Best takes Race 2, Allen wins 150th Super2 round

A Zak Best overtake has denied Kai Allen a Dunlop Series sweep at the NTI Townsville 500, with the teenager winning Super2's 150th round.

Best, the Super2 points leader, stalked Allen for the majority of the race and took the lead prior on the 22nd lap to claim what proved a race-winning lead.

The Benalla driver was unchallenged to the chequered flag after a late Safety Car, but Allen — Saturday’s winner — won the round.

Allen thus had the honour of winning the 150th Super2 round, which was the first round win for the Mount Gambier teenager.

Best led home Allen and Zane Morse, who secured his first top three race finish and round podium in the development series.

It was Best’s first win since Race 2 in Newcastle, the fifth of his Super2 career, and his second in Townsville.

Brad Vaughan came home fourth for Tickford Racing ahead of Walkinshaw Andretti United’s Ryan Wood, with Cooper Murray sixth.

Murray, however, is under investigation over his role in the early race incident that saw Aaron Love crash through Turn 10.

Love was forced into retirement with front-end damage after colliding with Murray through the fast right-hand sweeper.

Allen led away from pole position ahead of Best, with Super3 driver Cameron McLeod making a lightning start into third.

McLeod was picked off by Morse, Vaughan and Wood on the second lap, but would only lose one more position to Murray in the race.

Three-generation racer McLeod came home an impressive seventh, some seven positions ahead of closest Super3 rival Jobe Stewart.

Allen bolted into a 1.1s lead over Best as he aimed to secure a second win in as many days, but Best — a two-time series runner-up — kept the #26 within reach.

The more Allen and Best jousted, the closer Morse got, with the three cars almost line astern in the final minutes of the race.

On the 22nd lap, Best pounced on Allen at Turn 2, with the latter forced to defend from Morse as the Anderson Ford motored by.

However, that was how they finished once the race was neutralised when Super3 driver Chris Smerdon parked up at the Turn 2 run-off area.

Smerdon’s Commodore dropped oil, which caught out Lochie Dalton and Aaron Seton, who dropped to 15th and 17th.

Jay Hanson came home eighth ahead of WAU driver Zach Bates, with Matt Chahda rounding out the top 10.

Best retained the points lead, with Allen jumping Eggleston teammate Murray into third. Best is 66 points ahead of Allen, with Murray a further 18 points down.

The Dunlop Series will resume at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 on September 15-17.