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HomeNewsBathurstTROUBLE FOR HANSFORD SWINGS TCM TITLE BATTLE

TROUBLE FOR HANSFORD SWINGS TCM TITLE BATTLE

AN issue for Ryan Hansford in Touring Car Masters Race 2 at the Repco Bathurst 1000 has allowed John Bowe to extend his championship lead with only one race remaining this season.

Hansford followed race leader Steven Johnson during the opening laps before an issue halted his progress with the car coming to a stop at The Cutting.

The Torana was one of several retired cars parked around the circuit, prompting officials to call the race after six of the scheduled nine laps to give Steven Johnson his second race win of the week.

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The premature end to the race means that only half points were awarded; Hansford would have been eliminated from title contention had full points been given but instead remains in the title hunt, 34 points behind Bowe going into the race three.

Talking on social media after the race, Hansford said that he was disappointed but that these things happen in racing.

“A lift pump in the fuel tank failed so it starved for a couple of laps and then it went up the hill and had nothing”, Hansford said on social media after the race.


“It’s disappointing but that is motorsport, sometimes things are out of your hands, things fail at times.

“We will go out there for race three and see if we can come through the pack, put a lap record together or something like that, that’d be nice and look to next year.”

Marcus Zukanovic charged up from the back of the grid to seventh until another tyre failure halted his progress as it had done in Race 1.

Cameron Tilley and his Valiant Pacer was the last casualty of the race after it expired on lap three of the race leaving him stranded at the top of the mountain.

Heading into the final race, Bowe only needs to finish in 11th place to secure his sixth Touring Car Masters title and his first since 2016.

Consistency has been the key factor for Bowe all year, leading the championship despite having only won one race in the 2021 season.

Steven Johnson still sits third in the standings a further 14 points behind Hansford.

The final race of the week and in the season will commence at 8:20am on Friday morning.

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