Twin Victories for Padayachee and Porsche at SMP

May 7, 2021

Duvashen Padayachee has driven his Porsche 991 Carrera Cup car to a pair of race victories in Round 2 of the NSW Production Sports Car Championship at Sydney Motorsport Park on Sunday, fending off some high-quality opposition across the two half-hour minute races. The morning qualifying sessions were both closely contested, Andrew Macpherson taking pole position for Race A by a slender 0.1s margin in his Lamborghini Hurracan before Padayachee qualified on Race B pole by an even tinier 0.03s.

In Race 1, Padayachee took the lead initially, but Macpherson fought his way to the front shortly after a Safety Car interruption to retrieve the stalled Lotus of Glenn Townsend at Turn 2. However, Macpherson’s race was compromised when he was forced to make an unscheduled pit stop due to a rear wheel nut failure; Padayachee capitalised to take the win ahead of Geoff Morgan and Sergio Pires in an all-Porsche podium. The Class B victory in Race 1 when to Steve Wan (Lotus) ahead of Aaron Gabriel (Mazda RX7) and Andre Nader (BMW M4), while Macpherson was still able to win the GT class as a result of his main rival, Richard Gartner, also making a visit to pit lane in his Wall Racing Lamborghini Gallardo with a suspected flat tyre. Also worthy of mention was Dave Johnson, the sole Class F runner in a naturally-aspirated Mazda MX5 on treaded tyres, who finished 16th outright. Padayachee again took the early lead in Race 2, while a slow start for Macpherson saw his Lamborghini – a car not designed for standing starts – falling down the order. For the second race in a row, the Safety Car was deployed on the opening lap due to Geoff Morgan stopping at Turn 1 after contact with another car; shortly after the restart, Andres Lattore spun at Turn 1, necessitating a second Safety Car intervention.

When racing resumed, Padayachee held the lead ahead of his father Indiran in the second GWR Porsche; back in the pack Macpherson was on a charge, using the Lamborghini’s high levels of downforce to pull off some inspired overtaking moves on his rivals.

However, Macpherson’s charge was halted when he copped a tap from Paul Bassett on the approach to Turn 8, causing both cars to spin; an unamused Macpherson lost more than 40 seconds while he waited for a safe gap in the traffic and his chances of challenging for the win were blown.

Padayachee Jnr powered his way to a decisive victory, but while Padayachee Snr did his best to maintain the 1-2 running order for the GWR squad, he was ultimately overtaken by Caspar Tressider and Sergio Pires.

Class B honours went to Adrian Wilson, while Townsend finally enjoyed a change of fortune after his recent luckless run, bringing home his Lotus first in Class C and 11th outright.

The NSW Production Sports Car Championship will be back for Round 3 at Sydney Motorsport Park on 5 or 6 September.

Twin Victories for Padayachee and Porsche at SMP

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