A DRAMATIC day at Sydney Motorsport Park has delivered two first-time Porsche race winners and two championship lead changes in the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series. 

Team Porsche NZ driver Tom Bewley claimed race one – his first win – after a race long battle with Lockie Bloxsom, before the latter claimed his maiden Porsche triumph under lights in a bruising second race.

Bewley’s win saw him briefly wrestle the championship lead away from Round 1 winner Willie Exton before Bloxsom’s race two triumph saw him take point going into Sunday’s finale.

Jacque Jarjo was the big winner in Pro-Am on Saturday while Daniel Quimby continued his Class B form with a pair of wins.

Race one started with a drag race between Bewley and Bloxsom to turn one, the Team Porsche NZ driver grabbing the lead after a furious opening-lap battle.

The pair pulled away from a warring pack for third as James Lodge spent much of his race fending off Tyler Greenbury and Jake Santalucia in a tense battle for the final podium spot – Lodge ultimately grabbing his first top three finish.

The leading battle paused briefly for a mid-race safety car but resumed following the restart as Bloxsom launched attack after attack on Bewley, however the young Kiwi was stout in defense as he held on to grab his maiden win.

Ryan Casha was a big mover to sixth position while Jackson Rooney was next, Hunter Robb, Willie Exton and Kamal Mrad rounding out the top 10.

Pro-Am was dramatic after early leader Ramu Farrell speared off the road at high speed at turn one, followed by Andrew Georgiadis behind.

That handed the lead to Jacque Jarjo, who delivered his second Sydney Motorsport Park win of the season – having claimed the win in Carrera Cup earlier this year on his debut in the top class. Daniel Quimby finished 11th outright and won Class B ahead of Stephen Moylan and Brayden Taylor.

Race two was held under lights on Saturday evening, Bloxsom winning the start comfortably and gapping the field early on.

Bewley, meanwhile, struggled in the opening laps and after getting off line found himself tumbling down to the back of the top five.

Tyler Greenbury battled his way to second position with Lodge third and Jake Santulucia fourth.

The race was paused early following an off from Kent Leicester at turn one at the start of the second lap, pulling Bloxsom back to the field.

The restart was frenetic and in intense battling for the final spot on the podium, a move from Santalucia on Lodge for third place also saw contact with Greenbury, who found himself turned around to drop to the back of the field – the Sonic driver penalised 15 seconds for his role in the contact.

The race was then neutralised again when Jackson Rooney spun at turn two while trying to slide up the inside of Santalucia. Rooney spun, and was then unfortunately collected by Hunter Robb while he tried to recover.

That delivered a second Safety Car, ensuring Bloxsom grabbed his maiden Porsche race win with Lodge second and an outstanding Kmal Mrad – who started 10th – finishing third.

Bewley recovered to fourth and Ryan Casha fifth, while Jacque Jarjo won Pro-Am again ahead of Ramu Farrell, who recovered to second.

The other big story from the race was Round 1 winner Willie Exton, who spun at turn six while side by side with Hunter Robb.

The second race delivered the second championship lead change of the day with Bloxsom moving to the top of the standings for the first time in his career, with Bewley second and Santalucia now third.

The third and final race of the weekend doubles as the second instalment of the Jim Richards Enduro Trophy at Sydney Motorsport Park, to be broadcast live on 7plus.