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Back to Back CCUP Round Wins for DKR as Beechey Extends Series Lead

Defending Commodore Cup champion Adam Beechey has extended his advantage in the 2011 V8 Commodore Cup national series by winning his second consecutive round and claiming his 10th straight podium finish in Round 4 of the series at Eastern Creek on the weekend.

Beechey was fastest and second-fastest in Friday’s two practice sessions and qualified fourth, before finishing second in Race 1 behind Matt Hayes. In Race 2, he beat Hayes off the start and led every single lap, despite sustained pressure from Hayes for the duration of the race.

Although Hayes and Beechey were tied on points for the round, Beechey was awarded the overall round victory by virtue of his higher finishing position in Race 2. The win, Beechey’s fourth career Commodore Cup round victory, extended his series lead by 20 points.

“Obviously, I’m stoked with the round win but I also really enjoyed the racing this weekend,” Beechey said.

“We had some oil surge problems in practice, but the car was still very fast and we were soon able to solve the problems.

“The conditions in qualifying were challenging, because the track was very slippery, and it was taking a long time to dry out. I actually did my best lap on the very last lap of the session, but I had backed off towards the end of the lap, so if I had pushed on, I could have been further up the grid.

Beechey approached the opening race conservatively.

“On the first lap of the race, I was prepared to give way to some people because I knew it was a long race and I would be able to get the positions back,” he said.

Beechey was rewarded for his strategy, gaining some positions when Geoff Emery and Chris Stevenson came together on the first lap. He then assumed second position when Danny Buzadzic went off on Lap 2, and climbed to the lead a lap later when Marcus Zukanovic served a drive-through penalty for jumping the start. Unfortunately, he conceded the lead to Matt Hayes on Lap 4, but still notched up a very healthy points haul by finishing second.

“Matt Hayes was behind me and he was clearly faster than I was, because my tyres started going off,” Adam said. “Rather than battling Matt and letting the other drivers catch up, I decided to let him through so we could both pull away from everyone else. I was very much thinking of the championship.”

Before Race 2, Kenton Ferguson and the rest of the team adjusted the Donut King / Achilles Tyres Commodore to make it kinder to its tyres over the race distance. As soon as the race started, it was clear the adjustments had worked.

“I made a good start and I was able to lead that race, but I really put my win down to having such a brilliant car, which comes down to Kenton Ferguson’s awesome preparation,” Beechey said. “The engine had really good torque and the car was handling beautifully around the back of the circuit.

“Matt (Hayes) was faster than me in some sections of the track and I was faster in others. He was all over me in Turns 1 and 2, and he could have easily given me a bump and pushed me sideways, but he raced very fairly and cleanly.”

Adam Beechey now leads the Commodore Cup national series by 33 points over Matt Hayes, with two rounds remaining in the series at Sandown and Phillip Island, circuits at which Adam claimed second and third-place finishes during the 2010 series.

“I am looking forward to the last two rounds of the season and continuing to generate some great coverage for my sponsors Donut King and Achilles Tyres, who have been extremely generous for their support,” Beechey concluded.

Round Results Summary, Commodore Cup Round 4, Eastern Creek

Qualifying: 4th

Race 1: 2nd

Race 2: 1st

Overall: 1st (143 points)


Commodore Cup – Top 10 Pointscore (after Round 4 of 6)

1. Adam Beechey – 520

2. Matt Hayes – 487

3. Marcus Zukanovic – 477

4. Ross McGregor – 469