RACE REPORT – Another successful weekend in Round 5 of the NSW Excel Championship
Sunday the 3rd of August saw the AGI Sport – Excel Team compete in the 5th round of the 2014 NSW Excel Racing Championship on the South circuit at Sydney Motorsport Park.
AGI Sport entered a three car team and headed into the latest round of locking out 1st and 2nd positions in the championship standings.
NSW EXCEL RACING CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 5 – RACE REPORT
The NSW Excel series made their second visit in 2014 to Sydney Motorsport Park with a 20 car field.
In qualifying, AGI Sport lead driver Nathan Gotch secured pole position on the tight and twisty south circuit layout with team mate Nick Filipetto in third position on the grid. A new edition to the AGI Sport line-up for the weekend was experienced racer Terry Nightingale. Terry was an impressive 7th in his first time in one of the Excel racers.
Qualifying results:
o 1st – AGI Sport – Nathan Gotch
o 1.08.26
o 2nd – New Image Kitchens – Daniel Smith
o 1.08.55
o 3rd – AGI Sport – Nicholas Filipetto
o 1.09.07
o 7th – AGI Sport – Terry Nightingale
o 1.10.21
In Race 1 a fast-starting Nick Filipetto got the jump on Nathan Gotch and would take the lead by turn 2. The two ran nose-to-tail the entire race with Filipetto beating Gotch to the chequered flag. The two were separated by less than 3 tenths of a second over the eight lap race. Development series driver Daniel Smith came home an impressive 3rd place.
Race 1 results:
o 1st – AGI Sport – Nick Filipetto
o 2nd – AGI Sport – Nathan Gotch (Fastest lap – 1.08.61)
o 3rd – New Image Kitchens – Daniel Smith
o 5th – AGI Sport – Terry Nightingale
Race 2 featured the ever-popular reverse grid for the Championship level cars only and it was Nathan Gotch who would lead by turn 3. Gotch went on to win the 7 lap race over Filipetto with Daniel Smith in 3rd.
Race 2 results:
o 1st – AGI Sport – Nathan Gotch – (New lap record – 1.08.36)
o 2nd – AGI Sport – Nick Filipetto
o 3rd – New Image Kitchens – Daniel Smith
o 4th – AGI Sport – Terry Nightingale
In Race 3 Gotch maintained his lead over Filipetto into the first corner with Nightingale an impressive 3rd. Gotch went on to win the 8 lap final resetting the Excel lap record in the process. Filipetto came home in 2nd with Nightingale in 3rd making it yet another a 1-2-3 finish for the AGI Sport team.
Race 3 results:
o 1st – AGI Sport – Nathan Gotch (new lap record – 1.08.11)
o 2nd – AGI Sport – Nick Filipetto
o 3rd – AGI Sport – Terry Nightingale
AGI Sport – Excel Team driver Nathan Gotch won the round and continues to lead the 2014 series on 330 points. It’s a close game though with team mate Nick Filipetto nipping at his heels with 273 points.
Thanks to Scott’s Shots for the great pics on the day!
