Garassino and Mogotsi share victory of thriller Mugello SA simHTC season opener

Ichor Racing RSA’s Lance Garassino and Revlimit Racing’s Jonathan Mogotsi shared victories of the 2016 SA simHTC opening round at Mugello.

The start to the 19 car strong first race saw a thriller six-corner side by side battle between pole-position starter Mogotsi and Garassino until Garassino finally made the pass permanent at Casanova (turn six).

The battle for third position proved a hotly contested affair, Revlimit Racing’s Jason Absmeier came under attack from Ichor Racing’s Chris Browne. Browne enjoyed a good drive onto the main straight to see him run side by side with Absmeier only to out-brake himself at San Donato (first corner) to drop down four positions behind AGBS’s Gert James. Soon afterwards Bryson and Holden-Jones closed to Absmeier to make it a three-way battle for third. Within three laps, Holden-Jones made his way passed both of them, passing Bryson at Scarperia and Absmeier at Luco. Browne did well to fight his way back up to fourth before race end.

A mistake by Garassino on the very last corner of the race allowed Mogotsi to run side by side with him to the finish line. Garassino won race one by just 0.007 of a second. Holden-Jones completed the podium.

At the front the roles were reversed for race two with Garassino this time beating Mogotsi to pole position. Mogotsi, however, was soon back to the front after passing Garassino at Bucine at the end of lap one. From lap two, Ichor Racing’s Brent Lindsay-Rae found himself defending his eighth position from Holden-Jones who in turn was coming under increasing pressure from James and HTC-AM class leader Team JVC’s Clifford Needell. Holden-Jones then fell back three position after running wide at San Donato. Lindsay-Rae went on to finish eighth in the end, four seconds ahead of James. HRT’s Mark Henebury enjoyed a better race two to see him fend off Bryson to earn an overall finishing position of sixth.

Mogotsi developed and controlled the gap back to Garassino to win race two by an impressive 13 seconds. Absmeier completed the podium.

In the HTC-AM class and after many changes for the race lead in both races, it was a double maiden victory for Team JVC’s Victer de Kock.

Garassino and Mogotsi will go into round 2 at Vallelunga, on 07 March 2016, level on Drivers’ Championship points. Revlimit Racing lead the Teams’ Championship by 20 points ahead of Ichor Racing.

Race 1 and 2 video:

Race 1 results:

Race 2 results:

Drivers’ Championship Standings

Teams’ Championship Standings