BAIRNSDALE SPEEDWAY’S SEASON OPENER THRILLS FANS
Feature photo: Car 10 – Division Two Hot Rod winner, Bairnsdale man Trent Wilson.
By Dean Thompson…(Dean Thompson Media) For Bairnsdale Speedway Association… All photos by: Michaela Eade Photography
Bairnsdale Speedway Association’s first event of the season has been run and won, October 17.
Winners included Bairnsdale man Trent Wilson in the first round of the Division Two Hot Rod Victorian series, Tannah Lee in Limited Sportsman, Jacob Vuillermin (Standard Saloons), Jayden Curtis (Junior Standard Saloons) and Bree Walker (Ladies Standard Saloons).
Car 72 – Bairnsdale driver Tannah Lee, Limited Sportsman winner.
In Limited Sportsman, Ash MacKay and Breanna Lee both joined the class for the first time in their racing careers. Heat wins went to Jayden White, then Darren Adams in the next two, whilst returning competitor Adam Greenwood shook some gremlins out of his car hoping to come good by the time of the feature event. Come the final, Adams led early as he was chased and then rounded up by White who hit the front. Tannah Lee moved into third and then put pressure on the lead two drivers as they weaved in and out of traffic.
A racing incident with a couple laps to go in which Adams made contact with White as they both were trying to get passed a lapped racer allowed Lee to hit the front, White and Adams cars went skewing across the track and out of the race, Greenwood and the field also passed as the caution flag came out. Damage to White’s car seen it head to the infield crash zone, Adams was given a rear of the field penalty. The race was then declared and Lee was the race winner from Greenwood, Mackay, Adams, and Breanna Lee.
Car 17 – Jayden Curtis Junior Standard Saloon winner.
In Junior Standard Saloon competition, Jayden Curtis and Alex Van Duren resumed their battles from late last season. Penny Mills and Mason Beattie joined the category as rookie race drivers and Tailen Wells continued their development from last season. Curtis won all three heat races in front from Alex Van Duren. In the final, Curtis and Van Duren went at it again and despite almost being challenged for the lead, Curtis was able to get his season off to the perfect start with a clean sweep of qualifying and feature race wins. Wells finished third with Beattie and Mills completing the top five.
Sharni Wells started strongly in the Ladies Standard Saloon race competition; She won the first heat after Bree Walker was penalised due to racing contact and then picked up a win in the second with Walker in second. Walker finally recorded a victory in heat three with Wells behind her whilst Kate Stuchbery recorded her second third placed result. In the feature event, Walker recorded a win over Wells, Stuchbery, Michelle George and Brooke Mills who last season got a taste of racing and now has her very own car she will share on occasions with daughter Penny.
Division Two Hot Rod competitors were competing for round one series points.
Keven Stoopman from Sale and a former Bathurst circuit class winner in the six-hour event, completed victory in heat first race of the series in which he looked very strong. Victorian Champion Beau Stuchbery and Trent Wilson then had a terrific battle in heat two as Stuchbery emerged the winner. Stoopman then outgunned Troy Wilson (no relation to Trent) in heat three with Victorian title runner up Josh Thomas in third. Trent Wilson and Beau Stuchbery reversed their first-round results in the fourth heat of the night, and Wilson greeted the chequered flag first.
Into the final round of racing former Victorian title champion Jordan Haley who had been suffering mechanical and tyre issues to this point, was awarded the win after Thomas was handed a two-spot penalty for a race restart infringement. Trent Wilson then went up against Stoopman in the final heat and Wilson had to use all his race craft to head off Stoopman and Troy Wilson for the final qualifying points on offer.
In the feature event Trent Wilson finished with the win, Stoopman second, Haley third, Troy Wilson fourth, and then Stuchbery in fifth.
Rounding out all the classes figuring in racing and club points events were the Standard Saloons. Starting off the new season impressively was Tyson Bretherton and he pulled off his biggest result so far by defeating class champion at Bairnsdale, Gus Argoon. Two-time former Victorian state champion Jacob Vuillermin then won heat two in front of Colin Connolly. Connolly then won the third heat race in front of Ballarat visitor Jacob Head. Vuillermin won his second heat race finishing in front of the busy Bree Walker who through the night would wind up racing in six heats and two finals competing in her two classes.
Connolly finished ahead Argoon in their final qualifier with Vuillermin then winning his third heat race from as many starts. Vuillermin won the feature event.
Fans were also treated to the first ever V8 Non-Wing Sprintcars Australia track time. The new venture led by Gary and Sean Fitzpatrick will see 410ci, 360ci and LS engined Sprintcars racing on a controlled tyre for on track action this season.
Bairnsdale Speedway will return on November 17th with all the local classes plus the addition of the Speedway Karts for adults and junior categories.
