Last round of the 2022 calendar has been run and won at Lakeside Park.
Production Utes
The last round of the year and it came down to the very last lap of the last race of the day to decide the 2022 championship. Danny Ford came into the last round holding a 44point lead over the Au Falcon of Peter Clarke for the title.
Danny Ford suffered an engine issue in his BA falcon in round 5 at Qld raceway and Brendan Exner came to party with his production ute as the rent a ute for Danny in round 6. The equation was pretty simple, Danny just needed to finish 5 races without dropping 45 points to Peter in the AU Falcon and Peter needed to finish in front of Danny and needed just a little bit of luck.
In the first 2 races all was going to plan and Danny Ford was doing enough to hang on the title lead, however Peter Clarke was finishing ahead and clawing back the points. Meanwhile John Young in the VZ Holden was winning every race up front. Todd Black in his very first Ute racing hit out in the AU falcon of Mick McCloud was having a great drive but suffered overheating issues later in the day. Craig Kasper in the VU commodore had his hand firmly on 3rd place spot for 2022 and despite a smack in the wall in qualifying was doing what he needed to do to hang on.
Day 2 it came down to the last 3 races. John Young continued winning up front and Danny and Peter battled for 2nd and 3rd spots for the weekend.
Race 4 had Danny rip the shifter clean out the gearbox mid race and managed somehow to find a gear, being 5th and finished the race. Giving Peter more points.
Race 5 This was it, for the championship Danny just needed to finish and Peter needed a bit of luck ( a Danny DNF would do it). Then on the starting grid the heavens opened up with a well-timed Qld thunderstorm, so off for the last time in 2022 the utes rolled out.
Danny, John Young and Brendan Exner raced nose to tail all race, Peter decided to hang back and hope for the best with the weather. With 1 lap to go Danny lost a tyre with almost a full lap to complete on a very wet track. Danny battled with the BA for what may have been the slowest lap on record for the Utes at Lakeside and rolled over the finish line but only just, another lap and it would have been over for his title.
Danny Ford takes the 2022 championship, Peter Clarke in 2nd and Craig Kasper in his rookie year takes 3rd. John Young took out the round win. Peter in 2nd and Danny in 3rd.
Great season of racing. Will be back in 2023 for another big season. V8 report to come.
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