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<\/p>\n
Still with the bald R spec tyres on, he passed nine cars into turn one, picking off plenty more to be placed third after two laps and hunting down the leaders at over one second a lap faster.<\/p>\n
His stirring momentum was briefly halted with eight laps to go when the pace car was called for following a crash on the back straight.<\/p>\n
With the field bunched when the green flag fell, Gay stormed to the lead, setting the fastest lap of the race of 2.07.87 with a top speed of 242km\/h on that restart lap.<\/p>\n
Capping a stellar first full year of racing in the 86, he crossed the finish line 2.1 seconds clear of second-placed Linda Devlin in the blue turbo Mini and third-placed Jimbo Harris in the wild Bluebird to claim the final race of the year.<\/p>\n
An outright third series finish and second in class E was punctuated by four race wins, 12 podiums, several fastest laps and a round win to complete the championship.<\/p>\n
For Gay, it was an all-round performance that exceeded expectations.<\/p>\n
“I was the only one in the top six without slicks or aero\u2026it’s one of those things where I am a little hamstrung, but we are getting there,” he said.<\/p>\n
“But it was a ripper year.<\/p>\n
“Most of the other cars around me have been racing for five to 10 years and are all well-developed \u2013 we were doing it on the run.<\/p>\n
“But no doubt the highlight was that last race of the year; starting 19th and passing everyone to win was pretty cool, especially after an average day the day before.<\/p>\n
“An amazing way to end the series.”<\/p>\n
With the championships done and dusted, attention for Gay and his team will turn to 2026 and a tilt at some rounds of the compact series and the Victorian sports sedans, including Phillip Island and Sandown.<\/p>\n
Plans for the new year also include some dirt events in his WRX rally car, complete with a rebuilt engine.<\/p>\n
Gay said a highly successful 2025 campaign was made possible with the support of his family, friends and sponsors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
RICHARD Gay saved some of his best for last as the Victorian Motor Racing Championships came to a rip-roaring end at Calder Park Raceway last month. Rounding out a stellar season, Gay \u2013 representing the Ballarat Light Car Club \u2013 ended the series for sports compacts and two-litre sports sedans in overall third place. Competing […]<\/p>\n