Walsh Fights, Races Shortened

Two races decided Round Four of the Dunlop Series at Queensland Raceway. For Infants’ Friend V8 Supercar driver Ash Walsh, it was a day he will be keen to put behind him. A series of shortened races, inclement weather and tyre choice all conspired to put a dent in the young charger’s 2013 Dunlop Series Championship fight.

Sunday’s first race was the reverse Top 10 grid seeing Ash start from seventh. A slight delay and the threat of rain were avoided and the cars got away to a clean start. Walsh was determined to move up the field and quickly jumped three spots to fourth. He was in a four-way battle with Daniel Gaunt in front and a closing Steve Owen behind him. The Infants’ Friend FG Falcon was a lot more to Ash’s liking even though the car was on the tyres used in Race One.

The race was shortened to just eight laps due to the delayed start and Walsh was pushing hard to pass Gaunt. Series leader and Walsh’s primary target Dale Wood dropped back to eighth so the points advantage to Walsh in this race was critical to the overall round position.

Walsh finished fourth reporting the car much improved and looking forward to the final.

Rain was falling once again as the cars gridded for the final race of the Coates Hire Ipswich 360 and the teams were left with a difficult choice of dry ‘slick’ tyres or the change to wets. With precious time to make the call and the rain easing Walsh started on slick Dunlop tyres – a decision that would have big consequences as the race unfolded.

A great start saw Walsh in to second position but a wet weather tyre shod Jack Perkins cut across his nose slowing his progress and allowing Owen to move through. Walsh was struggling on his slick tyres and was muscled out of more spots at turn four undoing much good work. He was back in ninth position at the end of lap one, and was at the mercy of those cars with wet tyres. Things got worse on lap six when an ambitious Taz Douglas hit the rear of the MSR Falcon, then again in the side as they both spun off at turn two. Walsh was towed out but had fallen a lap behind. The race was called after only 10 laps leaving Walsh in 28th place. 

“It all starts with making the right call for the conditions and we got the tyre choice wrong,” Walsh said.  

“It put us in a bad position which had big consequences to our race. It was very slippery, and with no dry line out there coupled with incidents it becomes a Safety Car race. We have to regroup and go to Winton and put this weekend behind us.”

Walsh remains second in the Championship points, 128 adrift of Wood. 

For full results from the last race at the Coates Hire Ipswich 360, click here.

The next Dunlop series weekend is at the V8 Supercars Winton 360 at Winton Raceway in Victoria from August 23-25.