2011 TM Lights Round of Australia

The 2011 TM Lights Round of Australia was the fourth of six races on the TM Lights South Division schedule. It was held at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit near Melbourne, Australia.

Summary
Lorne Roth started on the pole with Adam Purcell, the hometown boy, on the outside. They both are side by side for mostly half the track on the first lap until Purcell passes Roth for the lead. The No. 94 car of Nico Wechsler has an engine problem before the start and holds up most of the field, but everyone ends up unscathed. Also, Mike Andrews in the No. 58 has a massive off up the hayshed after getting shoved off by Troy Adams, but recovers and gets back on track.

Brian Morris in the No. 54 had the fastest lap, started 13th, moved all the way up to fourth by Lap 5, and passes Cesar Villa Nova in the No. 88 for third. Brooke Ingwersen had to pit on the same lap for a flat tire, but pit strategy was also a factor in this race.

Morris moves up to second, passing Roth on Lap 7. On the next lap, he passes Purcell for the lead of the race. Morris moved to the lead in eight laps. Jim Hayes then pits for a flat tire.

On Lap 13, Troy Griffith in the No. 70 got around Axel Andersson in the No. 997 for fifth. Andersson had been in the top five all race so far.

Kyle Schmulewitz in the No. 12 had some of the fastest laps going around the half-way mark.

Taylor Brillon has to pit on Lap 15 for a flat tire.

Andersson pits for a flat tire on Lap 17 after running in the top 10 all race.

Morris runs into Ingwersen, who is about to go a lap down, and gets around her with no problem. But Ingwersen is running just as fast as both Morris and Purcell, so she slips in between the two.

On Lap 20, Adams has his motor blow, a bad day for the hometown driver. Hayes is also caught up by Morris, Ingwersen and Purcell, but isn't up to speed with them and is lapped easily.

Schmulewitz makes it up to third by Lap 21 after starting 18th.

Kristian Jeffries pits on Lap 22 after also running in the top 10 all race.

Roth pits coming to three laps to go, letting himself out of a top 5 spot, but wait: Villa Nova and Raul Bianchi also pit.

Coming to two laps to go, all the leaders pit, but Purcell comes out in front of Morris. Morris, after leading the most laps, elected to change tires but Purcell, who took fuel only, gets out in front. Morris falls back several spots by doing this.

Billy Bob Childers stays out and takes the lead and pits coming to the white flag. Kirk Sigurd was in second until his engine blew with two laps to go. Villa Nova gets held up by Sigurd stopping in the middle of the track.

Purcell goes on to win the race in his home country, Schmulewitz comes home second and Jeffries, who pitted earlier in the race, came third.

The top 10

 * For the full results, click here.

Points

 * For the complete points standings, click here.

Lorne Roth leads the divisional standings by 40 points over Brooke Ingwersen. He also holds the overall points lead by five over Chris Davenport.