NASCAR: Beyond All Reason

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Supercars Championship 2022 – Round Two: Part Three
Race Five: March 27

Qualifying Recap
With Chris Southern undefeated through the first four races of the 2022 season, the field entered Qualifying for Race 5 with clear intentions — break the streak. The pressure was on, the track was at its fastest all weekend, and the championship contenders knew they had to deliver.

Qualifying Highlights

SVG Takes Pole!
Shane van Gisbergen laid down a monster lap, going quickest in sectors 2 and 3.

It's his second pole of the season, and first since Race 3.

With Southern next to him on the front row again, tensions will be high at the start.

SVG: “It’s time. We’ve let him have his fun — now I want my win.”

Southern Keeps Pressure On
Another front-row start, just 0.017s behind his teammate.

He'll start on the outside, but has shown excellent race pace and racecraft — expect a bold Turn 4 attempt again.

Southern: “It’s tight as ever. The boys are flying. If I get even half a look into the hairpin, I’m going for it.”

De Pasquale Still in the Hunt
P3 again — Anton has qualified in the top 3 in every race this weekend.

He’s clearly frustrated with not converting pace into wins and will be aggressive off the start.

Mostert Returns to Form
A tidy lap puts him P4. The WAU driver is looking to snag his first podium of the year in Race 5.


* * * * *

RACE FIVE
Race Format: Sprint | 44 Laps | 1 compulsory pit stop
Pole Position: Shane van Gisbergen (#97, Triple Eight)

LAP 1 – CONTACT AND CHAOS
- SVG gets a great launch and covers off Southern into Turn 1.
- Southern tucks in, but they’re side-by-side into Turn 4!
- Light contact! SVG squeezes Southern wide, who loses traction exiting the hairpin.
- Anton De Pasquale dives underneath and jumps Southern into P2.
- Mostert holds P4, Waters slots into P5.

LAPS 2–6 – SVG LEADS, DE PASQUALE PRESSURES
- Van Gisbergen leads by 0.6s, with De Pasquale aggressive early, keeping pressure on.
- Southern regroups in P3, staying within range but clearly rattled.
- Lap 4: Waters passes Mostert into Turn 6 for P4.
- Kostecki battles Davison for P6, clean racing throughout the top 10.

LAPS 7–12 – STRATEGY LOOMS
- SVG maintains a slim lead — 0.5s gap to Anton, while Southern begins closing back in.
- DJR signals undercut — Davison pits Lap 10.
- Southern team radio: “We’re in range — box next lap.”
- Lap 12: Southern pits early — clean stop, rejoins with clear track.

LAPS 13–17 – PIVOTAL PIT CYCLE
- Lap 14: De Pasquale pits from P2 — it’s not perfect, minor hold on right front.
- Lap 15: SVG pits from the lead — perfect execution.
- But Southern’s early stop pays off — he jumps both cars in the cycle and regains track position!
- Commentator: “He’s done it again! Southern leads after the stops with fresh rubber already in the groove!”

LAPS 18–26 – THREE-WAY FIGHT
- Order: Southern, SVG, De Pasquale, all within 1.3s.
- SVG begins reeling Southern in, fastest lap on Lap 22.
- De Pasquale sticks with them, but unable to mount a move.
- Mostert and Waters resume their scrap, switching P4 multiple times.

LAPS 27–35 – DEFENSIVE MASTERCLASS
- SVG turns up the pressure — dives late into Turn 4 on Lap 30 but Southern shuts the door.
- Southern calmly defends the inside lines, never overdriving.
- Lap 33: De Pasquale nearly tags SVG at Turn 2, loses momentum.

LAPS 36–43 – FADING OPPORTUNITIES
- Southern begins easing clear, gap grows to 0.9s as SVG starts struggling with rear grip.
- De Pasquale now under pressure from Waters, who has strong tire life.
- Mostert loses touch, safe in P5.

LAP 44 – HISTORY MADE
- Chris Southern crosses the line and wins Race 5!
- Five wins in five races, a clean sweep of Tasmania and one of the most stunning rookie starts in Supercars history.
- SVG and De Pasquale follow, both shaking their heads in disbelief.

+ + + +

Chris Southern’s Post-Race Interview – Five Wins, One Dream

After pulling into pit lane with a grin that stretched from Turn 1 to Turn 7, Chris Southern emerged from his #88 Holden ZB to a standing ovation. Crew members, competitors, and fans alike acknowledged the magnitude of what he’d just achieved: five wins in a row to open his first full season with Triple Eight Race Engineering.

He stood on the roof of the car, pumped both fists in the air, and soaked it in.

Chris Southern – Post-Race Interview (Trackside, live broadcast):
“I’m still shaking. This... this is everything I’ve ever dreamed of. You grow up watching this series, watching legends race the #88 car... and now I’m here, flying the flag for Triple Eight and winning in it? It doesn’t feel real.”

“This team—Roland, Shane, everyone—they believed in me when I was still proving I belonged. I was just a rookie last year trying to make noise. Now I’m here, five races, five wins... and it’s because of the people around me.”

“That race? SVG pushed me to the limit. Anton too. I had to dig deep. But we executed—on track, in the pits, on strategy. This is the kind of team that makes champions.”

“I’ve worked my whole life for this moment. Through late nights in junior formulas, flying across the world chasing a seat, hoping someone would give me a shot. Triple Eight gave me that shot—and I’m not letting it go.”

He paused, choked up briefly, then added:

“This isn’t just for me. This is for every kid who’s ever been told to be realistic. I’m living proof that if you keep grinding, keep believing—even when it hurts—you can end up here. This is the best weekend of my life.”

Five Wins. One Statement.
Chris Southern’s passion, humility, and raw speed have taken the paddock by storm. What was supposed to be a “learning year” with Triple Eight has quickly turned into a title-contending season.

The #88 is back in victory lane—and it’s in fearless hands.​

 

[Spitfire]

2022 European Rally Championship – Round 2: Part Three
March 27th | ERC3 Class

Stages Completed: SS8–SS13 | Surface: Gravel
Weather: Dense morning fog, intermittent drizzle, improving by midday
Butt Hertz Battles Back, But Armstrong Holds for Azores Victory
Day 2 of the Azores Rallye delivered high drama from the start, with dense fog blanketing the mountain ridgelines and visibility down to just a few meters in key sections. With only 7.3 seconds separating Jon Armstrong and Butt Hertz, the battle in ERC3 went down to the wire—with both drivers trading stage wins and refusing to back down.

Stage-by-Stage Highlights
✅ SS8 – Feteiras II (7.3 km)
Armstrong started the day strong with a measured but quick run, gaining 1.4 seconds on Hertz. Widłak drove cautiously through the fog, dropping more time.

✅ SS9 – Sete Cidades II (14.9 km)
One of the toughest tests of the weekend. Hertz went on full attack mode, launching the Castrol Fiesta through the crater’s rim roads and taking the stage by 2.7 seconds. He brought the gap down to 6.0s overall—his closest of the rally.

✅ SS10 – Tronqueira I (21.8 km)
The longest stage of the rally saw Armstrong dig deep, running a near-flawless stage to reclaim 2.1 seconds over Hertz, who admitted post-stage he “couldn’t see the braking points through the mist.”

✅ SS11 – Ribeira Grande II (4.3 km)
Hertz fought back again with a tidy and aggressive run, shaving 1.1 seconds off the lead.

✅ SS12 – Tronqueira II (21.8 km)
With grip conditions slightly improved, both drivers went faster than their morning loop—but Armstrong once again edged it by 0.6 seconds, putting him just out of reach with one stage to go.

✅ SS13 – Sete Cidades Power Stage (Final – No Bonus Points in ERC3)
No stage points, but still flat-out. Hertz went fastest, ending on a high—but Armstrong did exactly what he needed to do, finishing just 0.4 seconds behind and clinching the overall win by 6.4 seconds.

Key Takeaways
- Armstrong proves he’s one of the sharpest Rally3 talents, perfectly managing pressure across 13 challenging stages.
- Hertz continues to rise, going toe-to-toe with a WRC3 winner in only his second ERC rally.
- Widłak stays in the fight, consistently scoring points and avoiding costly mistakes.

+ + + +

Butt Hertz Reflects on Azores Rallye: “A Small Field, But a Big Fight”
2nd Place – ERC3 Class

After a thrilling duel on the volcanic roads of São Miguel, Butt Hertz stood at the finish line with a grin on his face—dusty, exhausted, but proud. The Castrol Rally Group driver may have finished second, just 6.4 seconds behind Jon Armstrong, but the performance was another leap forward in his rapid European rise.

Hertz on the ERC3 field in Azores:
"It was a little strange, yeah. Only three of us in the class this weekend. It kind of throws you off at first—you don’t have the big pack of split times to measure yourself against. But honestly, when the guy next to you is Jon Armstrong, the level is still sky-high. It was a small field, but a big fight."

On going head-to-head with Armstrong again:
"Racing with Jon again brought back a lot of JWRC energy. He dominated last season there—absolutely crushed it. So lining up against him now, especially on a rally like this, where he’s so composed and fast, was a real test for me."

"I gave it everything I had. We traded times all weekend. The fact I was right there with him, stage for stage? That’s a win for me—even if it doesn’t show on the top step today."

On his own progression and reputation:
"Look, I’m still the new kid in this world. WRC3 debut in Sweden. First ERC win in Fafe. Now I’m pushing one of the best Rally3 drivers in the world across 192 kilometers of volcanic madness. I think my stock’s going up. People are watching now. And I’m hungry for more."

Final Thoughts from Hertz:
"This rally chews up the unprepared. It’s narrow, it’s sketchy, it’s unpredictable—and we thrived in it. I learned a lot. I respected the terrain, I pushed where I could, and I kept it clean. That’s how you grow in this sport. And trust me—this is just the start."​

 

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