Bairnsdale Speedway held host to three important feature events on Saturday night, with the annual King of the Rock for Limited Sportsman, 50 Lapper for Wingless Sprints and the Legend’s Cup for the Speedway Drivers Association of Victoria (SDAV) Hot Rods entertaining the crowd. Wins went to Troy Curren, Todd Hobson and Stan Marco Snr respectively whilst Shane Stewart and Sharlene Laidlaw took victories in the Standard Saloon Men’s and Women’s finals.
Limited Sportsman racing lost a few entrants prior to the event reaching race day with the terrible Victorian weather on the Friday concerning racers from Victoria’s Wimmera and South West enough to stay home whilst the Victorian Champion in the class Nathan Baker cruelly suffered engine concerns in the first race of the night, putting paid to his intentions of a win. Andrew Wilson from Hamilton, David Dennison from Bairnsdale and Wilson a second time won qualifying races.
Across twenty exciting laps of the A1 Yard Maintenance King of the Rock, Wilson and Curren from Horsham, put on a sensational feature race for fans with both drivers barely separated by half a car length most of the time. Curren was very good in the lead and Wilson tried every which way to get past with turn two often catching him out high and loose on the track. Katelyn Worthy also from the South West of Victoria had a great battle with Tim McKenzie throughout the race after McKenzie spent some time ahead of her early. Worthy got the better of McKenzie and the two caught up to the lead two cars before dropping back again. Curren took the prestigious victory from Wilson, Worthy, McKenzie and Dennison.
Like the Limited Sportsman, the Wingless Sprints also lost a number of nominated race drivers prior to race day due to the weather. A brave contingent from New South Wales of four drivers, including eventual top five finisher Peter Granger made the trip and they were rewarded for their optimistic outlook with some racing in the EZ Print 50 Lapper. Daryl Logue, Kelvin Johnson, Chris Temby and Hobson all won the heat races to set the field for a fifty lap endurance final.
Daryl Logue from Morwell the top qualifier hit the lead first and Matt Mills putting the pressure on. Wayne Logue, Todd Hobson, Brett Pope and Chris Temby were all in the top six early, whilst Dillon Siely and Brett Milburn were working hard to move forward in the back half of the field.
At the thirty over mark, the race had a caution, it’s first. This was the moment Hobson pounced as he wound up at the restart and through turn one to two went around of second and first placed racers Temby then Daryl Logue to take the lead. From there he never looked back. Milburn and Granger made great strides forward over the last twenty laps and Hobson went on to win from Milburn, Daryl Logue, Wayne Logue and Granger.
Hot Rod racing from the SDAV for the Legends Cup was also entertaining and unfortunately the class Victorian Champion Shannon Meakins had a evening plagued with issues mechanically and then with a crash and he failed to start the feature event. Tom Marco and then his father Stan Marco twice, took the three qualifying wins between them. Marco then led from start to finish in the feature event to record the victory ahead of Dean West, Daniel Mills, Phil Jenkins and Chris Wilkes.
Shane Stewart from Morwell was leading the supporting Standard Saloon Men’s final despite power steering fluid smoke almost catching him out. Luckily a caution period for a race incident allowed him to slow down and miraculously the smoke dissipated. Stewart went on to win from Craig Smith, Steven Dadswell, Andrew Cormack and Luke King.
In Ladies Standard Saloon racing, Sharlene Laidlaw watched as her car was crashed out of a Men’s race earlier, before a show of sportsmanship from Ashley and Josh Cormack by way of putting Sharlene in their car allowed her to compete in her last qualifier and then the final. Laidlaw went on to win from Heather McKean, Kate Stuchbery and Jemima Borkowski.
Bairnsdale Speedway Association wishes to thank all their valued supporters;
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Ends Release
