By Joshua Makhoul

Newly crowned champion Bryce Fullwood defeated Thomas Randle to win the opening Dunlop Super2 Series race at the Coates Hire Newcastle 500.

The MW Motorsport driver took an early lead, outdragging polesitter Randle to the first corner and going on to finish 2.9863 seconds clear.

Randle applied pressure in the early stages but couldn’t find a way past, as Fullwood extended his lead as the race unfolded.

He still finished second, keeping Image Racing’s Jordan Boys at bay behind him, while Matt Stone Racing’s Ash Walsh and Triple Eight’s Kurt Kostecki finished fourth and fifth.