Dumbrell Wins First Round Back Thanks to Late Pass

Eggleston Motorsport/Wilson Security’s Paul Dumbrell has secured the round win at his first event back in the Dunlop Series.

After a late-race incident in the final race of the Clipsal 500 Adelaide between leaders Ash Walsh and Cameron Waters, Dumbrell drove through for the race win with five laps to go, leaving yesterday’s top two stranded.

Dumbrell – who hoped his win wouldn’t be aligned with Steven Bradbury – was pleased with his debut in the Series, in which he last competed in 2002.

“People have said you have come in and you are going to win all the races,” the 2012 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 winner said.

“The level of the Championship this year and even the last three or four years I think is a testament to the category.

“I think three of the guys got picked up from the Dunlop Series and are now in the main series so I think the quality, the speed and the capability of everyone here is phenomenal. Any good result in the Series it is very hard fought.”

Walsh won Saturday’s race easily, and while he qualified on ARMOR ALL Pole Position, Waters had the jump into the chicane in the second race.

Dialing in fastest lap-times weren’t enough – Waters went quicker again – and with five laps to go, Walsh dove up the inside, touched wheels and spun him around.

“I was catching up to him coming down the back marker so I knew Cam was a little vulnerable,” Walsh said. 

“I was just coming behind him and was expecting to go through the corner but he made a bit of a mistake so I went up the inside. I thought I had cleared him but we touched wheels on the exit and you saw the result.

“I haven’t seen it properly yet so… I feel sorry for Cam and everyone. Not good but we will see what the stewards say.

“The car has been really good all weekend. It was always going to be whoever led in the first corner was pretty much in the box seat. I tried like hell... just to have a go at Cam but he was really quick today. He made it difficult for me, I was on the limit for the whole race.”

Dumbrell, Taz Douglas and Andrew Jones filled the podium in the final race, Douglas also taking second for the round.

“I think previously I would have tried to take a dive but because it is such a long race you just settle in and see where your pace is at and pick people off where you can,” Douglas said.

“Enjoying the long races.

“That one [race] was a bit lonely. They car was really good, I said to the guys the car’s good though it didn’t have the pace of the top three I just think I’m not very good at this track, it is one of those tracks that I just don’t click with it. The car was good.

“Unfortunate for the two front guys but we have all been on the receiving end of something like that when we are leading or something like that so second I will take it and look forward to the next round.”

The Dunlop Series will next appear at the Winton event from April 4-6.