Speedway Sedans Australia News
Author : Jason Crowe – SSA Media
Cameron Waters has won the Speedway Sedans Australia, Octane Alley, National Modified Sedan Title, at the Blue Ribbon Raceway at Horsham on Sunday night, leading for the majority of the race.
Waters would defeat Kye Walters, Aidan Raymont and Graham West in the forty lap decider, which had a spate of mid race incidents, before Waters greeted the chequered flag.
In what was almost a perfect weekend for Waters, he set the quickest lap in official practice on Friday, started on pole in the opening heat on Saturday, and set the quickest lap of the weekend in the A Main on Sunday which broke an eight year old track record set by Andrew Blackwell in 2010, with only pole position in the final eluding him.
Waters would start from position six in the forty lap main event, with former National Junior Sedan Champion Brock Atkins claiming the prized pole position, with former National Modified Sedan Champion, Aidan Raymont on his outside. Kye Walters and Graham West would start on the second row.
In a frantic start, Aidan Raymont and Graham West went backwards as Kye Walters took the early lead, with Atkins and Waters second and third respectively, while Raymont dropped to fourth. It would not be a good race for Trevor Mills, with the current National Production Sedan Champion out with a flat tyre after just one lap.
The race found a rythym, with Waters moving to second not long after the stoppage, with Walters surviving numerous attempts by Waters to take the lead. Waters eventually did take the lead on lap fifteen, but his move was negated by a crash on turn one, with Robbie Faux and Matty Smith involved. The National Champion would have fuel pouring out of the Nissan 300ZX ending his defence of the title.
A lap after the restart, Waters made another move of Walters, this time it stuck, with Waters slowly opening a gap on Walters, Aidan Raymont, David Smith, Graham West and Atkins who had been shuffled back through the field to sixth.
A spate of mid race stoppages for Clint Noakes on lap twenty four, then Brody Chrystie on the resultant restart, followed by a further stoppage for a multi car crash in turn three for Russell Bent, Robbie Faux and Justin Drew on lap twenty six, ensured the field remained bunched. A final stoppage on lap twenty eight for Martin Hawson, left Waters twelve laps to negotiate, which he did with ease, winning by 2.012 at the end of forty laps.
Kye Walters tried to stay with Waters but was unable to stay close enough to make a serious challenge, with Raymont almost an identical margin back in third. Graham West got the better of David Smith in the concluding stages to come home a popular fourth.
Waters was thrilled to win the event, his major Speedway Title, after finishing on the podium last season.
A Main Grid, 40 Laps: 1. V4 Brock Atkins, 2. Q28 Aidan Raymont, 3. V46 Kye Walters, 4. V56 Graham West, 5. V21 Brad Warren, 6. V16 Cameron Waters, 7. V7 Justin Drew, 8. V19 David Smith, 9. N10 Trevor Mills, 10. V39 Brody Chrystie, 11. V5 Robbie Faux, 12. V17 Andrew Blackwell, 13. V11 Jeff Leahy, 14. W23 Clint Noakes, 15. V14 Matt Gerlach, 16. A1 Matty Smith, 17. Q2 Tim Atkin, 18. V13 Russell Bent, 19. V72 Martin Hawson, 20. T35 Brad Herbert
Result
1. V16 Cameron Waters. 2. V46 Kye Walters, 3. Q28 Aidan Raymont, 4. V56 Graham West, 5. V19 David Smith, 6. V4 Brock Atkins, 7. V72 Martin Hawson, 8. V7 Justin Drew, 9. T35 Brad Herbert, 10. V17 Andrew Blackwell, 11. V11 Jeff Leahy. DNF: 12. V21 Brad Warren (26 laps), 13. V5 Robbie Faux (26), 14. V13 Russell Bent (26), 15. V39 Brody Chrystie (23), 16. W23 Clint Noakes (23), 17. V14 Matt Gerlach (22), 18. Q2 Tim Atkin (19), 19. A1 Matty Smith (14), 20. N10 Trevor Mills (1). Time: No Time, Winning Margin: 2.012, Fastest Lap: 17.952 V16 Cameron Waters
Cameron Waters all smiles after winning the National Title
Podium from left: Graham West 4th, Aidan Raymont 3rd, Cameron Waters 1st, Kye Walters 2n