FRESH from scoring his maiden Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship pole position, Bayley Hall’s immense Gold Coast form has continued as the local driver stormed to yet another win on his home streets on Saturday at the Gold Coast 500.

Hall led the opening sprint race from lights to flag on Saturday afternoon, extending an early lead before consolidating his position as leader of the Equity-One Professional class pack as Dylan O’Keeffe (second) and David Russell (third) battled for the minors.

Adrian Flack led a tight battle in the SP Tools Pro-Am class as he fended off Dean Cook and Rodney Jane in a competitive three-car fight.

Hall converted his maiden TAG Heuer Pole award to a perfect launch and a clear lead into turn one, while fellow front-row starter Jackson Walls wasn’t quite so fortunate, being shuffled down the order aboard his Objective Racing entry.

Taking advantage was Dylan O’Keeffe, who battled with David Russell to secure second place.

Hall’s early lap pace was significant and he pulled a 1.8 second margin on the opening tour before O’Keeffe and Russell slowly ate into the lead as the race progressed, though could make no meaningful attempt at taking it away.

Hall led comfortably before a late-race Safety Car was called with less than four minutes remining, ensuring he safely completed the race in front to secure his third career race win.

It backs up his stunning debut race and round victories achieved on the Gold Coast last year – a circuit where he grew up watching IndyCar and Supercars heroes as a kid.

O’Keeffe and Russell’s podium finishes only served to intensify the fight for second in the championship, a tough day for Jackson Walls meaning O’Keeffe is now only four points out of third in the standings with five races to go.

Wood and Walls battled for fifth, however a post-race penalty applied to the latter dropped him down the order at the finish, elevating Angelo Mouzouris to fifth position in what was his best finish since round 2 of the championship in New Zealand.

Ryder Quinn was another to enjoy a strong day in finishing sixth which, with Harri Jones in seventh, ensured seven different teams were represented in the top seven finishing positions in the race.

Championship leader Harri Jones could only manage seventh in a challenging day for the Porsche Centre Melbourne racer, however he continues to hold an imperious lead in the title race.

Jones can seal the championship with a solid day tomorrow, needing to take 181 points or more into the Adelaide decider to be unbeatable this year.

Behind him, Glen Wood, Marcos Flack and Jackson Walls completed the top-10 in race one.

Non-finishers included Nash Morris, who suffered broken steering on lap two, and Harrison Goodman, who had contact with the tyre bundle on the exit of Turn 10 at the beach chicane. Both cars are expected to run tomorrow.

In Pro-Am, Adrian Flack passed several Pros early in the race before settling into his work in a strong battle with Jane and Cook.

Flack ultimately won by a narrow margin to further extend his championship lead. Like Jones, the Queenslander can seal his title tomorrow with finishes in both races.

Two races tomorrow complete Round 7 of the championship with the penultimate race in the Endurance Cup to complete the weekend on Sunday morning – Jones leading Walls by just five points in the Carrera Cup race within a race.

The third and final sprint race will then complete the weekend as the curtain-raiser to the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 on Sunday afternoon.

Sunday’s action will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo, Sky NZ and also Channel 7 (race 3 only).