Just a week removed from the SSA Super Sedan National Title, Brock Atkins has added another notch to his belt, claiming the SSA Super Sedan Victorian Title on Saturday night.
Held at Avalon Raceway, Atkins qualified from pole position for the forty lap feature and elected to start on the outside of the front row, alongside Callum Harper.
Atkins maintained the outside groove as the race went green and took the lead, Harper slotting into second ahead of Zac Brims and Adam Beechey.
This would be the standard for the first ten laps, drivers cruising around and the order unchanged while further back names like national champion Joel Berkley and multiple State Title holder Brad Pascoe were beginning to pick their way forward.
Lapped traffic came into play a few laps later, and although it bunched the lead duo up once more, there was still no changes.
At the halfway point Harper really began to step up the pressure, having multiple cracks on the bottom side of Atkins, and even momentarily getting the nose in front before Atkins swept back by.
Further back Hayden Brims worked his way into the top five.
As the race closed in on ten laps to go Atkins was again in traffic and although it took a moment, Harper was able to close again, however Atkins held strong.
With seven to go Atkins closed in on a wall of four cars, having to bide his time and pick his moments as he picked the lapped cars off one by one and managed to skip away from Harper.
Fourth placed Beechey would slow with four laps to go and just circulate up high, allowing Hayden Brims, Pascoe and Berkley to race into the top six.
Lapped traffic continued to play its part in the run to the chequers, which gave Harper one last chance at a pass but it wasn’t quite enough, Atkins holding strong to win his first Victorian Title since victory in Junior Sedans back in 2015.
Harper was a gallant second while Hayden Brims completed the podium. Brad Pascoe crossed the line in fourth but was later relegated two positions, seeing Berkley and Hayden Brims officially rounding out the top five.
Feature, 40 laps: 1. V35 Brock Atkins, 2. T22 Callum Harper, 3. N29 Zac Brims, 4. A1 Joel Berkley, 5. N77 Hayden Brims, 6. Q18 Brad Pascoe, 7. V2 Peter Nicola, 8. V1 Mick Nicola Jnr, 9. V3 Mick Nicola Snr, 10. Q98 Michael Hally, 11. T29 Ellis Dickenson (39), 12. S8 Dave Gartner (39), 13. T3 David Nichols (39), 14. V71 Lionel West (39), 15. V99 Travis Ramsdale (39), 16. T14 Adam Beechey (37). DNF: V59 Danny Amato (33), V49 Shane Belk (11), T52 Brad McMaster (4). DNS: T6 Corey Jetson. Total Time: 10.08.564. Winning Margin: 0.367. Fastest Lap: 14.329 T22 Callum Harper.