Critical QR key to 2025 Radical title rumble

A CRITICAL third round of the First Focus Radical Cup Australia Series could see a turning point in the ongoing battle for title supremacy between Cooper Cutts and Peter Paddon this weekend in Queensland.

Returning to something of a neutral venue for the first time since 2023, Queensland Raceway will host the half-way round of a championship that to this point has been dominated by the duelling pair.

They’ve finished first and second in every one of the seven races contested so far, have locked out the front row at both rounds to date and have each claimed a round win; Paddon the first at Phillip Island and Cutts the second via a clean sweep at Sydney Motorsport Park earlier this month.

It’s the first time in series history that the first two places have been locked out by the same drivers in as many races in a row as that.

Cutts’ five wins to Paddon’s two ensures the young West Aussie leads aboard his Arise Racing entry, Paddon’s First Focus GWR car in second and the rest chasing the leading pair.

Queensland Raceway – very much neutral territory for both teams – could be a key round with the driver leaving the Sunshine State with the lead likely to become title favourite with just two rounds to follow.

Just 17 points separate the pair heading to Queensland this weekend following Cutts' dominant weekend in Sydney last time out, his fourth career round win.

Both drivers featured on the podium the last time the series visited Queensland, though the round was dominated by teenager Alex Gardner on his pathway to the 2023 title.

The stout Queensland field will likely see the chasing pack close on the two dominant drivers out front with the 3.2km circuit just outside of Ipswich notable for producing furiously close Radical competition.

Likely contenders this weekend include the dynamic duo of Chris Reindler and Bryce Moore, who sit third in the championship following a strong start to their joint campaign that has their #28 Arise Racing / Lance East Exotics entry third in the championship.

While fourth-placed Ruari Avern will be on the sidelines this weekend, looking to capitalise will be Radical Masters leader Brad Russell, who also sits fifth overall in the standings aboard his striking Arise entry.

Russell has claimed the Masters class in both rounds so far and holds a strong lead in his class, with Peter Clare and Terry Knowles – racing solo this year – in third.

Both Clare and Knowles have priors at Queensland Raceway and will be keen to eat into Russell’s handy lead this weekend.

Fast Victorian Zig Fuhrmeister will return for another crack this weekend, while the local hopes include Queenslanders Bill Medland and Jim Hernandes – driving for Arise Racing and Volante Rosso, respectively.

Sue Hughes – with her stunning new car performing well – will be joined by the returning Stephen Champion and Ibby Hadeed in the GWR stable this weekend, while Mark Cirillo and Dave Allan return as one of two, two-driver combinations locked in for the weekend.

The third round of First Focus Radical Cup Australia will see the series join the Shannons SpeedSeries GT Festival this weekend at Queensland Raceway.

It’s the third time the category will have competed at QR in its current form.

Last time, Alex Gardner claimed both races with Elliott Schutte and Cooper Cutts on the podium in race one, while Paddon and Schutte filled the top three in the second race.

Mitch Neilson holds the Radical SR3 lap record at the circuit, at 1m10.3777 set in 2022.

Following the Sydney event that saw four sprint races, the championship reverts to a more typical three-race format this weekend, two sprints followed by a longer feature race with pit stop on Sunday afternoon.

Qualifying and three races will be shown live on 7+, while race two will also be shown within the free-to-air broadcast window on 7mate on Sunday.