WARRNAMBOOL SPEEDWAY: VEAL TAKES EASTER SPRINTCAR TRAIL

By Thomas Miles (courtesy of Auto Action)

Back-to-back victories have pushed Jamie Veal to Easter Sprintcar Trail glory at the finale at Warrnambool’s Premier Speedway, Sunday night, April 20.

Veal put in a special drive from 12th on the grid to take the feature in Victoria which was the final leg of the Easter Sprintcar Trial.

Having also won at Mount Gambier’s Borderline Speedway, the SWI Racing driver was the clear winner of the three-race series that also included Avalon where Tate Frost won.

Veal soared throughout the feature and took the chequered flag ahead of Daniel Pestka and Frost.

The feature was brought forward due to forecast showers and it paid off, producing a great race for the fans to salute the sprintcar season.

From pole position Pestka led early ahead of Madsen but not many laps could be completed before the first caution with Dane Court retiring.

A green flag run followed where Veal put the foot down and after just 13 laps he soared into the top three ahead of Cook and Egel with only Pestka and Madsen ahead.

But after Madsen had a close all with the outside wall, he could not keep Veal behind any longer.

Across the next four laps Veal slashed Pestka’s lead and the latter had no answer as the SWI Racing driver soared past with 13 laps left.

The leading pair both utilised the high line to negotiate lapped traffic and the final laps.

Veal was cruising to victory only for a late yellow to arrive due to a stopped Luke Storer.

With five laps left Pestka’s big chance was the restart but not only could he not challenge Veal, he also lost second to Frost.

However, Pestka hit back to retake the position as Veal drove clear to complete a stunning drive to the chocolates.

Meanwhile another Easter show took place at Gladstone where the Harbour City Easter Classic took place.

With $10,000 on the line many big names were on show including the likes of Goodyer, McFadden, Hallett, McHugh and more.

It all kicked off with the preliminary A Main on Saturday night.

It was on from the start as Oldfield and Whell almost clashed at the first corner fighting for the lead.

Oldfield cut the nose off Whell to take control with McFadden taking a watching brief, while Goodyer was in the deep reaches of the top 10 in the congested pack.

Whell was battling and could not stop McFadden and Hallett from driving past inside the first four laps.

As the race roared past the halfway mark, McHugh also snared fourth to push Whell to fifth as Oldfield continued driving into the distance.

McHugh and Hallett soon found themselves side by side for multiple laps before the former Australian champion won the battle.

McFadden made a late charge, but no one was touching Oldfield as he dominated the Saturday night clash.

However, the main prize was on Easter Sunday and the big names came out to play.

It was a hot pace at the front with Oldfield working hard to keep the likes of McFadden, McHugh and Goodyer at bay.

But in the end the Tasmanian was on the charge. Having went from 10th to the fifth on the opening night, Goodyer kept pressing forward when it mattered most.

Goodyer overcame McHugh and McFadden to take the deciding second night of the Harbour City Classic.

The fireworks marked the end of the southern sprintcar season.