News
Speedway Sedans Australia News
Author : Allan Smallwood SSA Media
A night that was in question for some time with weather looking scarce in the week leading up to it. A hard working Western Speedway Hamilton were able to gather the track and let the VMPA vulcans fly for their opening meeting.
The opening round of heats were virtually untouched by the intermittent rain with a track that provided side by side racing and a show for the fans.
It was Shane McDonald who opened his cheque book first with the heat 1A win. Heat 1B was taken out by the Australian Champion Kye Walters in a clinical display. Wade McCarthy battled early with fellow Mildura rival Daniel Drewett to eventually steer the MDA 66 to victory.
Precipitation started to rear it’s ugly head throughout round 2 of heats creating a slick track top to bottom. After a hard charging first heat, Brody Chrystie converted his efforts into glory, by winning his second heat. Shane McDonald wasn’t as lucky this time and brought the CR4 hard into the back straight wall.
The Tritech Lubricants backed driver, Brock Atkins aboard the Atkins Family Racing P4 started heat 2 off pole position and never looked back.
Atkins took a convincing win over Brad Wicks for second who found himself on two wheels more than once. Jake Drewett opened the batting for Mildura again picking up the heat race win in 2C after a heavy downpour retired a number of cars infield on a traction-less Western Speedway.
Track crews slaved to turn a very wet dirt oval into a race track. The third round of heats brought thrills and spills on the character building surface. It didn’t phase Ricky Cornwall in his AX15 as he stormed away and won by almost a half lap in heat 3A. Matt Gerlach translated his efforts into a hard earned heat 3B win after battling heavily with Jake Drewett and Jarod Waters banging down the Western Speedway fences.
The heat races took it’s fair share of victims as both Hayden Boys retired early with a split fuel tank and mechanical dramas. Graham West was riddled with problems in the Bendigo 56 including a flat tyre ending his heat 3 hopes. Shane McDonald returned to heat 3 with a solid second place, after thrashing to get the CR4 repaired in time. Matt Nelson and Aaron Bunton both blew engines after round 1 and were on the trailers early.
With time constraints limiting the racing, the True Design Homes Pole Shuffle was dropped in preparation for the incoming rain and a 30 lap feature race to come.
Brock Atkins qualified from pole position after two heat wins and a third place. Alongside him lined up Brad Wicks in his first modified sedan feature race. Brody Chrystie, Jake Drewett and Daniel Drewett made up the top 5.
The green flag dropped on the 30 lap feature which was chaotic from the beginning. Three and four lanes wide the track was slick from top to bottom and becoming a handful for drivers. A hint of Dejavu brought Shane McDonald in the CR4 to a quick hault as he found the wall in turns one and two. The eventual caution laps and the inevitable rain brought a restart that was less than perfect, resulting in an 8 car pileup on the back stretch. This would be the undoing and the final straw for the feature as officials intervened declaring the race 5 laps in.
Brock Atkins would be the eventual victor, while Brad Wicks and Brody Chrystie occupied the podium. Jake Drewett, Daniel Drewett, Andrew Blackwell, Matt Gerlach, Kye Walters, Ricky Cornwall and Wade Mccarthy would complete the rain depleted top 10.
VMPA would like to thank all of their partners, Naming rights sponsors Tritech Lubricants and Pole Shuffle sponsor True Design Homes. VMPA also partners with:
Adam Holt Industries
Blackwell Race Engines
Elite Shock Services
Higgs Contracting
Highline Racewear & Hush Designs
Pakenham Plumbing Services
Tritech Lubricants VMPA Series will now dial in on Nyora Speedway on the 23rd of November for round 3 of the 2019/20 season.
Official Result
1. P4 Brock Atkins 2. BGO17 Brad Wicks 3. AX32 Brody Chrystie 4. MDA18 Jake Drewett 5. NY7 Andrew Blackwell 6. MDA69 Daniel Drewett 7. AX15 Ricky Cornwall 8. AV14 Matt Gerlach 9. AUS1 Kye Walters 10. MDA66 Wade McCarthy 11. B59 Darran Lester 12. VIC1 Daniel Simpson 13. GV11 Lachlan Fitzpatrick 14. NY11 Jack Ramsdale 15. NY42 Scott Angus 16. GV94 Rachel Pratt DNF BGO56 Graham West DNF RDL11 Nick Cockerill DNF CR4 Shane McDonald DISQ MDA49 Jarod Waters
Article Courtesy of the VMPA