FOWLER WINS AUSTRALIAN TITLE AT WAHGUNYAH SPEEDWAY

By Dean Thompson DMT Sports Media
For Victorian Grand Prix Midget Racing Association. 

Feature photo: Chris Fowler – National Champion. Photos by Noah Thorley Images.

New South Wales and Victorian competitors descended upon the picturesque Murray River Wahgunyah township for this season’s annual Australian Grand Prix Midget Championship.

When the racing was done and the scrutineering checks completed, Chris Fowler from Geelong has been crowned Australian Champion for the first time in his career.

The Corowa-Rutherglen Speedway Club, hosting the event, have been great supporters of Grand Prix Midget racing and were determined to provide the division the best event possible and the consensus from all, is they passed the test with flying colours. From a track provided on which drivers could set records and go at an unbelievable pace, to where passing lanes were provided for those quicker than others, through the fan involvement, and the pre-title race activities provided the competitors with a sense of pride before strapping in for battle.

Wahgunyah Speedway’s now well-known pit tour on race day gave drivers on Australian title night the opportunity to engage with fans and provide opportunities for people to see the cars up close – even sit in the race cars, in addition to poster giv-aways and to share photos with enthusiastic fans.
Once ready for racing, each driver set competing in three heats in a structure that ensures everybody got a rear, middle and front of the field starting position during the qualifying before the field was settled on points for the Australian title starting positions.

Lining up from pole position for the first race of the night was New South Wales Champion Gavin Black, while the field also included Terry Brown, Dylan Lees, Alex Myers, Chris Fowler, Gary Bowyer, Locky Robotham (V50 – Yamaha R1/HMJ Chassis/Pitstop Mowers), Matt Kamolins, and Wayne Harrison-Watt. When the race got underway Myers took the lead after he passed Black, Brown and Lees (N9 – Yamaha R1/ Ellis Chassis/AOK Trophies) with Fowler and Gary Bowyer doing the same on lap one of eight.

Myers led every lap to defeat Fowler, Bowyer, Black, Robotham and Kamolins in the first heat.

Former Australian champion Paul Perry (V33 – Kawasaki ZX12/Paul Perry GHC Chassis/GB Powder Coating) then began heat number two from pole position with Adam Buckley alongside him. Travis Florrimell, Riley Bowyer, Johnny Rouse, Daniel Meredith, Shawn Ward, and Mark Cecil completed the field.

Myers passed Buckley for the lead on the final lap of the race and went on to win with Kamolins in third, Gary Bowyer fourth and Ward (V44 – Yamaha R1/Appleton Chassis/McPhee Rodeo Co) in fifth spot.

In the next heat on lap three, Buckley made a pass back ahead of Florrimell (V81 – Suzuki GSXR/Stinger Chassis/T & M Lineboring & Engineering) and chased Perry to the finish line with Florrimell, Meredith and Rouse rounding out the field. Cecil did not complete a lap as his chain came off the engine during the caution roll around lap.

Victorian champion Chris Fowler then began the fourth heat from the front row with Daniel Meredith (V5 – Yamaha R1/Stinger Chassis/Melton Bolts & Industrial Supplies), Robotham, Black, Perry, Lees and Florrimell making the starter’s flag. Robotham tucked himself in behind Fowler on lap one with Black and Florrimell making their way past Meredith also. Perry started to move forward and made his way into fourth spot by lap five with Black moving ahead of Robotham into second.

All the effort by Perry to move forward came undone on the last lap as he spun out of fourth with Fowler crossing the line ahead of Black (N8 – Kawasaki ZX1200cc/PBR Chassis/Panther Prestige Smash Repairs), Robotham, Florrimell, Meredeth, Lees and Perry.

Riley Bowyer then began the fifth heat from pole position, and he really needed to convert this one into a win given his drama in his first two races. Myers (V11 – Suzuki GSXR/PBR Chassis/Automotive Super Balance) began alongside, then came Florrimell, Lees, Buckley, Perry and Black, with Brown and Cecil both unable to make the start.

Bowyer went on to convert his front row start into a much-needed win which moved him a few spots further up the title race starting grid. Black came second with Myers, Perry, Buckley, Florrimell and Lees rounding out the positions.

Matt Kamolins (V22 – Suzuki GSXR/GH Chassis/Dalton Building & Garden Supplies) then began heat race number six in the pole position with Ward, Robotham, Meredith, Gary Bowyer, Rouse, Fowler, and Harrison-Watt for the final qualifying opportunity.

When set on their way by officials, Kamolins led Bowyer, Robotham and Fowler on lap one of the race. It took until lap three before Bowyer moved to the race lead with Fowler moving to third and ahead of Robotham. Harrison-Watt (N25 – Yamaha R1/PBR Chassis/White Ant Racing) was still being stuck with bad luck as he suffered right rear wheel problems and pulled out of the race on the third lap. Bowyer set a great pace from start to finish and led Kamolins, Fowler, Robotham, Meredith and Rouse past the finish line.

The Victorian Grand Prix Midget Racing Association then used the interval to finalise a raffle that they were holding with a major prize of a Kingchrome toolset valued at $3000 and a Mower worth $700 which was donated by Pitstop Mowers along with some gift cards as other prizes.

Reigning Australian Grand Prix Midget Champion Peter Robotham was drawn out as the winner of the major prize, however he generously donated the tool set back to be redrawn, where a member of the crowd became the new winner.

Alex Myers’ car was judged best presented and a feather in the cap to class legend Dennis Myers for all his efforts. Incredibly, out of the seventeen cars that made race night, all seventeen started the title race, where fourteen would go on to finish.

Qualifying in pole position for the title was Alex Myers with Fowler, Gary Bowyer (N5 – Yamaha R1/WAR Chassis/Arjan Motors), Black, Buckley, Kamolins, Meredith, Robotham, Perry, Florrimell, Riley Bowyer, Rouse, Ward, Lees, Brown, Harrison-Watt, and Cecil completing the lineup for the twenty-lap title distance.

The field was then let loose for the twenty-lap journey with Myers the first to lead a lap with Fowler (V13 – Yamaha R1/HMJ Chassis/R & P Stainer Grinding Services), Black, Gary Bowyer, Buckley, and Perry the top six. Black passed Fowler on lap two into second spot and Perry was the first to come a cropper on lap four when he spun whilst in sixth spot. This incident sent him back to thirteenth. On lap four Black moved to the lead and Kamolins moved into the sixth spot vacated by Perry.

At the half way point, Black, Myers, Gary Bowyer, Fowler and Buckley were the race order whilst Riley Bowyer, then Riley spun on lap ten and Meredith a lap later would start have temperature issues when the water hose let go and he exited infield, whilst Gary Bowyer also spun out of contention.

Locky Robotham’s clutch gave up and his car exited the race on lap twelve with Fowler now back in third, Buckley fourth, and Riley Bowyer in fifth despite his spin. On lap thirteen Fowler moved to the second spot behind Black with Myers back to third before dropping another spot-on lap fourteen to fourth and then three more positions on lap fifteen settling into seventh spot.

Podium Left to Right is Travis Florrimell 4th, Adam Buckley 2nd, Chris Fowler 1st, Matt Kamolins 3rd and Mark Cecil 5th.

Buckley moved into the third spot with the dramas plaguing the Myers car, and at the chequered flag Black crossed the line ahead of Fowler, Buckley, Kamolins, Florrimell, Cecil (V3 – Suzuki GSXR/Pearce Chassis/Maxam Printing), Riley Bowyer, Perry, Fary Bowyer, Harrison-Watt, Brown, Lees and Rouse.

Post race scrutineering took place where scrutineers looked at various important technical aspects of the Australian Grand Prix Midget category rule book on the podium placed cars. Unfortunately for Gavin Black, the inspection found that his rear wing was sitting too high and outside the rules.

Upon taking the indiscretion to the Stewards, Stewards had no choice other than to disqualify Gavin from the title win and race results. Victorian champion Chris Fowler became the new Australia one driver with Adam Buckley second, Matt Kamolins third Travis Florrimell fourth and all the way from seventeenth on the grid to fifth was former national champion Mark Cecil.

Having been declared the winner, Fowler thanked two important people involved with the race car. “I would like to take this opportunity firstly and foremost to thank my father John for all the work, time, and effort he has done to get the car to the where it is now so very consistent in its performance. Also, to Danny Stainer for building the car, his help and advice ever since we got the car from Danny and Ross. I am disappointed for Gavin and I believe he made an honest set up error and look forward to racing with him again soon.

“I would like to thank my supporters, my family back at home Caiwen and the kids and the Victorian Grand Prix Midget Racing Association for all their work and the sponsors for their support of our Association.”

Drivers commented that the track was great all night, smooth, with the club keeping the water in the track and allowing the class to set a couple of new racing records.

The Victorian Grand Prix Midget Racing Association would like to thank Corowa-Rutherglen Speedway Club for hosting an extremely well-run event and are already looking forward to the next time the class can run back at Wahgunyah Speedway.

Victorian Grand Prix Midget Racing Association supporters:
Stinger Chassis
Melton Bolts & Industrial Supplies
Automotive Super Balance
Pitstop Mowers
DMT Speedway Media
Jackie & Vern Parker DVD & Photography
Napier Photography