THE Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship's current Darwin king has continued his recent form, Dale Wood charging from Pole position to a race one win at Hidden Valley Raceway.

Wood claimed the outright and Equity One Pro class win, while Sam Shahin won in SP Tools Pro Am.

Wood started his Shannons-backed entry from pole position and beat nearest rival Jackson Walls into turn one.

RESULTS: Race 1, Hidden Valley

He was never headed from there and despite searing race-long pressure from Walls was able to take a lights-to-flag win.

It's the 13th of his Carrera Cup career and comes as he approaches his 100th race milestone tomorrow.

Walls' - who was also the top Michelin Junior - moved into a clear championship lead by virtue of his solid second position, while local driver Thomas Maxwell finished third.

It was Maxwell's first Carrera Cup top three finish, having previously finished fifth on three occasions.

Callum Hedge finished fourth but held off a freight train of key contenders to do so - including a race-long fight with David Wall that saw the pair swap positions on several occasions.

Wall was fifth, leading a freight train that included Nick McBride, Garnet Patterson and Fabian Coulthard.

Max Vidau - who charged from 14th on the grid - was ninth with Chris Pither 10th.

Several key contenders had issues, most notably the Dexion Racing entry of Dylan O'Keeffe, who started fourth however lost several positions early in the run from turn one to turn six on the opening lap.

Damage from contact then saw the Victorian head to pit lane and ultimately finish last, one lap down.

Alex Davison was another to lose positions early, the Scott Taylor Motorsport car slipping to 13th by the end of the race.

Bayley Hall was another with issues, running wide at turn six on the opening lap to drop down the order.

Running in clear air, Hall was able to set a new lap record as he tried to climb back through the field.

In the SP Tools Pro-Am Class, Polesitter Adrian Flack battled with Sam Shahin in the early stages with the pair swapping positions several times, before Shahin gained the ascendancy to score his first race win in Darwin.

Flack had led early however slipped off the road at turn one to drop to third position in the Pro-Am race.

That allowed the ever-consistent Dean Cook to climb to second position, shadowing Shahin home.

With Flack third, Matt Belford finished fourth and Danny Stutterd fifth.

With the fourth race of the season complete - the third to go the distance and be counted - Jackson Walls now moves into a clear championship lead over Wood and Hedge.

Two further races will feature on the betr Darwin Triple Crown tomorrow to decide Round 2 of the championship.

DALE WOOD - Equity One Pro Class winner

"The weekend started similarly to last year, but last year I stuffed up the start! It was pretty strong, I think on TV it might look like a bit of a procession but you're working your butt off. Full credit to Jackson, he was dead set keeping me honest and I was working my butt off out there.

"No mistakes, that's the ticket. You make a mistake, you're going to pay for it. Car is bloody awesome, I love the new colours and I'm really enjoying it."

SAM SHAHIN - SP Tools Pro-Am Class win

"It's great to get a win. I had a pretty ordinary first round at the Grand Prix and had a lot of ground to make there. Flacky got in early, and he's a class act, he's a tough competitor and a very fair competitor. I had to work hard and for an old fella, I'm pretty happy with that."