HARPER LEADS MORE EASTERN CREEK HISTORY MAKERS

By Dennis Newlyn

Tasmanian Callum  Harper drove into history as the inaugural Late Model main event winner at Eastern Creek Speedway Saturday night, March 19, 2022.

Harper was followed to the chequered flag by Todd Bayley and Victorian Peter Nicola. All three placegetters are current state champions, adding more importance to the place the top three now take in the first season of racing at the state-of-the art Eastern Creek Speedway.

Other feature race winners who join the exclusive feature race winners first time out list are Robert Rawlings (Legend cars), Shane Holmgreen (Production Sedans) and Shannon Singleton (AMCAs).

Harper has been the form driver of the first two meetings at the venue after the previous week’s grand opening when he filled a strong runner-up finish to Matt Pascoe in the Super Sedan feature race.

Harper’s Late Model form was very impressive as he completely dominated the heats with two slashing victories.  

His 25-lap feature race victory was given even more credence when he put down the fastest lap of the race with a time of 14.285 seconds for a speed of 115.926 km/h.

However, Harper had to work hard for the win after Victoria’s Peter Nicola led for the majority of the laps.

The stand out highlight of the race was the enthralling battle at the head of the field between Nicola, Harper, Bayley, Darryl Grimson and Darren Kane, who earlier in the week accepted the drive of the N11 entry after a phone call from Des Disney.

In the early stages of the event a yellow light appeared after Ross Nicastri rammed and slid along the back straight concrete fence which resulted in significant damage to the right hand side of the car. With several cars running in close company, it was just a “racing incident” after Justin Hackett was crammed for room and tangled with Nicastri which sent the latter into the wall.

Nicola kept up the pace out in front at the green and had opened a good advantage as lapped traffic came into play. 

Harper tried desperately to bridge the gap but the openings in the traffic aided Nicola and – at times –  hampered Harper who did not have such an easy passage. Another yellow light period with 11 laps to go again gave the leading group a clear track at the resumption. Soon after Nicola appeared to go off the pace a little, but it was enough to edge Harper closed and lapped cars again came into play in the remaining few laps and that’s where Harper gained his winning advantage.

It was also a particularly good effort by Kane who announced his retirement from active competition last year. He finished fifth and was on the pace right behind fourth placed finisher Darryl Grimson.  Kane’s overall performance, with a strong heat win, showed he has not lost that competitive edge. The other Late Model heat winner was Nicola.

It was a rough and tumble 25-lap Wingless Sprint feature race that went less than one lap before a spectacular crash occurred on the back straight with three cars upside down.

Tyson Williams, Peter Granger and Marshall Blyton copped the worst of it and were sidelined.

Highlight of the Wingless feature was the battle for the front running between ultimate winner Jason Bates and Mark Blyton.

There was nothing between the duo as the laps unfolded and it looked destined to become a match race but Blyton got caught up amongst slower cars that ultimately proved costly after his car sustained damage. Blyton was later placed in position 15 though he finished on the same lap as most of the field in a very competitive main event.

With Blyton out of contention, it was National Champion Kyle Mock who threw down the challenge to Bates. He got close, but not close enough, as Bates raced to a good win over Mock, while Luke Sayre drove a very good race for his third placing.

Bates also was a heat winner, while other heats went to Dean Thomas, Luke Sayre, Parker Eveleigh, Jarrad Rust, Mark Blyton, Marshall Blyton and Ashleigh Jack. B-Main one was taken out by Kyle Lonn and B-two went to Michael Braggs.

A spectacular two wheel balancing act at the start of the Production Sedan main event near turn four by Doc Bailey almost ended with a roll over after a tangle of cars entering turn three.

It was a lucky escape however the incident sidelined several cars. With reduced numbers, the feature race was reduced from 15 laps to 12.

They all had to catch Shane Holmgreen who never put a wheel out of place, though runner-up Brendan O’Farrell was also very impressive, as was third-placegetter Sean Alessi.

Shannon Singleton was pushed hard all the way for the win in the 20-lap AMCA feature by runner-up Shane Cartwright as Scott McPherson finished third.

The top two turned on a good show with little between them.

In fact Cartwright was in the middle of some hectic action with lapped cars that ultimately appeared as though he would lose the second place result before he was re-instated back to second after the scrimmage.

Cartwright was a heat winner and other heats were won by Peter Markulin and Spano Gutierrez.

Robert Rawlings dominated the Legend Car 12-lap feature race from the outset and was never headed. The minor placegetters were not far behind in a good race after Liam Camilleri filled second and National Champion Troy Bolton third.

Rawlings also put down the fastest lap of the race at half-distance with a 18.163 second lap and recorded speed of 91.174 km/h. Rawlings had a good night with a heat victory, while the other heat was taken out by Troy Bolton.

The Legend Cars presented a good line-up with some competitive racing.