Natrad Racing driver Bryce Washington has closed to within four points of the Australian GT Championship points lead following a hat-trick of race wins at Queensland Raceway on Sunday. Washington, 22, drove his Natrad Racing Lamborghini Gallardo to three commanding race victories – his third, fourth and fifth in a row this season – after taking pole position by almost a full second.

Washington’s 500hp V10 Gallardo beat Danish ace Allan Simonsen to the line in race one by just over two seconds before holding on to win race two despite a late race scare – when the cars gearshift selection refused to work – when David Wall closed to within three tenths at the line. Rebounding well, the Natrad driver went on to win the third race by four seconds to complete a perfect weekend that also included a new Queensland Raceway GT Championship lap record – a storming 1m11.6923s – in the first race.

At the mid way point of the Australian GT Championship Washington now trails series leader Simonsen by just four points. “It’s been a fantastic weekend,” Washington said. ”Qualifying was fantastic. I was able to get a clear lap and put a good lap together. It was a great feeling but I was a bit surprised that Allan and David weren’t closer to us. Race two was quite dramatic at the end because the car ran into problems with the Gear Selection and the ABS. I was taking it pretty easy lapping some cars and the thing just slowed up. Fortunately I was able to bring the car home in front which was great. ”In the third race I went out hard early to build up as big a margin as possible in case the problem came back. It didn’t and I got the win which is brilliant.” He enthused.

Washington said that he was similarly pleased to right back in the championship fight at the half-way point of the series. "Obviously the year didn’t start brilliantly for us," Bryce said. "At A1GP the Porsche wasn’t competitive and at Clipsal we were still working out the Lambo and trying to get it on the money. “At Bathurst it all came together and from there it’s been fantastic. The guys at Natrad Racing have done an awesome job so all credit to them. There is still more to come from the car, I don’t think we’ve got the most out if it, so the second half of the year should be great.” He warned.

The biggest disappointment of the event was the practice accident between Ian Palmer (Lamborghini Gallardo GT3) and Kevin Miller (Ferrari 430) that put both machines out for the weekend, when Miller spun and Palmer had no-where to go resulting in an head on collision.

As for highlights there were plenty to supplement Washington’s sparkling performance with the drive of John Kaias (Aston Martin DBRS9) being foremost among them. Kaias drove in brilliant style to debut the car in Australia and was well supported by Aston Martin Australia and Aston Martin customers who had travelled to Queensland from all over Australia to see the “James Bond” machine perform.
 

Kaias finished with two fourth places and third and showed the potential of the English thoroughbred against the might of the Lamborghini, Ferrari and Porsche brigades. Washington’s winning spree began in qualifying with him taking pole position from the Porsche GT3 RSR of David Wall with Simonsen (Ferrari 360 GT) third fastest, followed by John Kaias (Aston Martin DBRS9), and the Lotus Elise of Peter Lucas - five different marques in the top five of qualifying says it all about the growing strength of the Australian GT Championship.

Washington’s race 1 win also saw him set a new lap record at Queensland raceway for the category stopping the clocks at 1: 11.6923 with Simonsen in second and Wall coming home third, followed by the Kaias Aston in fourth. The safety car was deployed twice during the race as a result of ‘offs’ by Iain Sherrin (Porsche GT3 Cup Car) and Angelo Lazaris who was giving his Lotus Exige GT3 its maiden race. Jon Trende (Porsche GT3 Cup Car) and Blake Lynn (Porsche GT3) also had a ‘coming together’ in the incident packed affair resulting in Trende failing to finish. Race two wasn’t as easy for Washington’s Gallardo as both gear selection and ABS brake issues
gave him plenty to think about, but he scored the victory ahead of Wall, Simonsen, Kaias, and Sven Burchartz (Porsche GT3). In Race 3, Washington didn’t have any car problems and came home in front of Wall, Kaias, and Simonsen who encountered gearbox problems towards the end of the 15 lap affair.

Others encountering problems over the weekend included Paul Bolinowsky (gearbox and drive shaft issues in the Porsche GT3), Gary Dann (oil leak that prevented him from qualifying in the Porsche GT3 Cup Car), and John Teulan (electronic problems in the Ferrari 430). While the heat was certainly on at the front, the same intensity also applied in the Porsche Drivers Challenge with Damien Flack holding on to the Championship lead after Round 4, but now being challenged by Sven Burchartz (Porsche GT3) and Max Twigg (Porsche GT3 Cup Car) battling it out with Gary Dann (Porsche GT3 Cup Car).

The Australian GT Championship will take a two-month hiatus over the winter before returning to action at the high speed Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Victoria, in late August. (August 11-12).

2007 Australian GT Championship Positions (after 4 of 8 rounds): 1. Allan Simonsen Ferrari 360 (394); 2. Bryce Washington Lamborghini Gallardo (390); 3. David Wall Porsche GT3 RSR (356); 4. Damien Flack Porsche GT3 Cup Car (202); 5. Peter Lucas Lotus Elise (195.5)