The Gold Coast Tweed Motorsport Club held its last event for the year with a healthy field of 23 turning up for the Tamborine Khanacross on the weekend.
With competitors getting the opportunity to take on 10 tests, it was Colin O’Brien who ended up taking out the victory as he edged out Alan Kuss by just four seconds.
While on paper, the top two drivers were in a league of their own as Kuss finished more than 20 seconds ahead of the third placed Marcus Connelly, it was Glenn Brinkman who was the most dominant driver of the day.
Brinkman came away with wins on more than half the tests, including a solid streak of five in a row, only for a penalty on the opening test and a forgettable run on the sixth test all but ruining his chances of a victory – the number one seed eventually finishing ninth overall.
With Brinkman having to play catch up for the whole event, it allowed the field to battle it out for top honours, and it was Kuss started off strong to win the opening test.
Two consistent runner-up finishes behind Brinkman on the next tests would see O’Brien move to the top of the standings, before Toby Musico beat David Micjan for the win on the fourth completed test.
Kuss claimed his second win on the next test to regain the overall lead over O’Brien before Brinkman clicked into gear and went on his winning streak that saw him win the event’s final five tests.
Meanwhile, the battle for top spot took another twist as O’Brien went on a small winning streak himself and beat Kuss on the next four tests, three of which were by two seconds, before finishing up with an equal outright win with Brinkman on test 10 – his first and only win for the day.
With the gap out to six seconds, Kuss needed something special on the final test, but could only post a time two seconds faster than the WRX of O’Brien, eventually settling for second place.
Behind the front two contenders, only four seconds was the difference in the battle for the final podium place as Connelly edged out Micjan, who hit a marker on test eight and ultimately finished fourth by two seconds, while Musico rounded out the top five a further two seconds off.
Making Connelly’s podium place just as impressive was that he was the only driver inside the top five not in the E Class - the Suzuki Ignis driver also winning the A class.
In what was an E class dominated event, only one other driver inside the top 10 was registered in a different class with the sixth placed Mark Davies taking out the C Class.
Other class winners saw Larry Dyer in 13th win the B class, Lyndon Mechielsen the D Class, Rylan Swinbourne take out the G class and Pia Dyer win the F class.
Click here to view the full results.