Three-way tie for PIRTEK Pitstop Challenge lead

Three different teams hold a share of first place following the opening round of the PIRTEK Pitstop Challenge.

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A popular side championship for crews to battle it out, each of the three races from the BP Ultimate Sydney SuperSprint last weekend counted as standalone legs in the challenge.

For the purpose of the competition, a pitstop time is calculated from the moment a car crosses the pit entry line to when it passes the pit exit line.

The fastest pitstop time from each race is awarded 24 points down to one point for the slowest time.

At Sydney Motorsport Park, no crew bettered the 38.5745 seconds that Jack Le Brocq’s Tickford Mustang managed in completing a pitstop, recorded in Race 7.

But with the 14th and 15th fastest times in the next two races, the #55 entry finished the round in just eighth overall.

Instead it was the sister Tickford car of Lee Holdsworth that grabbed a share of the lead, alongside the Penrite Racing Holden of David Reynolds and Brad Jones Racing entry of Jack Smith.

Reynolds technically leads the field by virtue of having the highest points score in an individual race, taking maximum points from Race 9.

Each of the trio sit on 52 points, three points clear of their nearest rival Nick Percat in the 2019 PIRTEK Pitstop Challenge-winning BJR #8.

Having also taken a tied title in 2018 with DJR Team Penske, BJR pride themselves on pitstop efficiency and shape to be a genuine semi-finals contender again this year with Todd Hazelwood giving them three cars in the top five.

BJR’s other Commodore, Macauley Jones’ #3, could have been far higher than 12th in the standings too had it not been for a stodgy stop in the opener.

There was only one instance of a zero points score across the weekend, with Alex Davison’s Team Sydney Holden retiring from the Saturday race before it could complete a pitstop.

Pitstop times from this month’s Truck Assist Sydney SuperSprint, the BetEasy Darwin Triple Crown in August and the Penrite Oil Sandown event in September will all count towards the competition’s ‘regular season’.

The PIRTEK Pitstop Challenge winner and its associated $20,000 major prize will then be decided across two semi-finals and a grand final at Bathurst on Friday October 9.

PIRTEK Pitstop Challenge leaderboard (top 10)

1. Penrite Racing #9 = 52 points

2. SCT Motor Sports #4 = 52

3. Truck Assist Racing #5 = 52

4. Dunlop Super Dealer Racing #8 = 49

5. Brut Military Grade #14 = 48

6. IRWIN Racing #18 = 48

7. Red Bull Holden Racing Team #88 = 46

8. Supercheap Auto Racing #55 = 45

9. NED Racing #7 = 43

10. Penrite Racing #99 = 43