Qualifying is always relatively important in iRacing Special Events, even more so at Bathurst. So when Coanda Esports took pole, its race-winning odds certainly improved, even more so when its teammate got into second in the early laps.
It’s vital here because of trouble on the opening lap, which reared its head at the iRacing Bathurst 12 Hour for another year.
First, a concertina effect into the final turn of the formation lap sent two cars backwards before the race even began, and then a big smash at the cutting, taking out scores of cars from contention, only some of whom continued.
Coanda’s #018, which had taken pole, skipped out to an early two-second lead ahead of the first pitstop phase, with their teammates leading the group behind. It was such a cumbersome group that Dylan Birse, who spent the first hour embedded within it, took a short stop to get out ahead and lead the race by eight seconds.
Yet only 90 minutes into the race, a technical failure forced him to pull over on Conrod straight, handing the lead back to #018. However, their lead was short-lived too, as issues throughout the next pitstop phase put them out of the race, and the lead was handed off again to their teammates.
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