FHOLDEN: Leahey gets first win at Winton

23-year-old New South Wales driver Tim Leahey (Boost Pre Paid Mobile Reynard 92D) finally scored his maiden Formula Holden victory after a strong drive at Winton Raceway today. After looking like a winner all year, Leahey made a clean start to out-drag reigning champion, Birrana Racing's Simon Wills into the Turn One esses and fended off the advances of Wills throughout the 15 lap journey - interrupted by two Safety Car periods. The first of which, coming as a result of an incident between Steve Owen and Christian Murchison. Murchison lost places at the start and dropped from third to fifth, but had to avoid the spinning Owen and ended up stranded and bogged on the wet infield. The net result of Murchison's first dnf of the season now sees Wills leading the championship by eight points.

Third place went to Challenge Ralt's Matthew Halliday, who had looked threatening earlier in the race, but fell back from the four-car train at the front and had to fend off the strenuous advances of 17-year-old Victorian Paul Dumbrell (Kmart Racing Reynard). Dumbrell was the big mover, having started seventh and benefited from Owen's spin, Murchison's failure to finish and LeRoy Stevenson dropping back - also after a spin. Owen came home fifth after charging back through the field and actually held the race's fastest lap (and lap record) at one point, before Wills narrowly pipped his time to leave the mark at 1:14.72s.

NRC's Dale Brede came home sixth, still struggling with a handling imbalance and Peter Hill (M ONE 11 Reynard) backed up team mate Leahey's result with a fine seventh and Silver Star honours. The top ten was completed by Roger Oakeshott in the Sportsmed Reynard in eighth, ahead of Ian Peters (Camtech Reynard) and Mark Ellis (Mantis Racing Reynard). All eyes will be on the rear of the field in this afternoon's second 15-lap race as Murchison does his best to salvage valuable championship points from his rear of grid start.

<pre> Top Ten Finishers Race 1 - Determines grid for Race 2

Pos Driver            Team                  Car          Laps  Race Time    Fastest     On
1   Tim Leahey        Murphy Motorsport     Reynard 92D   18   25:44.2589   1:14.8957   17
2   Simon Wills       Birrana Racing        Reynard 94D   18   25:44.9910   1:14.7224   16
3   Matthew Halliday  Ralt Challenge Racing Reynard 94D   18   25:50.2392   1:15.1424   14
4   Paul Dumbrell     Kmart Racing          Reynard 93D   18   25:50.5693   1:15.0440   11
5   Steve Owen        Hocking Motorsport    Reynard 97D   18   25:56.0699   1:14.8375   13
6   Dale Brede        NRC Racing            Reynard 95D   18   26:18.3268   1:17.2522   15
7   Peter Hill        Murphy Motorsport     Reynard 94D   18   26:36.4012   1:18.4642   17
8   Roger Oakeshott   Roger Oakeshott       Reynard 97D   18   26:46.6214   1:18.9240   14
9   Ian Peters        Camtech Racing        Reynard 91D   18   26:46.8203   1:19.1256   14
10  Mark Ellis        Mantis Racing         Reynard 92D   18   27:04.2160   1:20.0751   14