Photo Finish Goes To Gartner In Avalon Thriller

by | Oct 15, 2017 | Latest News, Results

Author : Jason Crowe – SSA Media

The opening round of the Avalon Raceway Track Championships for Super Sedans resulted in a thrilling photo finish on Saturday night, with South Australian, Dave Gartner getting the win.

Gartner would start the 25 lap main event in front of a big crowd, alongside Queensland based Trent Wilson, while Jamie Collins would start on the second row with Lucas Roberts.

The initial start would be aborted after Alan Stockdale hit an inside barrier in turn one.

Gartner would lead on the restart from Wilson, Collins, Bergmeier and Anthony Randall, before starting to open a gap on lap four.

On lap nine, while lapping traffic, Wilson was deemed to have made contact with one of the back markers in turn four and was sent to the rear of the field.

Gartner would gap the field when the lights went green, leaving Collins and Bergmeier fighting for second place, while there would be a long gap back to Randall and Trent Susol.

Bergmeier moved to second place on lap twelve when Collins retired, as the Victorian set out after Gartner.

Lionel West would stop up against the fence at the exit of turn four, resulting in a further stoppage.

The stoppage was just what Bergmeier would have wanted, but upon the resumption, Gartner got away again, with Randall still in third place.

As the lead drivers hit lapped traffic with four laps remaining, Bergmeier closed, with Gartner running wide out of turn four, giving Bergmeier the opportunity to take the lead. He then opened a small gap, but that was closed quickly by Gartner, as the pair ran the final lap side by side, right to the finish line with Gartner winning by a very small margin.

Meanwhile, Trent Wilson stormed back through the field and ended up in a blanket finish for the minor placings, where Anthony Randall prevailed.

:: Super Sedans

Heat 1, 10 Laps: 1. S8 Dave Gartner, 2. V5 Anthony Randall, 3. V0 Lucas Roberts

Heat 2, 10 Laps: 1. T41 Adam Beechey, 2. Q44 Trent Wilson, 3. V8 Jamie Collins

Heat 3, 10 Laps: 1. V16 Ash Bergmeier, 2. V0 Lucas Roberts, 3. S8 Dave Gartner

Heat 4, 10 Laps: 1. Q44 Trent Wilson, 2. V8 Jamie Collins, 3. V71 Lionel West

A Main, 25 Laps: 1. S8 Dave Gartner, 2 V16 Ash Bergmeier, 3. V5 Anthony Randall

Winners are grinners after great race. Photo courtesy of VSSA Facebook Page

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