Who is Highline Magazine Editor: Brett Swanson Artist/layout; Andy Ticehurst Contributors; Kaylene Oliver, Grant Woodhams, Ray Read, Andy Ticehurst. Photographers: Brett Swanson – Pirate Media Kieran Swanson – Pirate Media Matt Hines – Jigsaw Photography Andy Ticehurst – PRM Group Rachel Cooper - Inaction Photos Leigh Reynolds - Inaction Photos Geoff Gracie Wayne Martin (WA) You – The Speedway fans Facebook Contributions / Criticism Welcome. High Line Magazine Brett Swanson 0410 198 138 brett@piratemediagroup.com.au
Front cover – A little piece of history as Callum Harper (main pic) became the first person in the world to hold both of Australia’s premier sedan class National championships at the same time when he won the Late Model Title to augment his Super Sedan Title. Harper won the Late Model Title in late February at Warrnambool’s Sungold Milk Premier Speedway. Photo Pirate Media. Bottom, the top five Late Model sedan placegetters from left to right pole sitter Craig Vosbergen (4th), David Doherty (2nd), Callum Harper (1st), Paul Stubber (3rd) and Ben Nicastri (5th). Photo Geoff Gracie.
SOMETHING BIG IS HAPPENING STAY TUNED
Editorial
Welcome to the latest edition of Highline Magazine and if you’re a speedway sedan fan, this issue is for you. We’ve covered the recent history making Late Model Sedan Championship in big, illustrated fashion (40 pages) plus there’s Grant Woodhams’ reflection and recollection back on the 1986 Grand National Sedan Championship – the precursor to the modern Late Model Sedans - with some cracker photos courtesy of the Tony Loxley collection. We’ve also got a story some competitors didn’t want us to run on the burgeoning use of the CT525 crate motor in Late Model competition. There’s a great self-penned story on how the doyen of Australian speedway media, Mr Dennis Newlyn, got his start and some of his more memorable early moments and personalities. For a bit of controversy there’s Ray Read’s usual “Food for thought” column and our story on the use of media reps and questioning the value of the services supplied. Plus there’s the usual pictorial coverage of Speedcars, Lightning Sprints, Sprintcars, V8 Dirt Modifieds, Super Rods, Formula 500’s and Stephen Pickering’s stunningly poignant pictorial tribute to a young man’s memory.
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POINT OF VIEW
Vale Dave Steele
Steele also twice won the Turkey Night Midget Grand Prix. He was racing in the Southern Shootout Sprint Car Series where he historically won the series’ first five inaugural race meetings.
We sometimes get complacent in this exciting sport of ours, and that is due to the vastly improved safety that has been developed over the years, but yet lying behind all that is the underlying concept that this Our thoughts go out to Steele’s sport can still hurt, or worse yet, still family and friends. kills. Rob Barker As Highline was going to press so to speak, came the news of the Our thoughts and condolences also death of American Ace Dave Steele go out to the Barker family with the in a winged Sprintcar at Desoto loss of family patriarch Rob. Rob Speedway in Bradenton, Florida. was something of a super fan that Steele was one of the best Asphalt you could find at just about any VicWinged Sprintcar racers with nutorian or major Sprintcar event. merous wins and championships under his belt. Apart from being the always smiling big fella with the puritan beard, Rob While they are a bit of an oddity was the father of racer Colin Barker to us here in Australia they have and Allstar Sprintcars official Kerbeen around in the USA in various rie Donnelly and loving husband to pockets for a long, long time and Daphne. they are awesomely quick. Sadly Steele’s accident that claimed his R.I.P Rob. life appeared to be an innocuous accident with no multiple flips or dramas that would have had you John Surtees holding your breath with fear, yet sadly he paid the ultimate price. Sad also to hear of the death of the most unique motorsport man in the Steele was just 42 years old at the world, John Surtees CBE. time and had been a 2 time USAC Silver Crown Champion as well as John was 83 years old and was the having raced NASCAR Busch Cup, only man to win world championIndy Cars, and the ARCA series. ships on both two and four wheels.
Milburn repeats.
Go-Fund-Me
On a positive note, congratulations to Brett Milburn on retaining his Eureka Garages & Sheds Sprintcar Series crown after a tough finale between he and Tim Van Ginneken saw Milburn go back to back by just 9 points. Look for our championship wrap in a future issue of Highline Magazine.
Go fund Me accounts can be great things and a couple of race teams have used this as a form of additional funding to help with the odd interstate or long haul trip or when things have been a little tuff financially but it seems there is a trend emerging where teams are relying on them more and more and on multiple occasions.
You got dust? If you’ve ever been to a race track and it got a bit dusty and you complained about it you need to google Mansfield Raceway on Ohio, USA. You’ll never complain again. Mansfield recently returned to dirt after many years as an asphalt track and from what I’ve seen of the inaugural meeting they sure did have dirt and dust. Now I know the Americans are more tolerant of dust than we Aussies but wow, the dust here just had to be seen to be believed. Google Jac Haudenschild at Mansfield and you will be stunned.
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While some people see this as a bad thing and possibly a bit lazy, I suppose if those contributing funds to it don’t mind, then it doesn’t matter. So long as you don’t plead poor only to turn up with a second team car just weeks after seeking the Go-Fund-Me money for tyres for an interstate trip.
Qld Late Model Title
Speedcars getting stronger.
The Queensland Late Model Title was one of the best races seen from the division in recent years at Toowoomba Speedway, with Darren Kane locked in an intense war with Carter Armstrong until Armstrong spun out on lap 18 finally surrendering to Kane who went on to claim the win and his third Queensland Late Model Title over Robert Carrig and Nicker Girdlestone.
Great to see the re-emergence of the Victorian Speedcar ranks in recent times with numbers back on the rise. It’s still a long way to go with consistency of competitor numbers the next goal needed to be achieved. We’ve said it many times before that Speedcars provide some of the best racing, but only when you have a field of reasonable numbers and good drivers.
The MICHELLE WARD MEMORIAL pencilled in for Goulburn Speedway for the Late Models had to been cancelled due to the weather. No news on if it’s going to be re scheduled.
Former Semi-professional US based Baseballer turned Wingless Sprint racer and now Speedcar owner Tim Fisher, is also the Victorian Club President and has been working hard along with the whole club to generate interest amongst car owners and drivers and the fruit is now beginning to bear.
Global crisis. Word out of Sydney is that the came out of nowhere – high profile Global Racing Sprintcar outfit is no-more. This would possibly have to be one of the shortest tenures at this level that we’ve ever seen. What this means for driver Courtney O’Hehir remains to be seen.
/Highline-Magazine
Editorial
Bu
Fant
KINSER IN AUSTRALIA Photo by Geoff Gracie
When you’re stuck in Indiana and the temperature only ranges from a frozen -1C to a high of 9C you might consider the offer to race a Sprintcar in Australia a good idea, even if it means a multi hour- flight from Indiana to either LA or Dallas and then the long 15 hour plus flight to Sydney and then the obvious return journey. But when you’re already in the air and the show is washed out what do you do? Well, you and your Sydney team then pack up and drive 10 hours or so south to Avalon Raceway for a round of the Eureka Garages and Sheds SRA Sprintcar series, which coincidentally paid more to win ($5,000) than the local Sydney show would have done. It all still seems like a good idea right? Until things start to go awry however in hot laps when a bit of smoke starts to billow from under the bonnet. 10
HIGHLINE MAGAZINE | EDITION 15
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A roll over by another competitor (during hot laps!!!) gives you the chance to check things over and then just as you complete your first time trial lap, the motor goes kaboom! No worries, this is a two car team and you’ve come all this way as a hired gun, right?
PSC
night but….”
my car for the
And so it is after all this time and effort, and with the same laborious return journey still to come, you don’t even get to turn a single “racing” lap. Stuff happens that even the name Kinser can’t prevent, can it Kody?
“We don’t have a spare motor and this will be my last race of the season - I’m going into hospital this week for an operation,” explained Michael Matchett. “If I was going to do a few more shows I’d put him in /Highline-Magazine
“Wilson goes back to NSW Lightning Sprint
Veteran Steve Milthorpe tried retiring from V8 Dirt Mod competition a little whil drew him back to the sport he loves. And with action like this captured at Avalon Photo courtesy InactionPhotos.com.au 12
HIGHLINE MAGAZINE | EDITION 15
o back at t Title�
le back but then a guest drive in another machine got him excited again and n recently, why wouldn’t you want to be racing a V8 Dirt Modified? www.HighlineMagazine.com.au
/Highline-Magazine
Sometimes ya just gotta’ love the V8 Dirt Modifieds. In this fantastic Inactionpho through turn 4 towards the Avalon raceway pit gate. 14 HIGHLINE MAGAZINE | EDITION 15
oto.com.au shot all three cars, being led by Daryl Hickson, are caught powering /Highline-Magazine
Americans Harli White-Hines (left) and Domenic Scelzi anxiously watch the timing
g board during qualifying.
Paul Stubber always puts on a show, win, lose or draw and despite some dramas t dash from his lowest position of 12th to grab a top three finish.
throughout the heats he qualified straight into the main event where he cut a
It would be fair to say that Darryl Grimson didn’t have the event he, or his fans, wo however the Sydneysider never really threatened all weekend.
ould have expected. After starting 17th, a 9th place finish doesn’t seem too bad
Infield hustle prior to time trials sees Michael Hetherington’s crew busy in the fore ture (from the B-main) eventually finishing 14th of the 24 starters. The Ballarat ba Model feature at Redline raceway less than a month later defeating the newly cro
eground. Hetherington would be one of only three Victorians to make the feaased racer however must have learnt plenty as he was able to win his first Late owned Aussie Champ along the way.
Local lady racer Fiona Verhoeven, who we erroneously called Linda in our last issu
ue (oops..sorry), had a difficult weekend but battled on regardless.
Darren Kane, cranks the Boettcher Dominator in sideways on the highline as form
mer Victorian Champion Todd Bayley leaks oil and dollars on the low line.
Veteran Barry Kelleher dubbed this title as potentially his last and was having a so the chassis had cracked as a result of a pre-title wreck. Unfortunately the 70 year o straight into the final.
olid run on the first night only to discover during overnight maintenance that old was forced to scratch from the final night while well placed to make it
Wayne Belk was part of a two car team with Kiwi Kristen Vermeulen before a blow the B-Main in the sister car.
wn engine ended the former Kiwi’s season early. Kristin however finished 7th in
Jay Cardy had plenty of speed but a couple of silly things hurt him badly. One w else’s wreck that saw him climb from his car before realising his car wasn’t dama
was this loose wheel in a heat and another was a minor involvement in someone aged too bad. When he tried to restart officials denied him the opportunity.
Portland’s Zak Calderwood runs the highline while “Ronnie” McCann in the CT525
5 crate engine #50 works the inside of Ben Nicastri.
These men are race mechanics so we can’t show you their faces! this photo.
The Harper cr
rew do whatever it takes to keep their machine in racing trim as evidenced by
Fridays crowd was a little sparse due in part to the cold weather but Saturdays wa were reasonably happy with the attendance given the cost of staging the event.
as much better leading track manager David Mills to tell us that overall they
Some close racing action with Michael Hetherington (40), pre event favourite Bra Vaughan (67), whose right front tyre looks like it’s about to come off it’s that far ou
ad Smith (6), Clayton Pine (9), Brendan Hucker (23), Callum Harper (22) and Steve utside the nose cone!
Kiwi Kristen Vermeulen squeezes between the wall and a spinning Dean Hickey.
Hickey is then tagged by Tim Bink who was trying to avoid the melee that occurr
red ahead of him.
The final field of Late Model stars in their cars give the traditional four wide salute take the opportunity to become unofficial media personnel
e to the fans before the commencement of the 40 lap feature. Track officials also
The big sedans can quickly block the track when things go wrong as they did her scured 31), Ben Nicastri (99), Clayton Pyne (9), Carter Armstrong (35), Cameron Pe
re with Jay Cardy (52), Kye Blight (41), Nathan Disney (11), Paul Stubber (obearson (10), Veronica McCann (extreme right) and others.
Young West Australian Kye Blight was worth the price of admission alone in the fi a lapped car caught him out. Here the young turk races hard with former champio
final as he ran flat to the boards against the wall, lap after lap, until an issue with on Darren Kane (36).
Event co-sponsor Bruce McKenzie (6) races inside of West Aussie Michael Holmes
(91). Holmes would get the better of this dice finishing 6th to McKenzie’s 9th.
The new champion celebrates atop his hastily renumbered #1 after coming off th
he scales and enjoying some celebratory victory laps.
AD
The top five podium L-R Craig Vosbergen (4th), David Doherty (2nd), Callum Harp 56 HIGHLINE MAGAZINE | EDITION 15
per (1st), Paul Stubber (3rd) and Ben Nicastri (99). Photo Geoff Gracie.
/Highline-Magazine
Great Crate future ahead An opinion by Andy Ticehurst.
I look, I learn and I listen and this has been my mantra for many years.
Sedan competitors did and went to see what all the commotion was about.
When the Late Models made a return 12 or so years ago in Sydney I went with good friend Barry Kelleher like many old Grand National
The cars were a huge step forward in technology, looked good and had the potential to become the number one sedan division in the country
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d for Late Models.....
very quickly. One thing I did say very early on was the engine rules need to be tweaked to better suit our needs in Australia. An open engine rule clearly works
in parts of the USA with huge car counts and reasonably priced aluminium engines from 410ci to 460ci. Crate engine racing is also huge with at least three (3) spec types on offer. The one that caught my eye was the CT 525 version. /Highline-Magazine
with cross-bolted 6-bolt main caps This is a GM based engine that is used in many applications in motor- and high LS3 rectangular-port cylinder heads. This combination prosport. duces 533hp at 6,600 rpm and a hefty 477 lb.-ft. of torque at 5,200 After doing some research you’d seriously wonder why more people rpm. in Australia haven’t taken this option The CT525 6.2L comes with coilup. on-plug ignition, and an SFI-certi-
Chev Performance’s deep-breathing, high-revving CT525 6.2L crate engine is based on the LS engine family and delivers serious power for serious racing series, including dirt Late Models and Modifieds. It is similar to the 6.2L LS3, but it’s been adapted to dirt track racing with a carburetted intake manifold, 6-quart racing oil pan and more. The engine is lightweight and strong, using an aluminium block 60
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fied balancer. The engine comes near on race ready straight out of the box. An external oil cooler, carby and a little bit of plumbing, some headers and you’re ready to go. When you look at the specs it’s impressive. 533hp is nothing to sneeze at in anyone’s language.
As I was writing this story something magical happened to validate the CT525 as a viable option. WA fast femme Veronica McCann not only made the big show at the most recent Australian Title but exceeded all expectations and moved forward to finish a creditable 11th from 21st to claimed the hard charger award for passing the most cars in the feature, all with a CT525.
the path to go down. Speaking to renown West Australian engine builder Jamie Moyle recently, he said that there is certainly a place for more economical engine packages in Australia. We simply don’t race for enough reward “prize
Some would say there is no place for crate engines in Late Model racing. It’s an elitist division that caters for the high dollar “stump puller” motors that can be purchased by anyone with a huge cheque book. I disagree! Surprisingly some current competitors were against me writing this article. Not surprisingly they were all people currently running the more expensive engine option trying to protect the cost of their investment and resale value. However, I’ve seen some very good racers do extremely well with less, so the need for a “stump puller” is a myth. As stated a crate engined car ran 11th at the 2017 Australian Title.
money” to justify spending $60,000 on an engine.
He has quoted some landed and extra’s figures that will simply blow you away. For $15,000 you’ll be the proud owner of a brand new engine, supplied with a carby to suit, an external oil cooler, a water pump and modified wiring loom ready In fact in the USA, the home of Late to bolt in. Just add your headers. Also remember they run on Models, there are many crate en98 pump fuel so $70 per night is all gine only series’ and many engine you’ll need. builders swear by them as being The NSW point score was taken out a few years ago by Adam Brook in a crate motor car and let’s not forget the Queensland #0 car that always runs up the front of Geoff Phillips machines.
I’m sure a lot of you are asking the question…. Why aren’t there more crate motors running? I can assure you some of the divisions biggest hitters have just purchased some of these engines. Jamie and Warren Oldfield have purchased two engines to run next season. Warren was very forthcoming for his reason in purchasing a couple of crate engines. “Scales of Economy” and “Bang for buck” were some of the reasons. “With tracks becoming slicker and prize money not increasing competitors have to be smarter. This works for us and we still expect to run at the front just with much lower running costs.” You’ll get 50 nights of racing on one of these babies with only oil and sparkplugs replaced. Then a rebuild is $2,000 for valve springs. The $14,000 rebuild cost on his open motor has just paid for his brand new engine! I know….. it’s crazy. As least one CT 525 will be running in Sydney next season plus a couple have been sold to the growing Tasmanian market. Paul Stubber recently came out and said this is a viable option. I wrote this article to do a few things. Highlight a great product, talk about Late Model racing and its growth plus show competitors in other divisions that you don’t need a brand new car with a stump puller to be competitive.
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So ladies and gentlemen, if you’re looking to go faster next season for less and want to race at the premium tracks. Late Model “Crate” Racing might be the answer.
y d n A
Brash Motorsports big effort.
One of the most, if not the most interesting stories to come out of the Late Model Title was the story about the Brash Motorsport Q99 entry of Queenslanders Brett and Sasha Watson. The interesting thing about this team is that it consists of just Brett and his wife Sasha. There is no crew, never has been. It’s just the two of them and their big black Late Model. “We find it’s just easier to do it this way,” explained Brett, “although there’s no chance to have a breather on race night.”
front straight wall.
This theory was put to the test big time at Warrnambool when Brett got run wide coming out of turn 4 in his second heat and did a wall of death run along the
With no help except themselves they toiled hard and incredibly made it back out for their next heat. “I did have to ask for two minutes though,” stated Brett, “as the car was still on the jack stands when the other guys were going out the gate.” Brett and Sasha had been forced to change the front end and the J-bar alone just to get back out. It would be fair to say that Brett struggled on his first visit to Warrnambool. “We had heaps of issues, that is true, but I enjoyed it.” Brett explained. “We are fairly new to the sport and I struggle to set my car up for hooky tracks. My slick track set-up is not bad but I saw it as a good challenge with the different track surfaces.” “On the first night I just kept freeing up the car all the time and then we had the slick track on the second night,” he continued. “My car was actually pretty good in the B-Main but some body work was rubbing on the 64
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tyre and cut the tyre ending our weekend.” Undeterred the duo headed home intending to race at Toowoomba only for that to be rained out before Sasha order Brett back into the shed to get the car ready to go to Sydney, which they did. “Sasha really enjoys the travel so we’ve fitted the truck out with a few more comforts for travelling.” said the 42 year old Welder. As if things aren’t tough enough already running a car with just the pair of them on race nights, things are going to get even tougher next season when Brett finishes the spare car in preparation for Sasha to race as well! “Sasha’s decided she wants to have a go and we were going to do it this season but the logistics were just too much. I guess I’m going to need a bigger truck now.” Was Brett’s only comment on running a two car team. Brett would like to acknowledge the unexpected help he does receive at times from other crews. “Usually they’re busy with their own cars and if it’s a title you can’t expect them to drop everything to come and help you out all the time.” said the pragmatic racer who would like to also thank his supporters Watson’s Mobile Welding, Red Jam Designs and Boettcher Race Parts. There’s no doubt that this is one couple that’s not afraid of hard work in the pursuit of on track enjoyment.
/Highline-Magazine
Media - bang for buck or totally failure
T
he online digital age has been the death of many things, not least the traditional industry specific print magazine. It is the very reason that this publication you are reading now is a FREE online digital magazine – because we know how expensive and difficult it is to produce, and more importantly to sell, publications via the traditional shelf at the local newsagent. Gone are the days of the weekly or fortnightly, or even monthly 66
HIGHLINE MAGAZINE | EDITION 15
motorsport magazines like Motorsport News, Auto Action, Racing Car News, Speedway Racing News and many others. Yes, yes, I know Auto Action has been resurrected but it is a different AA to what it used to be, and it has to be if it has any chance of lasting. Of those “print” magazines that do survive, they have had to change their style of reporting and coverage in order to survive.
Our hat goes off to Phil and Michelle Jordison of Oval Express magazine for continuing to produce a high quality print mag as an industry showpiece, and also to the advertisers who continue to support Oval Express. Which leads me to the topic of this article – media. Just how important is it and is it effective? Having been in the industry for over 30 years now, at all levels, including photographer, journalist, competitor, official, commentator, editor, publisher and PR rep etc. I think I can safely say I’ve got a fair idea how it works, and more importantly how it should work. For many years, I’ve heard the old exasperated cry “Why don’t you guys ever cover our class? Why do you only ever cover Sprintcars?” In fact we still hear that question to this day.
CAN’T USE IT! If this means that someone within the club/class/association/track writes it up or you engage an expert to write it, then so be it. In most divisions there is always someone who can put together a few words but often they are too busy with their associated team, car or official duties. Posting results as they happen on Facebook is a great thing, but it IS NOT MEDIA. It is social networking and can be a good thing. It is preaching to the converted. And besides, not everyone has, or uses Facebook. Also, having a Facebook page where you post photos and the like does not make you a legitimate photographer or media member.
The benefit of proper media, is that it hopefully spreads the word to people who would not normally know about your class, division or If you’re involved with a class ask event, and piques sufficient interyourself this before you contact a est that they attend an event and publication to complain – did you, hopefully become continuing and or someone from that class or ongoing fans. association, actually prepare and send a media release or the like Many groups, tracks and classes to that publication? spend money and engage a “professional” media person to help To put it simply, magazine editors spread the word, but is their work rarely have the time to go looking truly effective? Sadly, often the for the results from the weekend’s answer is NO. events so the best thing you can do is send it to them. There is still As a very recent and important no guarantee that they will use it example, we here at Highline but if they haven’t got it – THEY Magazine have still not received /Highline-Magazine
any media releases from two Australian Championships that have been recently run and won. Those two championships were the Australian Late Model Championship and the Australian Wingless Sprint Championship. Come to think of it, we never received anything from the 410 or 360 Sprintcar Championships either.
also confirmed that not a single media release, ever, has been sent to leading print magazine Oval Express. It will come as no surprise then that the same person is responsible for the Victorian Late Models or at least their running of the National title and the lack of media from that event.
Thankfully for you our valued readers, we have covered the Late Model Title extensively, but only because we are fans also, knew it was on, and it was in our region.
So, paying someone to write releases and only post them on your website, and/or the reps own website, is not in our opinion, media it’s called website content management.
Negotiations were happening with the Wingless Sprints to do some high quality live audio from their National title but that didn’t eventuate. Instead the association paid their media rep to cover the event, including we believe flying them to the venue and accommodating them for the event, yet not a single release was sent to us, and incredibly, this was after we told the National president of the wingless association that their particular media rep had never sent a thing to us or we believe to other media outlets.
This is a prime example of Content Management Vs PR & Real Media. Thatching a few words together and loading it on a website is NOT media as stated above.
That media rep, let’s call him Peter Pan for the sake of the argument, told me recently that “the releases are sent out to other media outlets, too, such as local press.” Really??? We’ve never received any and Highline has 68
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Writing content specifically for their own site is NOT media either. It’s called Content Management. Clubs and associations that pay for PR services and get Content Management are just being cheated out of their money! Media is about getting your news/ results/profile out to as many possible outlets, magazines, or websites as possible - Spreading the love so to speak. Always remember that editors don’t have the time to search, nor should they need to. If your release is
delivered directly to them, then the chance of it being used is increased massively. One other aspect that you should be aware of is sending out a media release that is subject to copyright. For those that don’t know, copyright prevents the unauthorised use of the written text or photographic image. This is totally the opposite to what a media release is meant to do and be. One particular self-professed media “guru” used to send out his releases with a copyright disclaimer attached. What the … A media release by its definition, is a wide spread release of information to the general or specific media, for their use, not to be restricted by copyright and other limitations and restrictions.
getting you the result you desire. Look for alternatives. There are other media rep options out there. Don’t just stick to the ones you know of or may have heard of or claim they know everything. Make contact with the publication or newspapers to find out their individual requirements, i.e. photo quality and size, word count, deadlines etc. It might be frustrating to spend money on media to not get the coverage you would like from the print or online magazines, but always remember, if it’s not out there in the first place, it can never be used. It’s not that difficult and it doesn’t have to be that expensive!
Highline magazine has always So if you or your association have extended an open invitation to engaged the services of a media any club, association, team or inrep, ask them to give you a list of dividual to submit articles, profiles where/whom they distribute the or race reports for consideration releases to and get them to prove and that offer still remains open. it (this is a simple task by just Take advantage of it. including you on the email distribution list). Nine times out of 10 your release went nowhere apart from YOUR inbox. Posting on Facebook is useful but it’s not media, nor is merely posting on your own or their own website. Posting to their own website is merely a self-serving action that is costing you money and not /Highline-Magazine
Lightning
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g Sprints
ints Championship
/Highline-Magazine
Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions NSW Lighting Sprint Title Kurt Wilson has been THE man in Lightning Sprints this season and that form continued as the former Junior Sedan racer snagged his second consecutive NSW Lightning Sprint Championship. In the event supported by Sean Dyson’s Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions, Matt Reed would come home second after leading early and setting the fastest lap with Queenslander Keith Blatch completing the podium in what was a 20 lap green to chequers affair with 14 of the 15 cars that started making the finish. After just 5 laps Reed and Wilson had stretched out a lead from Brett Davies in 3rd and Reed was looking comfortable with about half a straight lead when he caught the lapped car of David Atwood mid corner forcing him to check up, Wilson quickly closed on Reed and forced the mistake, taking it to a drag race down the back straight for the lead. Into turn 3 Reed still had the advantage but got a bad bounce in the ruts and ran wide and Wilson was through. Pete Styles was the 1st B Grade Driver home and 8th outright as well as winning his first ever C&A Mobile Sound and Communications rookie of the night award. Official Results – Kurt Wilson 1st, Matt Reed 2nd, Keith Blatch 3rd, David Van Vegchel 4th, Dean Eden 5th, Brett Davies 6th, Justin Pirlo 7th, Jordan Binskin 8th, Pete Styles 9th, Rodney Waters 10th, Danny Stone 11th, Scott Moir 12th, Jason Rae 13th, David Atwood 14th, Ben Morgan 15th (DNF)
1st B Grade
Steven Lines in the Brian Hall WA3 was a surprise winner of the USC round at Warrnamthe chequered flag handing the win to Lines. Lines luck however, deserted him at the
else’s wreck.
bo sam
SOMETHING BIG IS HAPPENING STAY TUNED
nship at the same venue when he was taken out of the event in someone
ool recently. What’s so surprising about Lines winning, right? The reason it was surprising was that James McFadden in the Monte WA17 was leading all feature long until inexplicable spinning out of the lead a short distance from me venue a couple of weeks later in the Victorian Champio
Quick Pic
nship at the same venue when he was taken out of the event in someone else’s wreck.
Steven Lines in the Brian Hall WA3 was a surprise winner of the USC round at Warrnambool recently. What’s so surprising about Lines winning, right? The reason it was surprising was that James McFadden in the Monte WA17 was leadi o
Guest driver Rodney Pammenter has a hard time keeping all four wheels of Bru ernapolis event. IMAGE: Jigsaw Photography
c
ing all feature long until inexplicable spinning out of the lead a short distance from the chequered flag handing the win to Lines. Lines luck however, deserted him at the same venue a couple of weeks later in the Victorian Champi-
uce McKenzie’s Late Model Sedan on the ground on a difficult track at the East-
Quick Pic
Regular Sydney racer Darryl even trouble than Pammenter k nship at the same venue when he wasGrimson taken out has of the eventmore in someone else’s wreck.
Steven Lines in the Brian Hall WA3 was a surprise winner of the USC round at Warrnambool recently. What’s so surprising about Lines winning, right? The reason it was surprising was that James McFadden in the Monte WA17 was leadi o
Pearson. Pearson’s teammate Daniel Barton, the former Australian Street Stock C sedans. IMAGE: Jigsaw Photography
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c
keeping any of his wheels on the deck as he battles teenage Victorian Cameron Champion, would go on to win the Easternapolis feature, his first in the big
ing all feature long until inexplicable spinning out of the lead a short distance from the chequered flag handing the win to Lines. Lines luck however, deserted him at the same venue a couple of weeks later in the Victorian Champi-
/Highline-Magazine
Quick Pic
Third generation racer Andrew Howard cranks his Super Rod hard into Avalon’s Ken was a revered Hot Rod Racer as was his Victorian Championship winning fa swapping over to the Super Rods. Image Pirate Media.
c
s pit corner as he laps Amy Duynhoeven early in the night. Andy’s Grandfather ather Chris. Andy also spent time in the SDAV Hot Rods like his forefathers before
FOOD FOR THOUGHT....... IGNOR YOUR PERIL With Ray Read
It’s not that often that I will comment on political issues, but in the aftermath of the US Election, some of the fallout opinions of just why Trump won and Clinton lost can be taken as “lessons to learn” in other environments, such as sport. By Sport, I am referring not only to Speedway, but also to several others, which I will explain shortly. During what has been described by the media as one of the most vindictive and vitriolic political campaigns in living memory, both candidates attacked a variety of personal issues, and also targeted various minority groups to either attack or support their cause. So it wasn’t just Republican vs. Democrats, or Christian vs. Muslim, or race or sex or ethnicity. Consider, for example, how some parties openly sought to either support or threaten sectors of all of these, and more, during the brutal campaign. In the end, and despite Hillary Clinton blaming the FBI (which obviously DID have some influence on the outcome) the real reason now emerging for the Clinton loss (as opposed to the Trump win) was that the past Democrat government had largely 80
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ignored the concerns and issues of the “white, blue-collar community” in the middle states of America. This group has been disillusioned, dis-enfranchised, and generally alienated by their previous government, who had, to their great peril,
ignored this group, which was obviously considered as “safe.” So disillusioned in fact that they voted with their feet for CHANGE, and the only change available was Trump. In other words, they didn’t vote Trump IN, they voted Democrats, who had let them down badly, OUT. I mentioned earlier that there are
RE THE “SAFE MASSES” AT “Lessons to be Learned” here, which can apply to Clubs as well as political parties, and that lesson is that ignoring the voices of the majority of your constituents is done at great peril.
than to state my point as being that Footy generally is the loser here. Perhaps it is big enough to not notice the impact, but the reality is that there are an awful lot of dis-enfranchised fans that are not happy.
A few months ago, I used the example the Brad Scott and the North Melbourne Football Club coming under fire from the AFL as a result of inappropriate comments in the media. Looking at the AFL though, without doubt the greatest controversy that it has become embroiled in in without doubt the Bombers’ drug supplement scandal. Not only was the AFL involved here, but also other administrations up to and including WADA.
I am aware that similar situations exist within cricket, as well.
Incredibly, the drama still continues several years after the alleged event, with Jobe Watson’s hand-back of his Brownlow Medal now the focus. And it will continue.
Let’s hope that Speedway, and AFL, and other sports can learn the lesson and not take things for granted, before it’s too late.
Dare I say that comparable circumstances exist within Speedway, where club members and spectator fans alike are being ignored when they are obviously unhappy with some issues? Voting with their feet in this environment means a decreasing club membership and less spectators through the gate. America, and most of the rest of the world did not see the Trump win coming, but now the reality is now here, and so is a dramatic change in direction, which doesn’t seem to be what a lot of people wanted.
I am not about to try to pass judgement on this whole sad issue, other /Highline-Magazine
Giancola was smoot Grand National Seda GRANT WOODHAMS Images: Tony Loxley Collection
Claremont Speedway, Saturday 16th March 1986
which consisted of twelve 12 lap qualifying heats followed by two last chance ten lap heats for those didn’t have enough Tony Giancola is remembered as one of points to qualify for the 40 lap ChampionWA’s best sedan drivers. And it might just ship Feature. be, that his win at Claremont in March of 1986 was his finest. Thirty four competi- There were drivers nominated from every state, with Western Australia leading the tors listed for the two nights of racing
Newly crowned Aussie Grand National Sedan Champion Tony Giancola runs insid 82
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th in Australian an Championship. way with fifteen, New South Wales five, Tasmania four, Queensland three, South Australia three, Northern Territory three and Victoria one.
Although when racing commenced two Western Australians Kim Jolly and Grae-
de Ken Croft over on the east coast.
me MacArthur were non starters along with Victoria’s sole representative Ian Harris. The two nights of racing saw some furious battles and some very fast racing.
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How good was Gene Cook? Dirt or asphalt it made no difference to the Tasmanian gine builder saw out his career running NASCAR’s at the nearby Calder Park Thun
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n Champion seen here racing on the BIG island. The now Melbourne based ennderdome.
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Graham “Cowboy” Lillford (2) and Paul O’Neill seen here racing hard and close, we 86
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ere two of the nation’s best in the big car division.
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As a consequence Allan Butcher was the new record holder for twelve laps with a time of 4 min 00.11 sec, while NSW’s Ross Nicastri went home as the record holder over ten laps with a time of 3 min 16.39 sec. Heat wins went to Allan Butcher (two), Bert Vosbergen (two), Alan Nylander (two), Barry Blake, Gene Cook, Tony Giancola, Daran Munro, Peter Morgan and Merv Chesson. The top sixteen point scorers from these twelve races qualified for the final. The two last chance heats saw first and second places take up the last four positions in the Feature. Ross Nicastri and Chas Kelly won the last chance heats.
four managed to get underneath Butcher as well. Vosbergen miscued at the end of the back straight and charged on to the infield, but still emerged in the lead at the end of lap one. However four laps later Tony Giancola slid down the inside of Vosbergen and into a lead he would never relinquish. There were huge battles through the field in the early stages as Butcher in third held off a pack including Ludlow, Cook, Blake, Morgan, DeHaan, Lillford and new WA Champ John Cardy.
As the race pushed on Butcher closed on Giancola and lap after lap pressured the hopes of Western Australia. Ben Ludlow was in third and decided now was to At the end of qualifying Queensland’s time to take his chances and he started Allan Butcher was the top point scorer. to close on the front two. But with ten Defending Champion NSW’s Paul O’Neill laps to go Ross Nicastri spun and at the failed to qualify in the top sixteen. He same time Ludlow started to have engine opted not to run his last chance heat inproblems stead electing to run from position twenty one at the rear of the field. allowing O’Neill into third. The drama was really building. The restart saw GiCome the Australian Championship and ancola leading Butcher and O’Neill. many thought the experienced Butcher would be the driver to beat. The starting Giancola and Butcher were involved in a field was one of the few times that an great battle and both braked and slid toAustralian speedway championship saw gether in the famous Fowlhouse corner. a husband and wife in the same race. As they both drifted up track, O’Neill tried Butcher’s wife Denyse had qualified out to charge underneath them and ended of position ten, while Allan would start on up spinning. The yellow lights came on pole. and O’Neill was shown the rear of field sign. He ignored it. The race restarted The start was frantic with Bert Vosbergen with Giancola leading from Butcher, getting the better of Butcher at the green O’Neill, Ludlow and Lillford. to go to the lead. Giancola out of position
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Giancola was locked down on the low line. Going high meant disaster. In the last few laps Butcher struggled with an ailing car and O’Neill pounced to move to second. However Giancola had done enough and crossed the line to rapturous applause and cheering from his home town crowd.
AUSTRALIAN GRAND NATIONAL SEDAN CHAMPIONSHIP 40 LAPS CLAREMONT WA 15.03.1986 Starting Order
Finished
QLD24 Allan Butcher disq. WA 31 Bert Vosbergen dnf Following him home were O’Neill, Butch- WA 7 Barry Blake dnf er, Ludlow, Lillford, D Butcher, DeHaan, WA 8 Tony Giancola 1st Munro, Nylander, Kelly, Chesson, NicaTAS10 Gene Cook dnf stri, Reichstein and Reuter. Forty laps is WA33 Ben Ludlow 3rd a long way to go and remarkably thirteen WA4 Peter Morgan dnf of the twenty one starters finished the WA14 David DeHaan 6th race. TAS32 Denzil Mead dnf NSW13 Graham Lillford 4th At the after race scrutineering Allan QLD15 Denyse Butcher 5th Butcher was disqualified for his car beWA9 John Cardy dnf ing over width, while O’Neill was fined for NT28 Terry Reichstein 12th disobeying the steward’s instructions but WA27 Alan Nylander 8th he retained second place. SA5 Garry Reuter 13th WA12 Merv Chesson 10th The race remains one of the greatest NSW36 Ross Nicastri 11th sedan races held at the now defunct TAS26 Chas Kelly 9th Claremont venue. It was a showcase of WA11 Stephen Dale dnf wonderful Grand National sedan racing QLD 3 Daran Munro 7th and brought Tony Giancola the richly de- A1 Paul O’Neill 2nd served reward of being Australian Champion, the best in the nation. Other competitors: Bill Bacon (NSW), Saint Goldini (NT), Dick Bennett (WA), Gary Hoffman (SA), Cees Hendricks (TAS), Frank Panizza (WA), Michael Rohrlach (NT), Ray Hall (NSW), Colin Harper (WA),
/Highline-Magazine
BY DENNIS NEWLYN Images: Tony Loxley Collection
This daunting figure of a man stared down at me, smiled and offered a handshake. Being all of six years old, it was a big moment in my life – especially as that man was Australian test rider and world finalist, the late, the legendary Aub Lawson. Even at that young age I certainly knew who he was, his great career, and 90
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the giant he was in the world of speedway bike racing. I remember that moment – frozen in time – as though it was only yesterday but it was, in fact, 1955. There stood the great Aub, like a giant above me, dressed in his leathers with his familiar scarf around his neck, ready for combat, like a gladiator about to enter the coliseum. /Highline-Magazine
This monumental occasion – and my first brush with speedway fame – occurred outside the pits at the hallowed Sydney Showground, venue of some of Aub’s greatest riding performances! Little did I realise then, but many years later I would write so many articles about the icon Lawson, but on this night, despite being so young, I was just engulfed and overawed by the importance of the occasion. All these years later that night still remains vivid. That night will certainly stay with me for the rest of my life. My parents were the instigators of this impromptu meeting as they were friends with Aub. My dad and mum met through speedway – it was their life – and it was already mine. It was hereditary! Dad knew many of the riders well, largely because in 1946 he purchased an old J A Prestwich (JAP) engined speedway bike and wanted to “have a go.” He was heavily into the bike scene at both the Sydney Showground and Sydney Sports Ground. He never did progress even out of the novice ranks but at least he made an attempt at the riding game. At that time my mum was secretary of the Newcastle Speedway supporters club and often travelled to Sydney with a group of friends to watch
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speedway. My parents met at Bondi one night after a Sports Ground meeting. They married in 1947. Riders Frank Dolan, Ray Duggan and Norm Clay were my dad’s close mates – the latter two tragically killed in the same accident at the Sydney Sports Ground in 1950! My father often met with this trio for lunch at the Astra Hotel, North Bondi. I came into the world on March 5, 1949, but mum being the avid speedway fan that she was, insisted on attending speedway almost right up to the day I was born. I guess what I am saying here is that when it was nearing time for me to venture out into the world, even before that entry, I could obviously hear the roar of engines, the cheers of the crowd, and I just knew something big was happening “out there” that I just had to see! I was at the Sydney Showground smelling Castrol-R aged just three weeks! People, knowing my historical knowledge and memory for major speedway events, when I tell them that story of my introduction to speedway, they ask me who won the Solo scratch and handicap final that night of my first attendance! My parents are the reason for my speedway career. It’s as simple as that! Growing up around speedway was something to behold. We lived in a /Highline-Magazine
A short trip along Oxford Street, block of flats at Bondi – only a ten minute drive from the hallowed Syd- through Bondi Junction, and we were there: at the Mecca of Australney Showground! ian speedway. The Sydney Showground Speedway was the biggest I can remember my dad built me show in town every Saturday night this model speedway track out of during summer and we had weekly cardboard (for the fence) and he front row seats!!! cut a large Masonite board into an oval shape. He then added a thin piece of Masonite trimmed into the I have always believed I was born curvature of the track and painted it at the right time to see the massive crowds at venues like the fabulous green to represent the infield. Sydney Showground. It was perfect – and I had my own My parents loved the sport and speedway track. I painted my toy, even as a youngster, I knew they small scale open cockpit racing loved that I had taken to the sport. cars in the colours of the Speedcars of the era. What more could a We were the near-perfect family. Speedway was the super-glue, a youngster want? Saturday night was speedway night bond that held us together and created such great camaraderie over through the ‘fifties growing up. so many years.
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We could not get enough of the Sydney Showground, also Westmead and Windsor venues – even when Parramatta’s Cumberland Oval ran speedway and when Stockcar racing was held for a couple of seasons at Bankstown Speedway, we were there at all the tracks.
featuring Solo and Sidecar racing, the bash and crash ‘fifties Stockcar era, the sensational ‘sixties Speedcar boom and when Hot Rods turned into Super Modifieds, my parents and myself witnessed it all – and discussed every topic, rider, driver, incident – even the nights rain washed out meetings!!!
The Sydney Showground golden era was magic. The crowds, the atmosphere, the racing, the media I feel so privileged my parents and I coverage . . . never to be equalled watched every race the late, Ameri- or witnessed again. can Speedcar legend Bob Tattersall My parents knew a lot of people contested at the Sydney Showat that time in speedway and so I ground. (1959-’70). “went with the flow” and as I grew older got to know them, too. Well I think we would have discussed known Sydney Showground track every drive of his at the world facurator, the late Reg Mulligan was mous Royale. The same can be a close friend. He lived in the westsaid for some of the great nights But the Sydney Showground was THE PLACE!
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ern Sydney suburb of Lakemba – and all these years later the house where he resided still stands. I often drive down his street just to see the house and reminiscence. Reg, through my parents, even helped foster my very early speedway writing career when it became obvious I wanted to get into the media. By 1965 we also had moved to Lakemba, so the conversations became more frequent between Reg, dad and mum. In addition to Aub Lawson, NSW Speedcar Champion (1964 and 68) Lew Marshall was the second speedway competitor I got to know. I was 17 when we struck up a conversation at a National Speedcar 96
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Club film night (August, 1966) in a community hall at Harris Park in Sydney’s western suburbs. Of course my mum and dad were there, too. Just as important for me, having met Lew, I had a “connection to the inner circle” that could assist with my journalistic career. Lew certainly helped me a lot. From that meeting, I became the “speedway correspondent” for Sydney suburban weekly newspaper “The Bankstown Torch”and Lew wanted to read every column I wrote. A few months later I found myself writing a feature article on another Sydney Speedcar star of the era, Bryan Cunneen. The numbers of people within the sport I got to know also increased. I felt I was
Mum and dad were indirectly the reason why by 1970 I was working full time at the Australian Speedway News office. Then came that long Then Reg organised a meeting in early 1967 with the reigning United time involvement with Speedway Racing News starting with volume States Auto Club National Midget Champion Mike McGreevy who was one, issue one in February, 1972 the touring partner with Tattersall for and my duration with SRN lasted on and off all the way through to the the 1966-67 season. final issue in mid-2015. I penned arArmed with my tape recorder, Reg ticles in the very first and last issues over a 43 year span. took me into the inner sanctum of the Sydney Showground pits where In between times I started my own Mike was ultra co-operative as we spoke in depth about his outstand- speedway publishing operation, got more involved with the mainstream ing career. media – radio, newspaper and telThis was heady stuff, but standing in the background all the time were evision – reporting and covering Australian speedway. My associamy parents. tion with mainstream Sydney sports A chance in Australian Hot Rodding media started in 1979 and continReview magazine writing speedway ues to this day! in 1969 was a massive boost. on the road toward a place where I wanted to be in speedway.
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Sydney Showground.
Dad and mum had produced a son who was more fanatical about speedway than they were – if that was ever possible!!!
with the sport.
The speedway segment screened that night on the “Sports Tonight’ show certainly gave coverage to the years my dad had been involved
That was a special moment for me and a tribute to the man who is the One of my proudest moments came very reason why I am here today. in the week leading up to the cloThe early years with my parents got sure of the Sydney Showground me well and truly domiciled into the Speedway on April 27, 1996. writing profession that I ultimately turned into a full-time job – and 51 The media were out in force at the Thursday practice day. My now very years later I am still going strong and have no intention of hanging up elderly father was, of course, with the pen. me as we watched the cars and bikes go through their paces on the egg-shaped one-third mile Sydney My life, my career, my love of speedway is all attributed to my late Showground arena. parents, Rex and Sylvia Newlyn. Many speedway people present that day not only knew me but also I think of them every day. my dad. There must have been a tip off my father was standing on the Showground infield this day because I was approached by the Channel TEN “Sports Tonight” presenter and crew asking about my dad. They figured he was one of the people who should be featured in the Showground farewell tribute because of his years attending the
s i n n e D
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Recently at Manjimup Glenn Carstairs not only grabbed another win for season 2 la 500 Champion! Carstairs’ win was certainly no fluke, showing his hand on se and setting up a pole position start for the twenty lap feature event. Carstairs won
2016/17, but also the biggest win of his career so far, as he is now the WA Formueveral occasions throughout the night, consistently finishing towards the front n from Steven Ellement, Thomas Davies and Steven Gay. IMAGE: Wayne Martin
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Skip Mem Images: Pirate Media
V
ictorian Ace Travis Mills won the inaugural Skip Palmer Speedcar Memorial at Avalon raceway and promptly handed back the unique Warwick Taylor created one of a kind trophy (picture previous page) to Skip’s step dad and former car owner John “Flux” Fitzgerald in a magnificent gesture. “I feel privileged and honoured to have won the first ever Skip’s race but I think it is only fitting that this trophy be given back to Fluxy (Fitzgerald)” said Mills in a magnanimous from the heart moment when presented with his first place trophy. (Ed – Warwick Taylor has since magnanimously offered to make Mills a replica trophy).
field who either knew young Skip personally and/or raced both with and against him. Completing the podium was runner up Michael Stewart in Ben Dillon’s #SA9 and Domain Ramsey in his own #71. For the first time in possibly decades, there were more Speedcars competing in Victoria than there was open class Sprintcars with a stellar field of 25 cars on hand.
21 cars would take the field for the first ever Skip’s Race with Mills on pole from Mitch Whiting, Brett Ireland, Andy Pearce, Ashley Booker, Grant Patton, Matt Papa, Luke Ferguson, Ramsey, Garry Shaw, Justin McMinn, Stewart, Joe Lostitch, Stuart Ferguson (in what would Mills’ comments summed up exactly turn out to be his final race), David the feeling amongst most of the Alford, Paul Farrell, Craig Smith), 106
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morial Glen Wiles, Jordan McKay, Jack Day and Ben Moulden.
Ramsey were in a fierce battle for second place.
Into turn 1 on the opening lap and Whiting spun with Patton getting caught up but just behind them a bigger melee was occurring that saw Farrell roll over. More than half the field was caught up in this action which included Smith, Lostitch, Wiles, Stuart Ferguson, Moulden, McKay, Alford, Day and Shaw. Whiting, Patton, Farrell, Wiles and Shaw didn’t make it back for the complete restart.
On lap 16 Papa spun and Alford, Stuart Ferguson, Pearce, McMinn and Day were all involved so the race was declared due to time concerns with Mills scoring the win from Stewart, Ramsey, Ireland, Booker, Papa, Lostitch, McKay, Day, Smith, Alford, Stuart Ferguson, McMinn and the non-finishers of Pearce, Moulden, Luke Ferguson, Alford, Patton, Shaw, Farrell and Wiles.
When racing got away Ireland led the first lap but Mills quickly took over on lap 2 and was never again headed. Behind him however, were some great battles as Stewart was working his way through. Lostitch spun on lap 4 and Day did the same on lap 12 as Stewart and
Once presentations were over a free BBQ was held followed by a sombre moment when most competitors and Skip’s family joined together on the infield to spread Skips ashes.
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Travis Mills made a stunning and timely return to form winning the emotion char Raceway just a week later.
rged Skip Palmer memorial and then backing that up with another win at Nyora
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Sentimental hopeful David Alfor and the car fell over onto its side
rd in Fitzgerald’s V18 got the memorial event off to a bad start when he spun e.
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This was just a part of the turn 1 melee that occurred on the first lap of the feature Pearce (#15) with a damaged front end surrounded by Jordan McKay (41), Matt Pa
e and which involved nigh on half the starting field. In this shot we see Andy apa (25), Justin McMinn (spun) and Jack Day (8).
R.I.P Skip
As speedway photographers we all seek that one shot that captures everything w some race shot or even that stunning crash shot or sequence.
And then you see shots like this one captured by Murray Bridge’s ace lens-man S
It is such a poignant and powerful image that captures the love and respect held f months prior in a road wreck.
On the night this photo was taken, a group of Skip’s peers, rivals, mates, friends a “Skip’s” race, for Speedcars at Avalon raceway, the site of his final race.
Here morning hours, assembled competitors, friends and family walked out InInser the early John “Flux” Fitzgerald spread Skip’s ashes along the Avalon front straight. Rest 114
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p
we love about the car, the driver, the class or the sport without words - that awe-
Stephen, “Picko” Pickering that just blow you away.
for a young man - Braeden “Skip” Palmer/Laxton - who was killed a little over 12
and family had either competed in, or witnessed the running of the inaugural
t onto the race track in near darkness to say farewell one last time asHere Skips dad, Inser In Peace Skip. /Highline-Magazine
Brooke...
It was an emotion charged triumph for Krikke Motorsport’s Brooke Tatnell who do Speedway. On a night where the team were honoured via the Grand Marshall 30t at every stage of proceedings. He set the Revolution Racegear Quicktime, led afte tance. Tatnell’s win was his first in the current WSS series. IMAGE: Wayne Martin
.
ominated the team’s home round of World Series Sprintcars at Quit Bunbury th anniversary presentation to patriarch Peter Krikke, Tatnell topped the charts er the qualifying heats, won the Shootout, and led the entire... 30 lap A-Main dis-
Krikke Bo
With the passing of Shane Krikke, the annual Krikke Boys race in their home town erate and so the Brooke Tatnell driven Krikke Motorsport team ran this special live from just a week or so earlier when he dominated the WSS round at the same trac
oys...
of Bunbury, WA, just got another family member to remember and commisery in loving memory of Shane. Sadly Brooke couldn’t repeat his performance ck. IMAGE: Wayne Martin
There’s nothing like seeing your car win a major event in your own backyard and t waukee Motorsport team when he took out the prestigious Krikke Boys memorial IMAGE: Wayne Martin
that is exactly what James McFadden did for car owner Luch Monte and his Mill at Bunbury before jetting off overseas for some US racing.