24^th March, 2002
Australian Super Truck Racing Championship
Oran Park - Round One

Season-opening cleanup by Tulloch

  Round One of the Australian Super Truck Racing Championship belonged without question to 2000 and 2001 champion Ian "Inky" Tulloch.

Dominating the event by winning the Top Gun shootout overall as well as taking all three ensuing races, the New Zealander’s nearest rival was Luke Sieders in the MAN while Ken Lusty took out the Light Truck honours from Graham Spencer and Matt Aaron.

Top Gun Shootout
The top six from qualifying lined up for three two lap races with reigning champ Tulloch storming off to a clear-cut win in the first. Rodney Crick's Volvo made a good start and held off the MAN of Luke Sieders to the flag while the Kenworth of Frank Amoroso and Barry Butwell in a Scania followed.

Tulloch came from the second row at the start of race two to grab the lead into the first corner and not be challenged from that point. Sieders shot down the inside of the leading bunch to assume second and then held off a determined Crick for the remainder.

Crick was off the front for the third encounter and led comfortably at the end of lap one as Tulloch battled through to second. The Kiwi challenged for the lead in the closing stages but fell short by two tenths of a second.

Super Truck Racing Championship, Race One
Tulloch was an easy winner of the first heat of round one, his job becoming that much easier when arch rival Rodney Crick had a turbo hose let go as his Volvo left the start line.

Luke Sieders took up the forlorn chase, not able to make an impression and took second place. The Kenworth of Frank Amoroso and Tulloch's team mate Bob Middleton (White Aero) battle for third throughout the race with Amoroso taking it by a narrow margin.

Behind them came Nigel Valois in a Kenworth and Dave Pitman's new Mack. Leading the Light Trucks home was Matt Aaron from class competitors Ken Lusty and Graham Spencer, all in Isuzus.

Super Truck Racing Championship, Race Two
Despite starting from the back of the field, Tulloch won the second part of the opening round.

While Crick's Volvo headed the field from the end of the opening lap, Tulloch was hindered in his bid to catch the leader as he had to battle past Luke Sieders in his MAN. It took six laps for Tulloch to win that battle, which by that stage was the lead decider, as Crick was forced out of winning contention by mechanical problems.

Tulloch took a decisive win with Sieders a comfortable second ahead of a fierce duel for third where the Kenworth of Frank Amoroso held off Bob Middleton in the White Aero. Next was Nigel Valois, his Kenworth clear of the Ford Cargo of Gavin Manning, the Light Truck winning Isuzu of Ken Lusty, the new Mack of Barry Butwell and Graham Spencer's Isuzu.

Super Truck Racing Championship, Superprix
The final part of the opening round of the ASTRC was again a Tulloch benefit. Whilst he spent most of the race trying to pass the MAN of Luke Sieders, once he did so, he cruised on to take a handy lead in his bid for a third title in a row.

With local favourite Rodney Crick falling out of points contention early, Sieders was left to carry the flag and take second position as Tulloch team mate Bob Middleton finished third ahead of the Kenworth of Bob Middleton and the Light Truck Isuzus of Ken Lusty and Graham Spencer.

Results Race One (10 laps)

Results Race Two (10 laps) Reverse Grid

Results Race Three (13 laps) Superprix Reverse Grid