Posted : 23/02/2009

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After 12 hours, 1488km and 239 laps, the 2009 WPS Bathurst 12 Hour endurance race has been won by 2008 Bathurst 12 Hour champions Rod Salmon, Damien White, and new driver Tony Longhurst in a TMR-prepared Skwirk Mitsubishi Evo X.

It’s a decisive win for Team Mitsubishi Ralliart, which dominated the top of the leaderboard with both of its Lancer Evolution X entries, and finished in first and second place respectively, and making up an Evolution X 1-2-3 on the 2009 podium.

Their team mates, the TMR Evo X of Tony Ricciardello, Glyn Crimp and Stuart Kostera, battled until the final hour when White began to pull away. The race was won by 6.4 seconds.

This is the first back-to-back production car 12 hour endurance win since the Mazda RX-7 victory in 1994.

ROD SALMON
“It’s one of the most spectacular results I could hope for, and the TMR Skwirk Evo X has been faultless. The team, Tony and Damien,I’ve gotta take my hat off to them, and what a legend Damian is. That last hour, to deal with all the pressure, that’s why they call him the Iceman!

“We came here and knew what we wanted to do, and it’s a big ask to win once – to win twice is a real fairytale, a dream come true.”

TONY LONGHURST
“I’m happy, and proud to be a part of the team,” said Longhurst.I knew I was hopping into the best car out there, and it was proved today.”

DAMIEN WHITE
“When I clocked the third 2:30sec time in the final hour, I knew we had it,” said White. “The TMR team, the Skwirk Mitsubishi Evo X, Rod and Longhurst, it was a great team effort and a fantastic ride. It’s been a fascinating contest and the Skwirk Evo did not miss a beat.

“And with the other TMR Evo in second place, full credit must go to Alan Heaphy and team.”

ALAN HEAPHY, TMR
“How much better can you get? The 12 Hour win and the second-fastest lap time with one car, and second place and the lap record with the other,” said Heaphy.

“We came here in the early 90s with the Nissan GT-Rs and blitzed them, and we’ve done the same now with the Evo X. Brilliant.”

2009 WPS Bathurst 12 hour
Final results (race time: 12hr:00m:05.9s)

1 R.Salmon/T.Longhurst/D.White, Evo X, 239 laps
2 G.Crimp/T.Ricciardello/S.Kostera, Evo X
3 J.Bargwana/S.Knight/B.Jones, Evo X
4 D.Wall/D.Wall/T.Symonds, Evo IX
5 B.Morcom/L.Searle/P.Stubber, BMW 335i
6 S.Jones/K.Wade/A.Caratti, Evo IX
7 S.Briffa/M.Zukanovic/T.Sipp, HSV Clubsport R8
8 G.Holt/P.Morris/R.Shaw, BMW 335i
9 G.Walden/B.Walden/M.Auld, Holden Commodore SS
10 T.Leahey/P.Hill/E.Bana, Evo X

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