David Besnard takes V8 Lites win at Lakeside
Lakeside Raceway, Brisbane, Qld David Besnard took victory in his first round in the Konica V8 Lites Series today after taking pole position in qualifying. Besnard's victory came in spectacular fashion after duelling with local hero Wayne ...
Lakeside Raceway, Brisbane, Qld
David Besnard took victory in his first round in the Konica V8 Lites Series today after taking pole position in qualifying.
Besnard's victory came in spectacular fashion after duelling with local hero Wayne Wakefield, who finished second overall.
Wakefield and Besnard enthralled the 5,200 spectators by rubbing panels regularly at over 250km/h as they battled for the lead in race three.
However a Steward's inquiry into an incident that resulted in Wakefield and series leader Dean Canto spinning off put the results in doubt until Besnard was cleared of any wrongdoing.
"It was unfortunate the way it ended - a little tap - but I was holding him up, but you cop it on the chin," said Wakefield.
"I'm rapt obviously to win. I love a close, hard race ... but I guess that's (tap) what happens when you're that close," said Besnard.
Canto looked set to put his points lead further ahead until he too was also pushed wide as Besnard battled to take second place from him and then spun off moments later as he tried to regain his place.
He still enjoys a 23-point buffer over second-placed Matthew White, who capitalised on the incident to grab second in the race and third overall.
The fifth round of the Konica V8 Lites Series gave the spectators plenty to cheer about with race one restarted after two huge crashes left battered cars strewn around the circuit.
The restart was a setback to Wakefield, who had beaten polesitter Besnard into Turn One, however, at the restart he was not able to repeat his lightning start.
Besnard's entry into the Konica Series is a chance for him to get more miles under his belt before joining Tony Longhurst in the V8 Supercars for the endurance races later in the year.
Wakefield, who said he thrived on the opportunity to race against a better funded Level One team, will head to the final round at Mallala on 26 - 27 August, chasing third position in the Konica series. He now sits four points behind Ryan McLeod.
Besnard also confirmed speculation that he would be signed by Stone Brothers Racing for a drive in the Shell Championship Series next year.
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