CLAY OSBORNE and Oscar Targett have split the honours across a pair of mixed-weather practice sessions ahead of Round 2 of the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series at Shell V-Power Motorsport Park in South Australia.
Kiwi rising star Osborne topped a dry 30-minute session in the morning, while Targett was quickest in the wet weather later in what was an unpredictable day of running on the 3.41km West circuit for the first time.
Osborne, driving his Fendt / McElrea Racing entry, topped the dry session with a 1m18.6640s flyer but it wasn’t by much.
He was 0.01s faster than New Zealand compatriot Clay Osborne’s EBM-run machine and only 0.04s faster than TekworkX Racing’s Hamish Fitzsimmons.
The shorter circuit at The Bend produced remarkably close times with Oscar Targett fourth, still less than one-tenth from the quickest time.
Tyler Greenbury was fifth in a strong performance for the brand-new Porsche team owner, with Sonic’s Jake Santalucia sixth.
Ramu Farrell topped the Pro-Am runners in a strong 7th outright with Conor Somers, Aron Shields and Ayrton Hodson completing the top 10.
David Grieg was second in the Pro-Am class in the first practice session with Brett Boulton and the returning Caspar Tresidder next.
In the dry, Brad Carr was quickest of the Class B runners in a stout 15th outright amidst the 30 car field.
Rain came in the afternoon to the South Australian circuit forcing runners to the wet weather Michelin Control Tyre for the second 30-minute session.
In a session interrupted by two red flags, Targett topped the runners with a 1m28.2862s best, only 0.02s quicker than Ayrton Hodson.
Round 1 winner Caleb Sumich was third and Clay Osborne fourth completing a strong day.
Ramu Farrell again topped Pro-Am and was fifth outright in his Jones Motorsport-prepped #888 car.
Brock Gilchrist, Aron Shields, Tyler Greenbury, Class B runner Jacque Jarjo and Hamish Fitzsimmons completed the top 10.
Andrew Georgiadis was second of the Pro-Am runners and 12th outright with Eric Constantinidis third in class.
The Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series shifts to qualifying mode bright and early on Saturday morning, with a 30-minute session to decide the pole award for Round 2.
Scheduled for a 7:25am start time, the cold track conditions are likely to make the session a last-ditch shootout to secure pole.
The field then launches into a 25-minute sprint race (plus one lap) at 1:35pm local time.
That race will be broadcast live as part of the Shannons SpeedSeries coverage on 7plus.