WARRNAMBOOL SPEEDWAY: BERKLEY GOES BACK-TO-BACK!
Premier Speedway, Warrnambool: Queensland’s Joel Berkley has gone back-to-back, claiming his second SSA Super Sedan National Title in as many years.
Berkley would dominate the weekend, winning three of his four heats to qualify on the front row of the forty-lap Hire Australia feature race, in which he would lead every lap of en route to defeating Brad Pascoe and Zac Brims.
As the field went under green for the first time driver got away quickly, but it only lasted half a lap as Todd Atkins went spinning down the back straight and was collected by Dylan Barrow and Mick Nicola Snr, while Peter Nicola also found himself involved and amazingly the only driver who would be out of the race.
Attempt two at a start went much better, with Berkley leading the opening lap from Pascoe, Brock Atkins, Callum harper and Zac Brims.
This would remain the order until the yellows came on as the field completed the third lap, David Musch and Brad McMaster coming together with Musch sliding infield at a rate of knots and just able to pull his machine up before the concrete barriers.
The front order didn’t change on the restart as Berkley held his lead over Pascoe, and over the next seven laps, the top seven pulled away from the rest of the field, Berkley still leading Pascoe, Brock Atkins, Zac Brims, Callum Harper, Dylan Barrow and Todd Atkins.
As the lead pack approached lapped traffic Mick Nicola Junior spun in turn four, somehow avoided by the approaching field, as the yellows came on with twelve complete.
Twenty cars were able to restart, and it was a high speed freight train with plenty of attitude, Brock Atkins launching his front left into the air going into turn one and giving Brims a momentary sniff of third.
Lap twenty saw Harper have a moment coming out of turn two and it was enough for Barrow to get by for fifth, but Harper went high and battled right on back.
Unfortunately it only lasted another half a lap, Harper launching up on two wheels and somehow avoiding the roll over, but bouncing back on track, spitting out flames and ultimately hitting the wall to bring out the cautions with twenty complete and twenty remaining.
Again, Berkley held strong when the race resumed, while everyone fought hard right behind but were unable to make any positions.
With twenty six laps complete Brock Atkins pulled high and began to slow, bringing out the yellows before he pulled infield, only to rejoin the field just as they took the green again, albeit from the rear. Unfortunately it would only last another few laps before his race was over, retiring infield.
Back up front, Berkley was still being hounded by Pascoe, with Brims, Todd Atkins and Barrow right behind.
With ten to go Berkley had a half second lead, and with five to go the gap was the same, though the lead five were closing in rapidly on lapped traffic.
Just as Berkley began passing lapped cars, McMasters spun in front of them and again the yellows were out, giving the lead cars a reprieve with five laps to run and a clear run to the finish.
Just as the field went green, McMasters came to a stop in turn two, aborting the start and seeing himself disqualified, while under the yellows Todd Atkins would head infield in tense moments before he too was able to rejoin the field.
Again there was no change at the top of the order as the race resumed, and try as they might, with some awesome racing, there was no change at the top, Berkley claiming his second win in as many years.
Brad Pascoe came home second with Zac Brims, Todd Atkins and Dylan Barrow rounding out the top five finishers in what was a great weekend, with full credit to the Super Sedan drivers and the whole Premier Speedway crew.
A Main, 40 laps: 1. A1 Joel Berkley, 2. Q18 Brad Pascoe, 3. V35 Brock Atkins, 4. T22 Callum Harper, 5. V36 Todd Atkins, 6. N29 Zac Brims, 7. V17 Dylan Barrow, 8. Q44 Trent Wilson, 9. V3 Mick Nicola Snr, 10. V2 Peter Nicola, 11. QA11 Mitchell Gee, 12. T52 Brad McMaster, 13. V0 Lucas Roberts, 14. Q4 Sam Hughes, 15. Q26 Sean Black, 16. S8 Dave Gartner, 17. Q98 Michael Hally, 18. Q12 David Musch, 19. T14 Adam Beechey, 20. T6b Corey Jetson, 21. Q11 Rob Hamilton, 22. V32 Mick Nicola Jnr.
RESULT
1. A1 Joel Berkley, 2. Q18 Brad Pascoe, 3. N29 Zac Brims, 4. V36 Todd Atkins, 5. V17 Dylan Barrow, 6. QA11 Mitchell Gee, 7. V3 Mick Nicola Jnr, 8. Q44 Trent Wilson, 9. T6 Corey Jetson, 10. Q12 David Musch, 11. Q26 Sean Black, 12. Q98 Michael Hally, 13. S8 Dave Gartner, 14. Q4 Sam Hughes, 15. T14 Adam Beechey, 16. Q11 Rob Hamilton. DNF: V35 Brock Atkins (30), T22 Callum Harper (20), V3 Mick Nicola Snr (14), V0 Lucas Roberts (11), V2 Peter Nicola (0). DQ: T52 Brad McMaster. DNS: V16 Ash Bergmeier. Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 0.658. Fastest Lap: 14.161 N29 Zac Brims.
