SARGENT SCORES BATHURST 6 HOUR CLASS WIN

Tom Sargent has continued his undefeated start to the 2021 motor racing season, scoring a hard-fought class win at the Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour on the weekend, driving alongside Lachlan Mineeff in the CHE Racing Toyota 86.

       After qualifying second in Class D and 43rd overall, both drivers recorded fast and consistent laps over the course of the race.
 

       Due to the large number of cars, the race was interrupted by a total of 11 Safety Car interventions, but these worked to the advantage of Sargent, Mineeff and the CHE team, who were able to leap-frog their main rivals with some smart strategic calls.
 

       As a result, they secured the class win and also fought their way to an outstanding 15th outright, beating home some much faster and more powerful cars.
 

       “That was an unbelievable day, to get the class win is one thing but to come home 15th outright is incredible," Sargent said.
 

       "It’s a huge testament to the work put in by Lachlan, our team manager Cameron Hill and the rest of the crew to make the right calls throughout the day.
 

“Lachlan and I were driving the best we could, but Cameron made some fantastic decisions about when to make our pit stops, and that was what ultimately gave us such a fantastic result.”
 

       The Bathurst 6 Hour was contested by a massive field of almost 60 cars, and Sargent said it was one of the most mentally challenging races he had ever done.
 

“In Formula Ford, we normally have 20 to 30 cars that are all fairly close in terms of speed, but with all the different classes in the 6 Hour, there is a huge amount of traffic and big speed differences between the cars.
 

       “It was mentally draining, especially trying to find the right spots to let the faster cars pass us without compromising our own race.
 

“You want to be courteous to the faster cars but at the same time,  you’re trying to focus on your own battles as well. I spent a lot of time looking in my mirrors!”
 

With the 6 Hour class win under his belt, Sargent’s focus now turns back to his Formula Ford campaign.
 

“We’ve had a dream start to the season and I can’t wait to be back in the Formula Ford next month,” he said.
 

 The next round of the Victorian Formula Ford Championship is at Phillip Island on 15-16 May, followed by Round 2 of the Australian Formula Ford Championship at Wakefield Park on 21-23 May.