Sunshine & the Clauson/Marshall 7BC team are really switched on so far this year. They're going to have a big say in the championship race.
#HighLimitRacing #HLR #HighLimit #SprintCarRacing #Sprintcars #Sprintcar #DirtTrackRacing #DirtTrack #OvalTrackRacing #OvalTrack #OpenWheelRacing #Speedway #SpeedwayRacing
Last night was our tenth & final event of the trip. The final night of the 61st Australian Sprintcar Championships at Premier Speedway, Warrnambool.
I was feeling better than I did on Friday, but was still suffering fatigue.
The weather wasn't too kind to us with showers & a gale blowing.
The top 72 cars in points were on hand, plus the Late Models. The rain hit as heat two of the Late Models entered which was the first stoppage of the night. The track was reworked, & then there was a huge wreck in the D-Main, which unfortunately stopped proceeding as Dane Court was sent to hospital. With an ambulance back, the racing continued, and the B-Main delivered a cracker with Kerry Madsen coming from 13th to win, and Sammy Walsh pipping Matt Dumesny at the line for the last transfer.
The Victorian Late Model Championship final was a chaotic mess. When the race was declared, the right guy won in Callum Harper... then the rain hit again!
After close to an hour, the cars in the final worked the track back in. J-Mac had his engine break in his second hot lap session.
The final was a green to chequers, race for the ages. Brock Hallett shot to the lead early on before being caught by Goodyer and Veal, then Hallett pulled infield with something breaking. Veal and Goodyer swapped the lead until Veal pulled ahead, who was then caught by a charging Lachie McHugh, who fought back and fourth with Veal for the lead. McHugh eventually pulled away, bit while all the action was happening at the front Jordyn Charge who stuck it up top for the whole race had gone from 9th to 4th in a great drive. McHugh ended up winning the Championship in a fantastic caution free race.
Well done to the Premier Speedway Club for having the show done by 11:30pm despite everything running against them.
What a night! What a 16 days! Looking forward to next year.
#PremierSpeedway #SungoldStadium #SprintcarRacing #Speedway #Sprintcars #Sprintcar #DirtTrackRacing #Warrnambool #Allansford #Victoria #Australia
Last night we were at Premier Speedway, Warrnambool for the first night of the 61st Australian Sprintcar Championships.
It was sunny afternoon with a big breeze, after a few showers around lunch time. My fibromyalgia was playing havoc and I was very fatigued, probably my worst day of the trip.
Track was quick for the first flight of qualifying, but died in the second flight. By the time the Late Models came out and ran their first seat on of heats, the track was destroyed. The track was reworked and was very quick in the heats. It wasn't until Brock Hallett came from 8th to win the 6th heat that there was any real passing.
Jordyn Charge drove a really good race in the B-Main, adjusting his line after hitting the rut in turn one, checking out the other lines on the proceeding laps without losing his speed.
James Inglis drove a really good race in the Preliminary A-Main sticking to the top line. J-Mac stormed from 13th to 4th when he went too high in one, smacking the wall. Jock Goodyer had just passed for lead but hadn't completed the lap. Goodyer drove a really good race. Whilst Inglis was getting loose of the top of four, Goodyer was keeping it straight through the middle. Inglis winning by less than a car length.
Late Model final was a bit of a mess with the race being declared with 12 laps run at about 11:20pm.
Now for one more night!
#PremierSpeedway #SungoldStadium #SprintcarRacing #Speedway #Sprintcars #Sprintcar #OvalTrackRacing #DirtTrackRacing #DirtTrack #Warrnambool #Allansford #Victoria #Australia #speedwayaustralia #SpeedwayRacing
Yesterday, we travelled from our van base at Warrnambool to our local track, Avalon Raceway, for the rescheduled Presidents Cup after last week's washout.
We had a nice cruise up. It was a warm afternoon with a cool breeze that prevented it from becoming stinking hot.
A small field of 29 cars was on hand with Riley Goodno being the only American still in Australia, after the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic.
Track seemed to have a bit of juice in it early on with the sun helping the cars dry the bottom out. Track didn't widen out a lot during the meeting, maybe from not being raced on enough. However, it was very quick.
One set of heats helped get through the program at good speed, and the track didn't require maintenance all night.
Newton in the Q66 qualified on pole for the 30 lap feature and led the majority of the first half of the race. Hallett in the Q5 snatched the lead in lapped traffic. Newton's muffler came off under cautio, and unfortunately, Avalon has strict noise rules, so Newton was forced to withdraw. Hallett powered away to win from Grant Anderson v37 and Jamie Veal v35 in a really good drive. He was the stand out all night and had great car speed.
The feature finished at just after 9:40pm. We left without staying for the fireworks display and Street Stock feature, arriving back in Warrnambool at 11:55pm. It was a nice and cruisey night.
I'm just resting up today. Our next races are the Australian Sprintcar Championship at Premier Speedway on Friday and Saturday nights before heading home either Sunday or Monday.
#AvalonRaceway #SprintcarRacing #Speedway #Sprintcars #Sprintcar #OvalTrackRacing #DirtTrackRacing #DirtTrack #Avalon #Lara #Geelong #Victoria #Australia
The last three races were good, but up until that point it was luck of track position and sticking to the top. Track issues were as pointed out by the club in December, and I'm looking forward to the work being put in in the next six months. I have faith they will get on top of things. The final night went too slow with a lot of down time between races, mainly a symptom of the track issues. The feature starting at 11pm and finishing at midnight was too late.
Despite my gripes I had a good time, and my analysis is not an attack on the club. They know and will fix the issues.
Congratulations to Aaron Reutzel and Saller Motorsports on winning the Classic. Consistently the best team all weekend.
I'm now chilling in my caravan, I'm absolutely wrecked from the last week. Got some preparation to do this afternoon for the next week.
#GASC51 #PremierSpeedway #SungoldStadium #SprintcarRacing #Speedway #Sprintcars #Sprintcar #OvalTrackRacing #DirtTrackRacing #DirtTrack #Warrnambool #Allansford #Victoria #Australia #speedwayaustralia #SpeedwayRacing
Yesterday we were at the final night of the 51st Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic at Premier Speedway, Warrnambool.
Warm day with cloud cover, slight cool breeze. Got really cool about 6pm, turned into hoodie and beanie weather.
We got to the track at 3pm, was very easy to get a park and get in as opposed to last year's chaos. Well done to the Premier Speedway Club for their organisation of the event which was first class.
Track was very similar to the previous night. Very fast around the top, but not much else. There wasn't much passing from the leaders until they hit traffic as it was too fast. It was a bit rutty with a rut in turn one just past the pit gates causing a bit of chaos all night, causing cars to break loose and bounce. Oldfield in the B-Main, and Ely & Doukas at the start of the 2nd lap of the final coming undone after hitting the rut. A number of cars also spun out after making contact with the rut.
Up until the B-Main's the racing wasn't great with it just being a procession of fastest from the front. Racing got better for the B-Main's, and after the track maintenance before the feature, grip came through on spots through the middle from turn 4 to the entrance of turn 1.
Haudenschild, J-Mac, and Reutzel put on a show early on until Haudenschild came unstuck between turns 3 & 4, leaving J-Mac nowhere to go in a car that was looking really good. This left Reutzel leading young Chase Randall until Randall's right rear blew out. McHugh made some good ground to get up to third and Veal came through the field with the help of cars falling out of the race at a rapid rate. Reutzel was uncatchable with the fast top line, winning from a closing defending champion in Brock Hallett, followed by McHugh in third. Cont...
#GASC51 #PremierSpeedway #SungoldStadium #SprintcarRacing #Speedway #Sprintcars #Sprintcar #OvalTrackRacing #DirtTrackRacing #DirtTrack #Warrnambool #Allansford #Victoria #Australia #speedwayaustralia #SpeedwayRacing
Last night, we were at Premier Speedway, Warrnambool, for night two of the 51st Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic. It was a warm day with cloud cover for the most part, which would've helped not dry the track out. Track got gradually quicker during qualifying, with 10.9's again during the second flight. The top was really quick around the wall, with not much on the bottom. Was like that most of the night.
J-Mac was very impressive in the heats winning both. Jesse Attard had a brain meltdown of the year, costing himself three months on the sidelines. Lots of crashes!
The feature was a good race. A few wrecked cars. J-Mac was caught lapping his teammate, and Haudenschild pounced for the win. They were the two best on the night.
Late finish. Got back to the caravan park right on midnight.
#GASC51 #PremierSpeedway #SungoldStadium #SprintcarRacing #Speedway #Sprintcars #Sprintcar #OvalTrackRacing #DirtTrackRacing #DirtTrack #Warrnambool #Allansford #Victoria #Australia #speedwayaustralia #SpeedwayRacing
Friday night, we were at Premier Speedway for the first night of the 51st Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic. Was a cool day, rugged up early. Track was fast, 10.9's in qualifying. Too fast for the heat races. Track widened out for the feature with a fast top line & the bottom developing as the race went on. Aaron Reutzel was in a different postcode to everyone else for most the race after he passed Madsen. Chase Randall drove a good race for 2nd. The club did a great job getting through the program with the chequered flag falling at 10:55pm. Was back at the caravan park and showered by midnight.
#GASC51 #PremierSpeedway #SungoldStadium #SprintcarRacing #Speedway #Sprintcars #Sprintcar #OvalTrackRacing #DirtTrackRacing #DirtTrack #Warrnambool #Allansford #Victoria #Australia #speedwayaustralia #SpeedwayRacing
Last night I was at Borderline Speedway, Mt Gambier, South Australia, for the 30th Kings Challenge.
No phone reception for most of the night. It's about time Telstra & Optus fixed this black spot.
Some good racing, especially during the features as the track widened out. A fair few crashes, most casualties didn't return as they prepared for the Classic tomorrow. Track was excellent.
Was saddened to see the grandstand that I sat in for a few years had been demolished. The new hill in turn 4 looks great. When 3/4 get connected, it will be as big as Mt Max.
Haudenschild & Randall put on a great show. Jye Corbett from the B-Main to third was sensational.
2nd set of heats was unnecessary. Show went too long & too late. Left at 11:30pm AEDT with the Wingless Sprint feature still to run. Arrived back at Warrnambool at 1:30am. Got to sleep at 3am, woke up at 11am.
Now for the Classic!
#BorderlineSpeedway #KingsChallenge #GASC51 #Sprintcar #SprintcarRacing #Sprintcars #Speedway #SpeedwayRacing #DirtTrackRacing #speedwayaustralia #MountGambier #MtGambier #southaustralia #LimestoneCoast #Australia
Matt