Renato Loberto and his crew at Top Gear Live succeeded in staging a great show at the Melbourne Showgrounds.
They built a 1.52km, purpose-built track that snaked through the streets and buildings of the Showgrounds.
With over 20 corners, ranging from the daunting and car wrecking Turn 2, to the tight and technical ‘Woodchop’ and ‘Town Square’, all the drivers agreed it was intimidating and challenging, but fun. The track was lined on both sides by a continuous ribbon of steel armco and the entry to each corner appeared in the drivers view as "a hole in the wall".
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120 cars faced-off, including an Indy car, a Radical SR3 RS, Mygale Formula Ford, Porsche GT3, Ferrari F430 Scuderia, Lamborghini Gallardo GT3, Lotus Exige S Cup, Elfin MS8 Clubman, 250 International Superkart and 'THE' Evo X from hell.
The Hyper PRO Racer made it's track debut in spectacular style.
OUTRIGHT FASTEST - Long Track (1.5km)
The PRO Racer, finished outright fastest car on the TOP GEAR long circuit on Friday
THIRD FASTEST - Short Track (1.2km)
On Friday night the track was shortened due to programming constraints and after three more days of fierce competition and a final David and Goliath showdown, the PRO Racer finished a stunning third behind a Radical SR3 RS and an Evo X.
The PRO Racer was the fastest car on two of the four days and the only car to finish in the top three on all four days.
There is not much more to say about the PRO Racer at TOP GEAR other than punching above its weight, it ran faultlessly all weekend and apart from checking tyre pressures each morning, it was four days of chatting with the public, fellow drivers and pushing the starter button before each race.
Garth Walden, eventual winner of the short circuit competition and one of the top Radical steerers in the country, got off to a slow start, mindful of the fact that the $120,000 Radical wasn't his car and it had to race at Eastern Creek the next weekend. But he eventually relaxed and ended up driving it like he stole it.
Peter Gazzard finished 2nd on the short track. What can you say - this is a man who knows the meaning of total commitment. Locking up his diffs and turning up the boost, Peter hurled his 375kW, 1200Nm, 4-wheel drive, plastic bodied EVO X around the steel canyons, re-shaping both sides of the car by bouncing off the fences to go just 3/10ths quicker than the Hyper.
Top Gear on-board video
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TOP GEAR RESULTS
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LONG CIRCUIT - Day 1
Final Results.
1. Hyper PRO Racer. Dean Crooke. 1:19.50
2. Formula SAE. Stefan Millard. 1:20.95
3. Formula Ford - Mygale. Trent Harrison. 1:21.65
0. Lotus Exige. Mark O'Conner. 1:22.96
0. Evo X RS - TRM . Dean Evans. 1:23.28
0. Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Luke Youlden. 1:23.95
0. Superkart 250cc International. Greg Bass. 1:28.23
On Friday night it was decided to shorten the circuit for the remainder of the event.
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SHORT CIRCUIT - Day 2 / 3 / 4
Final Results.
1. Radical SR3 RS. Garth Walden. 54.17
2. Evo X. Peter Gazzard. 54.90.
3. Hyper PRO Racer. Dean Crooke. 55.26
0. Superkart 250cc International. Greg Bass. 56.01
0. Lotus Exige. Mark O'Conner. 57.91
0. Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Luke Youlden. 1:00.42
0. Formula Ford - Mygale. Trent Harrison. 1:05.01
Day 2 Saturday. Short circuit.
1. Evo X 0:55.82
2. 250cc International Superkart 0:56.01
3. Hyper PRO Racer 0:56.28
Day 3 Sunday. Short circuit.
1. Hyper PRO Racer 0:55.26
2. Radical SR3 RS 0:55.28
3. Evo X 0:55.95
Day 4 Monday. Short circuit.
1. Radical SR3 RS 0:54.17
2. Evo X 0:54.90
3. Hyper PRO Racer 0:55.52
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