Orange's Cody Burcher ticked another massive box over the weekend, picking up his maiden national-level circuit win and an overall podium finish at the Australian Formula Ford Series round at Wakefield Park Raceway.
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The 16-year-old stormed to a victory in the opening race of the weekend in tricky conditions, defying the gale-force winds that battered the Tirrannaville - just outside Goulburn - track during the opening run, after battling the howling winds to finish third in qualifying too.
Although he "didn't get the best of starts" in either the second or third races on Sunday he fought hard and pushed up to third in the former, and gradually made his way back from fourth in the latter to eventually cross the line in second.
I'm absolutely stoked to be on the podium every race and come out with second for the round, is just amazing.
- Cody Burcher
The three podium finishes earned Burcher a second finish for the round overall, and he said he was "stoked" to be able to do so.
"I'm absolutely stoked to be on the podium every race and come out with second for the round, is just amazing," Burcher said.
"I can't thank everyone enough for making this possible, my family, all my sponsors and Justin (Cotter) from Synergy Motorsport."
As you'd expect his win in the opening race of the weekend was the 16-year-old up-and-comer's highlight, maintaining his third spot from the line for the opening few laps before pushing his way to the lead by the eighth.
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He stretched the gap to more than a second before the chequered flag fell, the victory sparking magnificent celebrations from his team.
"I'm absolutely over the moon with that. It was a great race and I couldn't really believe it ... it was just amazing," Burcher enthused.
"I was able to get a good start and maintain my position initially. Then the car came on during the middle of the race and I was able to make my way up to the lead.
"Qualifying was a challenge with the wind throughout the session. We qualified in [third], but if I could have put a full lap together we probably could have been on the front row."
Although he admitted the second and third races "didn't quite go to plan" that certainly didn't dampen his spirits, and explained he'll use them and the weekend as a whole as a learning experience ahead of the next and final round of the series at Phillip Island at the end of the month.
"I didn't get the best of starts (in the second race) but I managed to salvage a third which was positive, and we learned quite a few things and we applied those to the third race," Burcher explained.
"Again in race three I didn't get the greatest start and dropped back to fourth. Once I regained my focus and gradually made my way towards the front, getting back into second midway through the race. I'm not quite sure what the lead was at the end but I was definitely closing in on him until the chequered flag."
In fact the gap was less than two seconds by race end, but time wasn't on Burcher's side as the run was cut short due to another car's oil leak.
The final round of the Australian Formula Ford Series is at Victoria's Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit from September 28 to 30, and Burcher made a point of thanking all his sponsors.
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