ATCC: Round 2 Phillip Island report.

INGALL WINS DRAMATIC ISLAND CLASH Sunday, 13 April 1997 Phillip island, Victoria, Australia. Team Castrol driver Russell Ingall took out a incident packed Round 2 of the Shell Australian Touring Car Championships on the fast sweeping Phillip Island circuit today. Race 1 saw a huge start line accident involving the perennially jinxed Mark Larkham and privateer Paul Romano which put Larkham's ex Romano Falcon in to an earth bank at high speed writing the car off and causing the race to be red flagged. at the restart. Pole sitter Glen Seton got the jump on Holden factory driver Greg Murphy and Russell Ingall. Ingall then passed Murphy on Lap 2 while round one winner Wayne Gardner spun adding to a weekend that he would rather forget. Murphy retook Ingall on the main straight as Larry Perkins, John Bowe, and Alan Jones battled for fourth. But up front it was all Seton who went on to win from Ingall who sent a furious Murphy off at Lukey Heights. The New Zealander recovered for third with Perkins, Bowe and Jones next. RACE 2 Seton got a bad start at allowing Ingall and Perkins to outrun him in to the Southern Loop. This allowed Ingall to run away with the race as his boss Perkins kept the pack at bay. Seton was right on Perkins tail but also had to worry about the challenge from the fired up Murphy who in turn was trying to keep Jones behind him. With the end of the race insight Murphy had a tyre go down on the high speed corner on to Gardner straight send in the Commodore in to the tyre wall head on at around 200 Kph. The New Zetland champ was badly winded but otherwise unhurt but his car was a write off. Officials hung out the red flag again and declared the race with Ingall winning from Perkins, Seton, Bowe, an Jones. RACE 3 Seton broke off the line as Perkins out dragged Ingall into turn one. Jones made a good start to be third from Bowe Johnson, Brock, Johnson and privateer John Faulkner. Though the racing was close there was no passing from this point on with the only real excitement coming from Sydney privateer Terry Finnigan who put his car into the wall at Honda. Ingall's second place behind his boss was enough to give him the days honours from Perkins and the consistent John Bowe. The teams now move up the Bass Highway to the refined surroundings of Sandown in outer suburban Melbourne on April 27. ==================================================================== RACE 1

Glen Seton  Ford Credit Racing   Ford Falcon
Russell Ingall Team Castrol   Holden Commodore  
Greg Murphy Mobil/Holden Racing Team   Holden Commodore
Larry Perkins  Team Castrol   Holden Commodore
John Bowe   ShellHelix Racing Ford Falcon
Alan Jones  Komatsu Racing Ford Falcon

RACE 2

Russell Ingall Team Castrol Holden Commodore Larry Perkins Team Castrol Holden Commodore Glen Seton Ford Credit Racing Ford Falcon John Bowe ShellHelix Racing Ford Falcon Alan Jones Komatsu Racing Ford Falcon Dick Johnson Shell Helix Racing Ford Falcon

RACE 3

Larry Perkins  Team Castrol   Holden Commodore
Russell Ingall Team Castrol   Holden Commodore
Alan Jones  Komatsu Racing Ford Falcon
John Bowe   ShellHelix Racing Ford Falcon
Peter Brock Mobil/Holden Racing Team   Holden Commodore
Dick Johnson   Shell Helix Racing   Ford Falcon

Overall

Russell Ingall Team Castrol   Holden Commodore
Larry Perkins  Team Castrol   Holden Commodore
John Bowe   ShellHelix Racing Ford Falcon

Points: Russell Ingall 144 Glen Seton 134 Alan Jones 120 Larry Perkins 116

NEXT ROUND April 27 Sandown, Vic.

-- Brett Ramsey Watch In Pit Lane Optus Local Vision Melbourne