Australian Eastern Creek race one notes

Richards fights off pack to win at Eastern Creek.
Pole-sitter Marshall and Fitzgerald complete race one podium

Despite missing out on pole position this morning, seven-time Bathurst winner Jim Richards has claimed race one in the all-Porsche Carrera Cup at Eastern Creek Raceway this afternoon.

Richards had to work extremely hard to take victory - his fourth race win of the season - after pole-sitter Marcus Marshall led the majority of the 12 laps, only to have Richards work his way past on lap nine.

Richards had actually dropped back to third-place behind Marshall and Peter Fitzgerald, though he worked his way past the duo in separate moves on lap nine to take the lead and the victory, which keeps him at the top of the Carrera Cup championship chase.

"He (Marshall) wasn't holding me up," said Richards after the race, which was run in sunny, dry conditions.

"I was faster in places were I couldn't make a move. Into the final turns I had looked at it a couple of times and he had been slow into the corner. If I timed it right I could do it, and I did."

Marshall was still happy to be second, his best finish in a Carrera Cup car after finishing third in round one at Phillip Island three weeks ago.

"I'm still very happy. The car was really good in the first five or six laps but after mid-race it started to struggle a little. We didn't test here last week as other teams did, so we're still finding out in regards to race distances and getting the most out of our Michelins."

Fitzgerald was a strong third in the ENJO Cleaning Products GT3 Cup car, leading home Greg Murphy Racing's Tim Leahey and Matt Coleman, both drivers having relatively straightforward races.

Sixth was New Zealander Kevin Bell, who had taken the position from Port Macquarie driver Andrew Miedecke on lap six when Miedecke spun at turn two.

Completing the top 10 was Rodney Jane, Jonathon Webb (the youngest driver in the field at age 19), Kiwi Paul Pedersen (who improved five spots from 14th on the grid) and Tony Quinn.

-cupcar.com.au