.

Formula 5000 Australia Cup points after two rounds:
Tweedie 110;
Smith 83;
Higgins 79;
Sala 61;
Aaron Lewis 45;
Davison 41;
John Bryant 31;
Tim Rush 30;
Darcy Russell 23;
Andrew Robson 19;
Tony Floriani,
Rod Carroll 14;
Clark Proctor 12.

The Formula 5000 Australia Cup is supported by Gibson Freight and MSC.