World’s best attack Sydney based Time Challenge
Monday 21 October, 2019
Photos: World Time Attack Challenge
Thousands of passionate motor sport fans have made their way to Sydney Motorsport Park to witness another edition of the hugely popular World Time Attack Challenge.
From national and international superstars cutting high speed laps and drift battles to pit walks and endless entertainment for fans, it was a weekend full of entertaining action on and off the track.
In the time attack challenge, it was the local talent who came away with the titles in all four classes as S5000 driver Barton Mawer flew the Aussie flag with the fastest time of the event for the second year running.
Behind the wheel of the Porsche 968, Mawer was the only driver to break the one minute and 20 second barrier, posting a time of 1:19.2770 – more than two and half seconds faster than the next best driver in Supercars and TCR regular Andre Heimgartner.
Rounding out the top three outright, as well as the Pro class, was another big Australian name in Garth Walden with the Mitsubishi Evo driver falling two seconds behind Heimgartner.
ACT based Kosta Pohorukov was the pick of the ProAm class, comfortably recording a three second victory over international stars Sami Sivonen from Finland and Japan’s Kunihiko Bando.
Another class, another Australian winner with New South Welshman Brad Shiels finishing fastest in the Open Class ahead of South Australian Matt Longhurst and Queenslander Robert Nguyen. Remarkably all three drivers finished in the top 10 outright and just ahead of the two international stars.
It was another New South Welshman who took out the remaining class with Mitsubishi Evo driver Jamal Assaad claiming a thrilling Clubsport class win over Victorian Brett Dickie.
The International Drifting Cup saw a dramatic ending to what had been a brilliant competition all weekend as Australian Josh Boettcher managed to claim a shock victory over reigning Japanese D1GP champion Masashi Yokoi in the Grand Final.
Yokoi looked unbeatable throughout the whole knockout event, cruising through the bracket and knocking off big names such as Brodie Maher and Shane van Gisbergen, before making an uncharacteristic mistake in the final.
Taking advantage of the rare slip up, a calm Boettcher then drifted his way to a well-deserved victory having put pressure on his opponents all weekend and reaped the rewards.
Rounding out the podium was Michael Bonney after beating Matty Hill in the third place playoff race.