Queensland Raceway Race 1 Report: Schumacher and Feeney Dominate
Queensland, Australia – The Kelso Electrical Audi team, spearheaded by Brad Schumacher and Broc Feeney, captured a commanding victory in Race 1 at Queensland Raceway, finishing nearly 11 seconds ahead of the nearest competitor. The race featured significant incidents yet showcased the duo’s exceptional pace and strategic execution.
Despite adverse weather conditions that plagued practice on Friday, Schumacher secured pole position during Saturday’s damp qualifying session, recording a lap time of 1:15.876. He was joined on the front row by Mark Rosser of Team BRM and Tim Miles in the Dayle ITM Audi, marking an Audi sweep of the top three spots. Notably, Renee Gracie qualified fifth overall, leading the Am class with the OnlyFans Audi.
The race commenced under cloudy skies but descended into chaos early on. Mark Rosser, suffering a poor start, became embroiled in a collision with Elliot Schutte’s Ferrari, causing both Audis to retire shortly after the start. This shake-up allowed Schumacher to gain an early lead, which he maintained until handing off to Feeney during the pit sequence.
While several teams struggled with pit lane penalties, including the #26 Arise Racing Ferrari and Pires’ #55 Valmont Racing Mercedes for infraction-related issues, Feeney capitalized on the misfortunes of others, extending the lead comfortably as he approached the checkered flag.
Jayden Ojeda’s Realta/Tigani Motorsport Mercedes AMG finished in second, while the Arise Racing Ferrari recovered to secure third place, following a valiant fight back from earlier setbacks. Miles’ Aston Martin managed to finish fourth after navigating several challenges during the race.
The battle for Am class supremacy concluded dramatically, with Renee Gracie clinching a narrow victory over Currie and Donaldson’s Mercedes after overtaking them with 20 minutes remaining. Gracie’s win underscores her burgeoning expertise in the category.
In the Trophy class, the #24 KFC Audi of Stokell and Higgon claimed victory, utilizing their previous-spec Audi R8 LMS to standout effect.
Race Results:
- Broc Feeney / Brad Schumacher (Kelso Electrical Audi)
- Jayden Ojeda (Realta/Tigani Motorsport Mercedes AMG)
- Evans (Arise Racing Ferrari)
- Fraser (Volante Rosso Aston Martin)
- Renee Gracie (OnlyFans Audi) – 1st in Am
Race 2 is scheduled for tomorrow at 12:50 PM AEST, promising further excitement and potential reshuffling in standings.
