State Race Series – Round 1 Sandown
February 13-15 2026
Pics by Phil Wisewould
There’s something different about the first race meeting of the year. Fresh builds. Fresh paint. Fresh rivalries. And just enough off-season optimism to make everyone dangerous.
The 2026 VSCRC season fired into life at Sandown International Raceway, and if qualifying was any indication, the year ahead is going to be loud, fast, and properly competitive.
Under warm February skies, the Racer Industries / Cooldrive Historic Touring Cars rolled out for a 17-minute qualifying session — and it didn’t take long for the pace to escalate.
Qualifying
When the dust settled, it was Andrew Beard (Car 86) who stamped authority on the season opener.
The Victorian hustled his Chevrolet Camaro (5967cc) to a sharp 1:20.6408, the only driver in the 1:20 bracket – and a serious statement lap to open 2026. The Camaro looked planted through Sandown’s flowing back section and brutally strong down the straights. Fastest lap average speed: 138 kph. That’s not easing into a new season – that’s arriving.
Behind Beard, the Ford cavalry formed quickly: Scott Pierce – Ford Mustang — 1:21.0526 Darren Collins – Ford Mustang – 1:21.9101.
Pierce’s Mustang looked especially sharp under brakes, trimming the gap to just four tenths from pole. Collins wasn’t far behind either, comfortably under the 1:22 mark and right in the hunt for race pace.
Fourth went to Ben Wilkinson (189) in another Mustang at 1:22.3727, while Chris Stern (90) slotted his Trans Am-spec Mustang into fifth with 1:23.4615.
Geoff Munday in another Chevrolet Camaro, Peter Meuleman, Nathan Gordon, Glenn Miles – Gordon’s Monaro and Miles’ Charger added welcome variety — classic Aussie muscle right in the mix and comfortably inside the competitive window. Then Michael Miceli, Rodney Hotchkin & Darren Jones.
Race 1
If qualifying hinted that 2026 was going to be competitive…race 1 confirmed it.
Fifteen minutes around Sandown International Raceway turned into one of those classic touring car arm-wrestles — tight at the front, disciplined through the pack, and decided by fractions rather than fireworks.
And when it was over?
The Camaro and Mustang rivalry was already in full swing. Beard vs Pierce – nothing between them
From pole, Andrew Beard (86) launched cleanly in the Chevrolet Camaro, but he never had a moment to breathe.
Right there, lap after lap, was Scott Pierce (21) in the Pierce Plumbing Mustang. The two circulated nose-to-tail for much of the 10-lap race, trading sector times and applying constant pressure. At the line, the margin was just 0.2451 seconds:
Both drivers later received five-second penalties, but the finishing order remained unchanged – the battle had simply been that close. Pierce did manage the fastest race lap of the front pair (1:21.9066) – but it was actually Darren Collins (97) who recorded the outright fastest lap of the race at 1:21.8607, showing the pace is well and truly there.
Wilkinson makes it three-wide close. Ben Wilkinson (189) crossed the line only 0.8 seconds behind Pierce, making the top three covered by barely over a second. For a season opener, that’s tight.
Collins shows speed, settles for fourth. Despite setting the race’s quickest lap, Darren Collins (97) had to settle for fourth in 17:19.3107. The Mustang was clearly capable of winning pace – but traffic and positioning matter at Sandown.
Fifth went to Geoff Munday (68) in another Camaro – a steady and consistent drive in 17:40.7063, keeping the Chevrolet presence strong at the front.
The next cluster delivered proper touring-car character: Peter Meuleman – Mustang, Darren Jones – Mustang, Glenn Miles – Valiant Charger, Rodney Hotchkin – Ford XY GTHO,
Jones, Miles and Hotchkin were covered by less than half a second — a brilliant three-car scrap to the flag.
Hotchkin’s GTHO continues to add historic presence, while Miles’ Charger keeps Mopar pride alive.
Miceli had shown real pace early — clocking a 1:22.0518 before his race ended prematurely. Stern had been inside the top group before fading from contention. Tough way to open a season!
Race 2 Sunday morning
If Race 1 was close…race 2 somehow tightened the screws even further.
Eighteen minutes around Sandown on Sunday morning produced another Camaro-versus-Mustang showdown – this time stretched over 12 laps, with four cars locked together at the front for almost the entire race. The margin between first and second was less than a second. Again.
Andrew Beard (86) backed up his Saturday win with another composed drive in the Chevrolet Camaro, taking the feature race. But this one was anything but comfortable. Right on his bumper for the duration was Darren Collins in the Mustang, crossing the line just 0.7626 seconds behind. Collins looked particularly strong early, clocking a 1:22.3826 on Lap 2, and applying steady pressure. The Camaro never cracked – but it never escaped either.
Behind the front pair, Ben Wilkinson delivered another ultra-consistent run in his Mustang, finishing third only four seconds off the win.
Scott Pierce (21) might feel Race 2 slipped away. He set the fastest lap of the race – 1:22.3714 and looked capable of mounting a late charge. However, a five-second penalty ultimately kept him in fourth. Without that penalty? We’d likely have been talking about an even tighter finish.
The others finished: Geoff Munday, Glenn Miles, Rodney Hotchkin & Peter Meuleman. Munday and Miles were separated by just half a second at the line. Hotchkin’s GTHO again looked majestic down the straight, while Meuleman’s Mustang kept the blue oval presence strong in the midfield.
Gordon’s Monaro continues to add proper Australian muscle flavour to the grid, and his 1:24.5586 shows the pace is building.
Darren Jones completed 10 laps before retiring, and a 10-second penalty was recorded as well – a frustrating way to end what had been a solid run.
Race 3 — Collins Strikes Back
After two races defined by Andrew Beard’s Camaro control, Sunday afternoon delivered a shift in momentum.
The final 18-minute race of Round 1 wasn’t just another close fight – it was a response. And this time, it was Darren Collins who finished the job.
Across the first two races, Collins had shown speed including the outright fastest lap in Race 1, but hadn’t quite turned it into a win. The #97 Ford Mustang ran clean, composed and relentless, taking victory after 12 laps. Collins’ best lap of 1:22.9642 wasn’t flashy – it was consistent. And that consistency won the race. After two Camaro wins, the Mustang camp finally had its answer
Even in defeat, Andrew Beard remained firmly in the hunt. The Camaro crossed the line just 1.5507 seconds behind the Mustang in 20:29.3071, clocking a 1:23.0746 best lap in the process. Three races. Three podiums. Two wins. It’s a strong way to open a season.
Scott Pierce rounded out the top three in 20:30.5141, only a second behind Beard. His Mustang again showed sharp pace and with clean execution, he stayed firmly in championship contention.
The front three were separated by just under three seconds at the finish – another Sandown thriller.
Then followed by Geoff Munday & Glenn Miles. The margin between them? Less than half a second.
Hard Luck Hit the field, with Ben Wilkinson retired after 8 laps (Despite setting the fastest lap of the race), Peter Meuleman retired after 4 laps, Darren Jones retired after 2 laps, Rodney Hotchkin retired after 1 lap
Wilkinson’s retirement was particularly cruel — the pace was clearly there, but the result wasn’t.