|
With
only three weeks between Round 1 in Adelaide and Round 2 in Tasmania,
the CPA Australia team worked tirelessly to prepare the damaged Dallara
in such a short space of time. However the team arrived at Symmons
Plains, hopeful of a successful weekend.
Friday's
first practice was really a chance for Paul to learn the track and gain
some confidence back after his accident at Clipsal. On very old practice
tyres the team was un-surprisingly last in the first session.
The
team worked hard in between practice sessions and made some significant
changes to the car, however after the second practice session Paul was
still slowest, but only one second off the pace.
The
team worked back late on Friday night and managed to find a major setup
problem, which theoretically made the car undriveable. Changes were made
to the balance of the car and gear ratios, while a fresh set of tyres
were fitted.
Saturday
morning and the first session of qualifying was a huge success for the
CPA Australia team. They managed to gain around 3 seconds per lap
compared to practice lap times. Paul jumped to 11th overall
in qualifying, but more importantly was 1st in Level 2
by over 1.5 seconds per lap.
The
setup changes were a success and Paul felt much more at ease with the
race car. The second qualifying on Saturday produced very similar
results on a slower track, with the team again 1st on the
grid in Level 2, for the next race.
The
team were extremely optimistic of picking up full points for the
championship in both races after such a dominant performance on
Saturday.
From
11th of the grid, Paul got a fantastic start and was in 5th
position overall by the first corner. Though some of the more powerful
Level 1 cars fought past him, he was able to stretch a significant lead
in Level 2 every lap.
However
Lap 10 spelt disaster for the team. A joint in the suspension failed,
whilst exiting the hairpin at turn 4. Luckily this occurred on the
slowest part of the track as the car slithered to the side of the road.
Paul was sitting in 7th place overall and was easily leading
Level 2 when the failure occurred.
As
there was only a one and a half hour turn-around period between the two
races, the team was unable to have the car repaired in time for Race 2.
Although being dominant over most of the weekend, the CPA Australia team
had a disappointing result in Tasmania picking up no championship
points.
Although
the team is well behind early in the Championship, they are still very
positive about winning the Level 2 Title this year. The car will next
race in Round 3 at Oran Park in Sydney, the track were Paul commenced
his Formula 3 career last year, whilst taking victory in Level 2 (24mm).
 |
|
Pos
|
Car
#
|
Driver
|
Vehicle
|
Fastest
Lap
|
Gap
|
|
1
|
4
|
Darren
Palmer
|
Dallara
F301
|
0:54.4392
|
-
|
|
2
|
14
|
Matt
Fitzgerald
|
Dallara
F398
|
0:54.7357
|
0:00.2965
|
|
3
|
8
|
James
Manderson
|
Dallara
F301
|
0:54.9577
|
0:00.5185
|
|
4
|
22
|
Chris
Coombs
|
Dallara
F395/6
|
0:56.4237
|
0:01.9845
|
|
5
|
12
|
John
Boothman
|
Dallara
F396
|
0:57.0426
|
0:02.6034
|
|
6
|
50
|
James
Cressey
|
Dallara
F398
|
0:58.1806
|
0:03.7414
|
|
7
|
37
|
Rod
Anderson
|
Reynard
893
|
0:58.1914
|
0:03.7522
|
|
8
|
9
|
Jeffrey
Brewer
|
Dallara
F396
|
0:59.7184
|
0:05.2792
|
|
9
|
7
|
Paul
Stephenson
|
Dallara
F396
|
0:59.8155
|
0:05.3763
|
|
10
|
35
|
Bill
Maddocks
|
Dallara
F389
|
0:59.9870
|
0:05.5478
|
|
11
|
34
|
Paul
Trengove
|
Dallara
F390
|
1:00.0407
|
0:05.6015
|
|
12
|
15
|
Mike
Beeley
|
Dallara
F398
|
1:00.3404
|
0:05.9012
|
|
 |
|
Pos
|
Car
#
|
Driver
|
Vehicle
|
Fastest
Lap
|
Gap
|
|
1
|
14
|
Matt
Fitzgerald
|
Dallara
F398
|
0:54.5439
|
-
|
|
2
|
4
|
Darren
Palmer
|
Dallara
F301
|
0:54.8378
|
0:00.2939
|
|
3
|
8
|
James
Manderson
|
Dallara
F301
|
0:54.8490
|
0:00.3051
|
|
4
|
50
|
James
Cressey
|
Dallara
F398
|
0:55.4299
|
0:00.8860
|
|
5
|
7
|
Paul
Stephenson
|
Dallara
F396
|
0:55.7787
|
0:01.2348
|
|
6
|
22
|
Chris
Coombs
|
Dallara 395/96
|
0:56.3448
|
0:01.8009
|
|
7
|
12
|
John
Boothman
|
Dallara
F396
|
0:56.4459
|
0:01.9020
|
|
8
|
6
|
Glenn
Coombs
|
Dallara 395/96
|
0:56.8553
|
0:02.3114
|
|
9
|
21
|
Graeme
Holmes
|
Dallara 395/96
|
0:57.3640
|
0:02.8201
|
|
10
|
37
|
Rod
Anderson
|
Reynard
893
|
0:58.2159
|
0:03.6720
|
|
11
|
9
|
Jeffrey
Brewer
|
Dallara
F396
|
0:58.2355
|
0:03.6916
|
|
12
|
35
|
Bill
Maddocks
|
Dallara
F389
|
0:59.1737
|
0:04.6298
|
|
13
|
34
|
Paul
Trengove
|
Dallara
F390
|
0:59.9596
|
0:05.4157
|
|
 |
|
Pos
|
Car
#
|
Driver
|
Vehicle
|
Fastest
Lap
|
Gap
|
|
1
|
8
|
James
Manderson
|
Dallara
F301
|
0:53.6900
|
-
|
|
2
|
14
|
Matt
Fitzgerald
|
Dallara
F398
|
0:53.8937
|
0:00.2037
|
|
3
|
4
|
Darren
Palmer
|
Dallara
F301
|
0:54.1593
|
0:00.4693
|
|
4
|
50
|
James
Cressey
|
Dallara
F398
|
0:54.3408
|
0:00.6508
|
|
5
|
22
|
Chris
Coombs
|
Dallara 395/96
|
0:55.2591
|
0:01.5691
|
|
6
|
15
|
Mike
Beeley
|
Dallara
F398
|
0:55.4328
|
0:01.7428
|
|
7
|
7
|
Paul
Stephenson
|
Dallara
F396
|
0:55.5812
|
0:01.8912
|
|
8
|
6
|
Glenn
Coombs
|
Dallara 395/96
|
0:55.9453
|
0:02.2553
|
|
9
|
21
|
Graeme
Holmes
|
Dallara 395/96
|
0:56.7682
|
0:03.0782
|
|
10
|
12
|
John
Boothman
|
Dallara
F396
|
0:56.9821
|
0:03.2921
|
|
11
|
34
|
Paul
Trengove
|
Dallara
F390
|
0:57.0782
|
0:03.3882
|
|
12
|
9
|
Jeffrey
Brewer
|
Dallara
F396
|
0:57.3937
|
0:03.7037
|
|
13
|
37
|
Rod
Anderson
|
Reynard
893
|
0:58.5770
|
0:04.8870
|
|
14
|
35
|
Bill
Maddocks
|
Dallara
F389
|
1:00.0737
|
0:06.3837
|
|
 |
|
Pos
|
Car
#
|
Driver
|
Vehicle
|
Fastest
Lap
|
Gap
|
|
1
|
50
|
James
Cressey
|
Dallara
F398
|
0:54.2733
|
-
|
|
2
|
8
|
James
Manderson
|
Dallara
F301
|
0:54.2890
|
0:00.0157
|
|
3
|
14
|
Matt
Fitzgerald
|
Dallara
F398
|
0:54.3467
|
0:00.0734
|
|
4
|
7
|
Paul
Stephenson
|
Dallara
F396
|
0:55.2761
|
0:01.0028
|
|
5
|
4
|
Darren
Palmer
|
Dallara
F301
|
0:55.3361
|
0:01.0628
|
|
6
|
21
|
Graeme
Holmes
|
Dallara 395/96
|
0:55.8394
|
0:01.5661
|
|
7
|
6
|
Glenn
Coombs
|
Dallara 395/96
|
0:55.8511
|
0:01.5778
|
|
8
|
15
|
Mike
Beeley
|
Dallara
F398
|
0:55.8921
|
0:01.6188
|
|
9
|
22
|
Chris
Coombs
|
Dallara 395/96
|
0:56.3901
|
0:02.1168
|
|
10
|
12
|
John
Boothman
|
Dallara
F396
|
0:56.7188
|
0:02.4455
|
|
11
|
34
|
Paul
Trengove
|
Dallara
F390
|
0:57.4651
|
0:03.1918
|
|
12
|
9
|
Jeffrey
Brewer
|
Dallara
F396
|
0:57.7278
|
0:03.4545
|
|
13
|
37
|
Rod
Anderson
|
Reynard
893
|
0:58.8973
|
0:04.6240
|
|
14
|
35
|
Bill
Maddocks
|
Dallara
F389
|
0:59.2891
|
0:05.0158
|
|
 |
|
Pos
|
Car
#
|
Driver
|
Vehicle
|
|
1
|
8
|
James
Manderson
|
Dallara
F301
|
|
2
|
14
|
Matt
Fitzgerald
|
Dallara
F398
|
|
3
|
50
|
James
Cressey
|
Dallara
F396
|
|
4
|
15
|
Mike
Beeley
|
Dallara
F398
|
|
5
|
4
|
Darren
Palmer
|
Dallara
F301
|
|
6
|
6
|
Glenn
Coombs
|
Dallara
F395/96
|
|
7
|
22
|
Chris
Coombs
|
Dallara
F395/6
|
|
8
|
12
|
John
Boothman
|
Dallara
F396
|
|
9
|
37
|
Rod
Anderson
|
Reynard
893
|
|
10
|
9
|
Jeffrey
Brewer
|
Dallara
F396
|
|
DNF
|
34
|
Paul
Trengove
|
Dallara
F390
|
|
DNF
|
35
|
Bill
Maddocks
|
Dallara
F389
|
|
DNF
|
7
|
Paul
Stephenson
|
Dallara
F396
|
|
DNF
|
21
|
Graeme
Holmes
|
Dallara
F395/96
|
|
 |
|
Pos
|
Car
#
|
Driver
|
Vehicle
|
|
1
|
50
|
James
Cressey
|
Dallara
F396
|
|
2
|
8
|
James
Manderson
|
Dallara
F301
|
|
3
|
4
|
Darren
Palmer
|
Dallara
F301
|
|
4
|
12
|
John
Boothman
|
Dallara
F396
|
|
5
|
9
|
Jeffrey
Brewer
|
Dallara
F396
|
|
6
|
22
|
Chris
Coombs
|
Dallara
F395/96
|
|
7
|
37
|
Rod
Anderson
|
Reynard
893
|
|
8
|
35
|
Bill
Maddocks
|
Dallara
F389
|
|
DNF
|
6
|
Glenn
Coombs
|
Dallara
F395/96
|
|
DNF
|
7
|
Paul
Stephenson
|
Dallara
F396
|
|
DNF
|
14
|
Matt
Fitzgerald
|
Dallara
F398
|
|
DNF
|
21
|
Graeme
Holmes
|
Dallara
F395/96
|
|
DNF
|
15
|
Mike
Beeley
|
Dallara
F398
|
|
Paul's Symmons Plains Gallery
|
