Bendigo driver Lachlan Fitzpatrick raced his way to victory at Heytesbury Stockfeeds Simpson Speedway last Saturday night in what was the sixth round of the VMPA Australian Racing Products Series.
Brody Chrystie would start from pole position in the thirty-lap feature courtesy of winning the dash event, and he was able to utilise the low line to his advantage, clearing out into the lead ahead of Chris Rieck.
Coming out of turn four cars went three wide for second place, Brad Wicks and Darcy Wilson both putting Rieck under pressure, until Rieck pulled high, slowing and eventually heading to the infield.
Wicks and Wilson would set out after Chrystie, who by this point had opened up a sizeable lead, while Dale Hallett raced his way into fourth place. Further back was a three car battle for fifth between Heath Baillie, Daniel Wilson and Fitzpatrick.
Unfortunately the yellows would come on shortly after as Daniel Wilson and Fitzpatrick found themselves stranded in turn four.
Chrystie held strong on the restart, with the rest of the field bunched up behind him and looking for a way through.
Lap fourteen saw Fitzpatrick get by Hallett for fourth and he began to chase down the lead trio who had pulled well and truly clear from the battle pack, with Wilson doing all he could to get by Wicks, the duo side by side for a number of laps before Wilson got by just after the halfway mark.
With ten to go Wilson had significantly closed the gap to Chrystie, and just as he went to make the pass Chrystie pulled infield. This left Wilson well clear of Wicks and Fitzpatrick, with Wilson encountering the first of the lapped traffic with seven laps to go.
Just as Wilson was making his way onto the back of some other lapped cars,the yellows came on with six laps to go as Heath Ballie’s machine went up in a cloud of smoke.
Again the field was bunched up, but Wilson maintained his lead over Wicks, however it would only last a lap and a half before he too slowed and headed infield, Wicks now leading Fitzpatrick and Hallett.
As if this wasn’t enough, Wicks slowed the very next lap and also retired from the race, leaving Fitzpatrick now out in front and holding off Hallett and Daniel Wilson.
From here, the order would remain unchanged, Fitzpatrick claiming the race that saw no less than four leaders across the distance!
Also on the program at Simpson was the JSPA, with Ollie Roycroft claiming victory in the SSA Junior Sedan New Stars feature over Chase Davey and Oscar Conder, while in the Top Stars it was Flynn Annett defeating Jayden Knight and Tyson Heaphy.
Feature, 30 laps: 1. BGO11 Lachlan Fitzpatrick, 2. NY15 Dale Hallett, 3. GV19 Daniel Wilson, 4. GV94 Rachel Pratt, 5. C36 Stuey Robinson, 6. BGO56 Graham West (29). DNF: V17 Brad Wicks (26), B5 Darcy Wilson (25), AV14 Heath Ballie (23), AX32 Brody Chrystie (21), AX62 Bailey Turner (13), AV18 Chris Reick (1). Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 0.520. Fastest Lap: 16.072 AX32 Brody Chrystie.
Pics courtesy Heytesbury Stockfeeds Simpson Speedway and VMPA Australian Racing Products Series.