Bayswater race driver Travis Millar who considers Nyora his home track raceway has claimed victory in the Victorian Wingless Sprint state title on Saturday night in front of a brave motorsport crowd who did not let the threat of 38 degree temperature or the possibility of rain deter them from venturing into town for a great nights racing.
The race track was superb, encouraging passing in three lanes around the turns and Millar made the best of his knowledge of the surface with a handful of New South Wales and South West Victorian challengers keen upset those that run at Nyora on a regular basis.
Nine qualifying heat races across ten laps each were ran to give competitors chances from the front, rear and middle of fields to accumulate points and qualify for the title race. Millar, Wayne Logue from Morwell, Blaine Densley from the Latrobe Valley, Chris Ansell, Dillon Siely from East Gippsland, Ray Klemm, John Egan, Gavin Fitzpatrick, and Coby Elliott of New South Wales were all winners and showing just how even the field was with nine different winners. Elliott moving to the front from the furthest position back on the starting grid, when he came from fifth to win the last heat.
Christopher Halesworth won the last chance qualifier from Kasey Garlick, Tyler O’Leary and Nicholas Ryan and they started from seventeenth to twentieth in the title race.
At the drop of the green flag Millar beat Narre Warren racer Christopher Temby into turn one to lead Ansell, Elliott and Scott Irons down the back straight. The field kept their positions at the front for the next twelve laps whilst Millar and Temby were out front with a margin back to third. The first major incident of the race seen Iron’s penalised for causing a stoppage connecting with Elliott and they and others that were caught up in the incident behind them were relegated to the rear of the field.
Millar then led Temby, Ansell, Blake Walsh, and John Egan from New South Wales before Walsh moved passed Ansell into third on lap fourteen. Positions remained the same until some last couple of lap incidents. Egan was worst affected from this and he dropped out of the top five and a green, white and chequered flag finish went the way of Millar who led every lap of the title race to claim the state title ahead of Temby, Walsh, Ansell and Jeremy Beddison who came from 13th in the title race to finish fifth.
Supporting the Wingless Sprints were the Speedway Sedan Australia Junior classes and the Victorian Speedway Council 1200cc Junior Sedan class along with the Sports Sedans.
Linken Paterson has been a very hard driver to beat in the Top Star grade of National Junior Sedans in South Gippsland for a long time and he continued his winning ways when he led all the way in heat one to win and came from seventh to win heat two taking the lead with two laps to go. He then also completed the clean sweep winning the fifteen-lap final from his brother River Paterson, Bree Simpson from Woori Yallock, Maddy Capon and Jayden Lock.
New Star Juniors for developing drivers in up to 1500cc powered race cars seen another clean sweep, this time Zach Erickson won all three races. He led heat one from start to finish then won heat two before being challenged by Steane Cosson in the final before getting away and winning clearly. Erickson defeated Cosson, Chase Doherty, Jaylen Knight and Cruz Paterson.
Xander Baxter and Ella Sheedy were very competitive in the Junior 1200cc Sedans class with Baxter winning the first heat after Dayne Murdoch led the first ten laps of fifteen. Baxter won the second heat in a great battle with Bunyip racer Ella Sheedy before the two went head to head out front in the final. Baxter led the final at the start with Sheedy persisting with trying to pass around the outside. Murdoch was strong in third spot as the two out front battled on. Eventually Sheedy made a outside pass stick and then went on to win from Baxter, Murdoch, Chase Doherty, and Brad Marshall, the latter two drivers competing in two classes on the evening.
Warragul racer and local sedan legend Ray Gould won heat one in the Sports Sedan’s competing in a Cortina. Malcolm Knight then won heat two and looked the strongest of the field as the track compacted. In the final Knight was a clear leader with a brief challenge from Steve Loader. Katie Meyer moved forward and slotted into third spot as she passed Bernie Franklin and Ray Gould. Loader then stumbled with a spin and went to the back of the pack and Knight soon pulled out of the race with Meyer moving to the front and not even realising she was the leader. Meyer won from Franklin, Gould, Loader and Bart Fell.
Nyora returns with competition on April the 1st with this seasons Junior Standard Saloon title, V8 Dirt Modifieds Grand in the Hand feature and support classes.
Nyora would like to thank this season’s business partners;
B & B Retainer Walls
Burson Autoparts
Cecil Cartage
Earthlink Electrical
EZ Print
Highline Racewear
IDIGIT
John Duff & Co – Shell
Magnet Towing
Membrey’s Transport
Miles Mechanical
ML Automotive
Mornington Motors
Napier Photography
Ramsdale Wreckers
Redde Race Parts
Rip It Up Earthworks
Ripper Sticker
Russell Steel
Shannon’s Insurance
Victory Lane Racegear
Ends Release.
Media written by DMT Sports Media – Dean Thompson
