Buzadzic wins another photo finish

By Thomas Miles

Date posted: 15 September 2024

For the second time in 2024 Danny Buzadzic has won a photo finish in the Duggan Family Hotels Touring Car Masters after a defensive masterclass against Adam Garwood at Sandown.

A brilliant start put Buzadzic in charge in the interrupted 10-lap race, but championship leader and round winner Garwood pushed hard in the closing stages in attempt to snatch the win.

After the Torana driver got his elbows out, Garwood tried to out drag the leader to the chequered flag, but fell a tenth short in a photo finish.

Buzadzic gained track position with a storming start getting past pole sitter Zukanovic to swoop around the outside and into the lead, while the field safely went through the opening complex despite a number of lockups led by Lance Hughes.

This left the XB Falcon to run side by side with Garwood down the back straight and the ZB Commodore won the drag race for second.

Only one flying lap was possible before a pair of Toranas crunched at the opening corner.

Kiwi Lance Hughes had a huge lock up and could not slow his Torana, which was on a direct collision course with an unlucky Pollicina.

Hughes hit the left rear of Pollicina, who was lucky not to roll before the heavily damaged Holdens were beached in the gravel.

A long Safety Car was required to clean up the incident and only four and a half minutes of racing was possible once things resumed.

Zukanovic got a flying restart and blazed past Garwood before the braking zone as Buzadzic struggled to get away.

In response Garwood tried to sail past all of them around the outside, but could not make the opening corner and speared off.

Despite the moment Garwood held onto second, which ensured he could have another crack at the leading Torana.

The Commodore hounded the back of the Allan Grice retro liveried under braking at Turns 4 and 9, but could not quite get close enough.

Behind them Jamie Tilley, Heinrich and Hansford were having a fierce exchange for fifth which resulted in the Whiteline Racing Camaro going off at Dandenong Road.

Buzadzic was able to open a critical car length ahead of the final lap and he needed it.

Garwood did his best to have a peak through the final five corners, but the Torana was perfectly placed to deny any opportunity.

It all came down the final corner as Garwood was forced to

make a desperate look on the exit of the final turn and set up a drag race.

The Commodore pulled out of the Torana’s slipstream, but fell a tenth short.

Despite being second best on the track, Garwood still won the round and grew his championship lead.

Image: James Smith Photographer

Duggan Family Hotels Touring Car Masters Race 3 results

2024 Sandown 500

Practice 1: 1: C. Waters 1:08.7478 2: C. Mostert +0.1445 3: D. Reynolds +0.1834

Practice 2: 1: S. Pye 1:08.8398 2: D. Fraser +0.0780 3: D. O’Keeffe +0.0785

Practice 3: 1: J. Le Brocq 1:08.2772 2: W. Brown +0.0394 3: A. Heimgartner +0.1377

Practice 4: 1: R. Stanaway 1:14.4910 2: B. Feeney +0.0361 3: L. Holdsworth +0.0422

Practice 5: 1: W. Brown 1:13.0865 2: R. Stanaway +0.1550 3: M. Payne +0.1586

Qualifying: 1: B. Feeney 1:12.8980 2: C. Mostert +0.0404 3: M. Payne +0.0879

Top 10 Shootout: 1: W. Brown 1:10.2549 2: C. Waters +0.0647 3: A. De Pasquale +0.1015

Warm up: Sun 9.55

Race: Sun 14.05 161 laps

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