ISSUE 2 MARCH 2014
HAS SYDNEY GOT A NEW SPEEDWAY Darley Challenge SUPER RODS FULL Classic Coverage Junior Sedans
Editorial Hello again and welcome to Edition 2 of HighLine Magazine.
Who is Highline Magazine Editor: Brett Swanson Contributors; Brian Van De Wakker, Grant Woodhams, Artist/layout; Andy Ticehurst / PRM Publishing Photographers: Brett Swanson – Pirate Media Kieran Swanson – Pirate Media Matt Hines – Jigsaw Photography Andy Ticehurst – AndyTicehurst.com Rachel Cooper - Inaction Photos Leigh Reynolds - Inaction Photos You – The Speedway fans Facebook Contributions / Criticism welcome. High Line Magazine Brett Swanson 0410 198 138 brett@piratemediaservices.com.au
If you’re back because you enjoyed Edition 1 then we are extremely happy that that is the case. If you didn’t see edition 1, don’t worry you can go back and have a look at it after you’ve finished viewing this edition. Our intention here at HighLine is to provide dirt track speedway fans with a totally free, online magazine dedicated to the sport that we all love, covering as many forms and events as possible with our limited volunteer resources. We don’t want to cover just one class, one track, one state or even one country. We are happy to cover as much as we can, as you will see from the space dedicated to V8 Dirt Modifieds, Speedcars, Formula 500’s and other categories, and to do that we need your help.
This issue will continue our coverage of the “Classic” with our young gun reporter Brian Van De Wakker’s views on the event from his deck chair perched atop Mt Max. From next edition we will also welcome the former Minister for Speed Grant Woodhams who will be contributing his wealth and breadth of Speedway sedan knowledge. It’s hard to believe that we are now over the peak time of the season, and are speeding towards the seasons end. Still, there’s been lots of significant events run such as National and State Championships and still more yet to come before the season is finally over.
On that subject, congratulations must go to David Clarke (V8 Dirt Modifieds), Adam Clarke (Speedcars), Steven Lines (WSS) and also to David Murcott who has redeemed a below par season with his maiden Speaking of which, if any- Australian Sprintcar Title one out there would like at what was his home to help us out (with words track for so many years. or photos or both) while I stopped short of calling promoting their favourite it a home town win, beclass, track or state by cause after all Murky was covering events, or profil- born in Victoria. ing drivers, drop us a line at brett@piratemediaser- Don’t forget if you need a vices.com.au weekly fix of motorsport news in between editions Having said that we do of HighLine magazine, realise that edition 1 was you can catch Race Ratotally dedicated to one dio every Wednesday single event, that being night at 7:30pm on racthe 42nd Grand Annual eradio.com.au or downSprintcar Classic. We load the podcast from make no apologies for Thursday onwards.. that as it is after all the biggest speedway event Until then, race safe. in the country, and one of the top three in the world. Brett Swanson Pirate Media
Front Cover, Sydney sider Peter Gordon takes a huge dump at the Classic.
Images: Geoff Gracie
Wingless Wigzell wins Warrnambool Wingless. South Australian Todd Wigzell has continued his form as one of the hottest Wingless Sprintcar drivers in the South-East of Australia taking his second consecutive Victorian Championship to go with his back to back South Australian Titles.
mous “Suddenly� Super Modified, Wigzell dominated 60 other competitors including newly crowned Aussie Champ Daniel Hartigan on his way to the win which goes part way to redeeming his heartbreaking black flagging from the 2013 Australian championship at the same venue on the last lap in a controversial decision.
At the track where his Grandfather Bill won the 1974 Grand Annual Classic in the fa-
Wigzell led home Victorian youngsters Daniel Storer and Andy Hibbert.
News & Views
Victorian Sprintcar Titles Images: Pirate Media
Despite the best efforts of a hoard of local racers, both the Open(410) and the 360 Victorian Sprintcar Championship trophies will be heading off-shore to the west coast of the USA after Kyle Hirst (410) and
Matt Reed V92
compatriot Geoff Ensign (360) scored the championships in a double header title night at Avalon raceway. Hirst, driving for Kyneton owner and competitor Mick Cunningham took the open crown in difficult conditions having worked his way from the 11th starting position before eventually passing race leader Mike
Geoff Ensign V60
Van Bremen and going on to take the chequered flag, or checkered flag as the Americans spell it. Third generation racer Nick Lacey was also impressive taking second after starting from position 9 and given a few extra laps may have been able to unseat the victor given his late forward charge. Early leader Brett
Milburn held on for 3rd. In the 360 title there were many similarities. The obvious one was that a Californian won the title. The other was that defending champion Matt Reed charged from position 11 to challenge for the lead before coming up marginally short while Milburn was again on the podium.
All Star 360’s
Reed jets to All Stars series finale as Ely takes title. Matt Reed and Chad Ely were the big winners at Mildura’s Timmis Speedway on March 1st when the All Star Sprintcars series wrapped up their 2013/2014 Championship. Reed, fresh off the jet from the USA where he’d been signwriting the Kasey Kahne Racing Fleet, was quickly back up to speed setting quick time and taking the feature race after a late race caution gave him the opportunity to slide the Kenny Hutchins owned Modern Stainless Fabrications #49 ART past race leader Chad Ely, who had more to race for than the outright win, securing the Championship with his runner up finish. Simpson speedster Phil Lock completed the podium on a track that he enjoys. Images: Pirate Media
V8 Dirt Modified
Q
ueenslander Kevin Britten has added the 2014 Victorian V8 Dirt Modified Championship to his already impressive resume, defeating a start-studded field at the Rushworth Speedway on Saturday night (Feb 15).
securing top spot after two qualifying rounds. Britten got the jump at the start however, leading every lap to claim his first Victorian Championship.
“It’ s a great feeling” offered a relived Britten post-race. “ I’ve come down and competed Britten also scored enough points throughout in this Title 4 times now and I have never won it. So to win it this year is a pretty good the night to take out Round Two of the new feeling.” Five Star Dirt Series, the new National Series for V8 Dirt Modifieds. Constant drizzle throughout the day saw The reigning Queensland Champion held out organisers and competitors battle to save local ace Darryl Hickson and rookie Mitchell a waterlogged racetrack (and pits!), and despite a four-hour delay to the start of the Gee in the 35-lap Championship decider in an event that was held under the most trying event, and dropping one round of heats, the event was completed in front of a very sizof conditions. able and appreciative crowd. In fact the track was so heavy, that in many cases even the It was an all-Queensland front-row in the 35-lap Championship Final, with Ray Klarich wide wheeled high horsepower machines 2014 VICTORIAN V8 DIRT MODIFIED CHAMPIONSHIP
FEATURE (35-LAPS) 1ST Kevin Britten, 2nd Darryl Hickson, 3rd Mitchell Gee, 4th Brandon R Clark, Trevor Blanch, Brett Clarke, Daniel Scott, Ray Klarich, Andrew Pezzutti, Jai Stephens
Image: Pirate Media
still became bogged or stuck or were carrying so much mud that their bodywork was rubbing on the tyres.
main event from position eight.
Reigning NSW Champ Geoff Phillips completed the top five, with Victorian Trevor Perry the only other finisher in sixth. On the fast but narrow track, Klarich apHard luck stories littered the infield, with peared to be on his way to a well-deserved 2001 Australian Champion Scott Canon, podium finish until a dislodged distributor cap midway through the event forced his re- Grafton (NSW) brothers Jai and Brayd Stetirement. Klarich’s demise elevated Hickson phenson and local hopes Daniel Scott and to the runner-up position, while Andrew Pez- Lloyd Hobson all failing to go the race diszutti’s chances came to and end at that point tance. Newly crowned Australian Champ Daafter tangling with Hickson as Klarich exited vid Clark was also a non-finisher, dropping out while running in third after his KRE-powthe track. ered Bicknell ran out of fuel with 9 laps to go. The Consol Racing duo of Mitchell Gee and Earlier in the night, heat race wins went to Brandon Rawlings battled it out for the final podium position throughout much of the Andrew Pezzutti, Kevin Britten, Jai Stephenson and Ray Klarich, while Lismore (NSW) race, with Gee gaining the upper hand late in the race, advancing from 10th to 3rd, with racer Ray Eggins took out the B-main. Rawlings claiming fourth after starting the
Rawlings, 5th Geoff Phillips, 6th Trevor Perry, DNF: Lloyd Hobson, Ray Eggins, David son, Brayd Stephenson, Craig Williams, Darren Tindal, Scott Cannon, Scott Whiting.
Speedcars
S
peedcars often provide racing that in many instances is far better than that produced by the bigger and faster Sprintcars. On smaller tracks the little cars can run two and three wide where the Sprintcars would never contemplate such actions. The sad part is though, that over the past decade or two or even more, Sprintcars have taken over both here and in the USA as the dominant open wheel division. New Zealand of course is the exception but then the Kiwis’ have always been a little different from the rest of the world.
Thanks to a lot of hard work by many car owners and administrators behind the scenes, the category has taken a few steps forward with the Speedcar Super Series, the Pro Series, the Powri Series and the three nation world series, but when the big shows are over the local scene is still a struggling backwater in many states. Sadly, Victoria is one of those. Gone are the days when huge fields assembled at the Melbourne Speedbowl on Saturday nights. The closing of this Melbourne venue triggered a massive downward slide for both Speedcars and the
SDAV Ho have stru Now the ciation, o in the wo up and e night uns
When a the hous ing as wi in early J Pro Serie of the Vic
F500 Vic Title
Q
ueenslander Charlie Brown was a wort feeds Simpson Speedway during Janua
This was a nice double to go with his S
Queensland Champ Nathan Pronger battled ha
Super Rods
Super Rods Are Super Image: Pirate Media
Image: Pirate Media
ot Rods from which both classes uggled to recover. Victorian Speedcar Drivers Assoone of the oldest Speedcar clubs orld, is stoked if a dozen cars turn even happier if they all survive the scathed.
quality field of the small cars is in se it is definitely a show worth seeitnessed at Sungold Stadium back January for the final round of the es which was also the 69th running ctorian Championship.
O
ne of the most competitive classes in Victorian Speedway is the quirky and unique Super Rods, a division that is based primarily in Victoria’s South West but which also travels to all parts of the state. Loosely they are a V8 engined Sprintcar chassis with a fibreglass car body sitting over the top. In short, they make the right noises, are not too expensive to build or run, and their back-it-in old school style of racing is a real crowd pleaser. Oh, and they still often invert the feature grids. Just how competitive are the Super Rods? Well so far this season Jason Grayland (2), Darryl Nelson, Matt O’Shannassy, Grant Stansfield and Shaun Walsh (2) have all won features, but the big winner has been Dale Walsh (no relation – pictured) with 4 wins so far.
F500
thy winner of the Victorian Formula 500 championship held at the quirky Heytesbury Stockary.
Speedweek title that was sealed at nearby Sungold Stadium Warrnambool.
ard but couldn’t hold back the young tyro with Victorian Matthew Symons grabbing third.
Junior Sedan’s
HARD ON THE GAS Photo sequence: Leigh Reynolds - Inactionphotos.com.au Words – The Pirate
M
y children, especially my youngest son, keeps pestering me to buy him a race car so he can hit the skids and I concede that it would actually be good for his skills before he hits the road. But as a former Sprintcar competitor I know first-hand
(three broken vertebra) that you can get hurt racing speedway but thankfully, it seldom happens. As a parent it is one thing to strap yourself into a race car and subject yourself to potential risk weighted against the thrill of speed, sideways action and competition, and another thing altogether to snug up the belts and send your child out to battle. So imagine the terror that the Young and
Bent families felt when they saw firstly young tearaway Seth Bent get sideways in front of the pack only to be t-boned and rolled by an even younger Zoe Young who then used Seth as a launch ramp to the stars as captured in this fantastic sequence of photo’s by Leigh Reynolds of Inaction Photo’s. While the shunt was incredibly spectacular and frightening for those relatives and friends watching it unfold, and it goes without saying for the two young drivers
as well, no one was even slightly injured apart from a couple of bruises and some stiffness. While brash little Bent brushed it off like any thrill seeking boy his age would, Zoe was a little more philosophical about the encounter but was quickly back in stride pushing dad to repair the car quickly so she could get back to the action as soon as possible. But on top of it all I bet both kids had a hell of a story to share at school that
A week in
paradise 2014 Classic Speedweek
For teams across Australia and around the world, it was that time of the year to converge on Victoria and begin the road to the 42nd Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic. Drivers would muscle machinery around three different race tracks over five nights in pursuit of standing on top of the podium at Warrnambool and the right to call yourself the “Classic” champion. For
fans it meant five straight nights of racing whilst for many drivers and teams it meant four nights of racing, five grueling days of maintenance and thousands of kilometers travelled. It was Australia v America in the greatest speedway showdown, and the very best were down under. Let’s take a look back at the five toughest nights on the Sprintcar calendar.
Brian Van De Wakker Image: Pirate Media
an 11.790, but that was bettered towards the end of the session when defending Presidents’ Cup Champion Jamie Veal set an 11.648 putting him to the top. James McFadClose to sixty cars signed den came close setting the third quickest time in to the first night at Avalon for the 33rd Presi- followed by David Gravel and Robbie Farr completdents’ Cup. ing the top five. The highIt didn’t take long though light of Time Trials was the for drama to strike. Stenames that missed out on ven Rowell was the first man out in time trials and the thirty car field and would have on his opening lap going into turn one, he ran in too to come through the hot and collected the wall. non-qualifiers heat. They There was damage to the included, David Muir, Danny Reidy, Shane Stewart, right hand side of the car Ian Madsen, Jason Meyand he was out for the ers, Danny Smith and rest of the night as only the top thirty were guaran- Dale Blaney. teed a spot throughout the Before the non-qualifiers heats. even began, Ian Madsen, Danny Reidy and “T-Mac” Terry McCarl David Muir all decided was the first man to lay they would not take part down the gauntlet with and save their equipment Avalon
President’s Cup
for another night. Shane Stewart was then involved in a three car pile-up on the back straight on the opening lap, that sent him rear of field and he missed out getting into the top six transfers. Jason Meyers was the only real big name contender that was able to make the show. Danny Smith showed no car speed and also missed out on a transfer adding to the car park of world class drivers. Heat racing finally got underway and Paul McMahan took the opening heat from Tim Kaeding. Heat two proved costly for Kevin Swindell. After contact heading into turn one on the opening lap, Swindell cut down a front right tire and did not finish the race. Young New South Welshman Jackson Delamont took the heat two
At his home track of Mt Gambier Steven Lines (WA3) was unsto equal speed and ability to overcome such as Tasmanian Shaun
oppable but not so here at Avalon where he had many rivals of n Dobson seen here racing hard in the Harry Droste owned V36.
the field for dead as he came through to take the win. Anderson held on for second over a fast finishing Meyers in third, and Delamont took the final transfer spot over Bud Kaeding who had driven a superb race from eleventh and was catching Delamont at a huge rate of knots on each lap. The stage was then set for the twenty five lap feature for the President’s Cup.
win. Heat three was one of the best heats of the night as Daryn Pittman, Brooke Tatnell and McFadden were all banging wheels for seventh position. At one point they were almost three wide down the back straight before Pittman got the upper hand in that battle. With laps under his belt around Avalon, Kyle Hirst took out heat three. Heat four finally saw cars starting to run the outside. McCarl was one man to try it and made it work romping home to a heat win. Darren Hickman had a small moment in turn one at the beginning of heat five and went upside down. He was fine as “The Real Deal” Jamie Veal went on to take the heat win. Farr was the last heat winner over McFadden and Swindell. Tatnell and Grant Anderson shared the front row for the B-Main. Tatnell jumped away to a commanding lead and left
Farr and Hirst would make up the front row followed by Tim Kaeding and Brett Milburn. Meyers didn’t make the start as he suffered a magneto problem and was an onlooker for the feature. Farr got the jump into turn one however carnage struck in turn three when Cameron Gessner got it wrong, went across the infield and came up and collected Pittman and McMahan. Jeremy Cross was also caught up in the incident as Gessner was disqualified for the accident. The restart saw Farr getting the jump, however Kaeding was close behind. The two went side by side down the back straight for the lead as Kaeding tried to work it around the top. Farr hung tough down low and was able to hold on. Farr began to pull away as he and Kaeding decided to run the top. Hirst in third was one of a few men who was running the bottom and was closing in on the leaders. Hirst’s car then became tight and as more cars started to run the bottom, traffic proved pivotal. Hirst fell back as Farr charged on ahead of Kaeding and took the checkered flag. The race went twenty five laps straight after the carnage on the opening lap. Kaeding was second ahead
article
of Hirst in third. Milburn and Steven Lines completed the top five followed by Shaun Dobson, Veal, David Murcott, McCarl and Tatnell from the B-Main. The win for Farr meant that he is now a three time winner of the cup, 2007, 2012 and now 2014.
Mount Gambier
Kings Challenge Sixty seven drivers contested qualifying for the 19th Annual Kings Challenge at Borderline Speedway. After running second the night before, Tim Kaeding took QuickTime with a 10.847 ahead of Farr and Swindell. Only one second covered the top sixty three drivers making it a very tough qualifying session. Heat one got off to a tough start as four cars were caught up in opening lap dramas. Nick Lacy went around in turn one before Trey Starks spun in turn three as Andrew Wright and Todd Wanless tried to avoid and made contact bringing out the first caution. The chaos didn’t stop there as Kaeding and Tatnell squared off on the front row on the restart. Tatnell tried to run around the outside of Kaeding into one and two, he got it wrong, went over the top of the cushion and slammed into the outside wall. The car flew into the air but remarkably didn’t roll, however there was significant right hand side damage to his Krikke Motorsport #2. Matt Egel also followed suit in turn one but he wasn’t so lucky and went upside down. For the third time the race was fully restarted and this time it was clean, however David Priolo threw a slide job at Hirst for second into turn one on the restart. The two made
contact as Hirst was pushed up high. Four laps later Hirst returned serve and threw a slider underneath Priolo making contact into one and two. Priolo lost ground and couldn’t catch Hirst as he went on to claim second behind fellow countryman Kaeding. Priolo took third and pulled up alongside Hirst on the racetrack to tell him what he thought of the move. Heat two saw Presidents Cup champion Farr take the win before Mount Gambier’s own Lines roared home to take out heat three. Kerry Madsen went for a three wide move into turn one on the opening lap of heat four which didn’t pay off. Four other cars were caught up in the wreck, the worst being Muir who went upside down, as Gessner went on to take the win. Brad Sweet and Ian Madsen went head to head in a slide-job contest for second in heat five. Sweet got the upper hand as Luke Dillon ran away for the win in is family owned SA81. Wanless took out heat six,
Kings Royal winner Brad Sweet was reunited with the very car that he won th World Series Round win at Borderline Speedway (Mt Gambier) in late De
he 2013 crown with at the famed Eldora (USA) Speedway, and after taking a ecember, was again quick but just a little unlucky at the Kings Challenge.
FANS POINT OF VIEW
Daniel Harding won heat seven, Gravel heat eight and Max “The Magician” Johnston held of Lines to win heat nine. The final heat (heat 10) was the heat race of the night. Kerry Madsen and Sweet were left out in front on their own. Madsen was holding the lead as Sweet was right on his rear crash bar. It wasn’t until the very last moment where Sweet threw the big slide-job. Into turn three on the last lap he went for it, took the lead momentarily but Madsen hung tough around the outside, snuck his car in-between Sweet and the wall and held off the challenge from Sweet. It was world class as two of the best drivers in the world ran wheel to wheel for the heat win. Kerry Madsen and Tatnell then transferred from the C-Main into the B-Main in first and second respectively. Big names however highlighted the B-Main as poor performances in Time Trials hurt a lot of top drivers. They included names such as Blaney, Hirst, Bud Kaeding, Meyers, Jason Sides, Randy Hannagan, McMahan and Darren Mollenoyux. Hirst and Meyers were able to pull away as leaders and have a nice fight between themselves. Meyers though was content to stay in second and take a transfer spot as Hirst took the win. Madsen was closing from the back and was up to fifth as he pulled off a three wide pass into turn one on the bottom. He was later penalized though for passing on the infield having finished in fourth. Blaney and Mollenoyux were able to take the final two transfer spots into the A-Main as Bud Kaeding just missed out in fifth. Tim Kaeding and Lines were the front row for the feature. Lines got the jump and pulled out a nice margin early, but
all eyes were glued on McFadden as he was the biggest mover early. Having started fourteenth, McFadden was already up to seventh by the end of the first ten laps. He was one of only a few men that were making the top work. Farr struck dramas on lap twelve when he had a flat right rear whilst running inside the top five. Four laps later Mollenoyux brought out the red when he went upside down on the front straight. The car sustained a fair bit of damage but he was ok. Lines would bring the field back to the green ahead of Kaeding, Gravel, Gessner, and McFadden to complete the top five. Kaeding tried the big slide-job underneath Lines on the restart into turn one but it wasn’t enough as Lines held strong and pulled away once again. Disappointment struck for the hard charging McFadden as he spun in turn one on the restart. He did it all on his own as somehow the entire field missed him. McFadden was able to keep the car running but he was now right at the back of the field. Pittman made his way up to fourth and was challenging for third with a hand full of laps remaining when Gessner got it wrong coming out of four, came down on Pittman and Pittman was forced back a few spots. Dillon and Sweet now challenged Gessner for the third spot. The trio continually threw slide-jobs at each other before Gessner held on for third at the chequered. Mount Gambier’s own Lines dominated the entire thirty laps and took a commanding win. Tim Kaeding was second for the second night in succession ahead of Gessner, Sweet and Dillon. Gravel, Veal, Dylan Jenkins, Meyers and Pittman completed the top ten. All the teams would now make the two hour
article
trek back to Warrnambool for a qualifying night and the final on Australia Day Sunday.
Warrnambool
The Classic Night 1 One hundred and eighteen cars entered the first ever three night classic and 112 turned up. The biggest no-show was the Brazier pairing of Garry and son Jordyn. Rumours flourished that Steve and the tempestuous Garry had had another of their famous arguments and that Steve had then decided not to front. The format would see the field split into half over the first two qualifying nights before the entire field returned for the final night of racing which would see a final round of heats before twins D’s, twin C’s, twin B’s and a fourty lap finale. A shower passed through the track about thirty minutes out from hot laps
on night one. It was the right amount of rain as the moisture was kept in the racetrack for the entire Time Trials session so no one was caught out with a bad pill draw. Tim Kaeding threw down the gauntlet setting a time of a 10.471. McFadden was second quick a further 0.05 off followed by five times World of Outlaws champion Donny Schatz. Heat racing began and it wasn’t long before the notorious wall at Warrnambool had its first victim. Young American Tyler Courtney got it wrong in turn three collecting the outside wall but was lucky not to roll as the car picked up serious air as it spun around. Priolo wasn’t so lucky a few laps later as he got loose into turn three, clipped the wall with his right rear, flung the car around and straight into a series of barrel rolls. Brent Kratzmann and Peter Gordon were involved in their own wreck through the middle of turn four as they tried to avoid the rolling Priolo. Kraztmann went upside down and suffered some severe damage for the second night in succession after rolling hard in Mount Gambier
FANS POINT OF VIEW
the night before, not to mention the same was said for Priolo with heavy right hand side damage. After all the carnage settled, Tim Kaeding took out heat one ahead of Hirst and Brad Keller. Eddie Lumbar spun in turn three in heat two collecting Robin Dawkins hard in the process. McFadden was able to open his Classic campaign in the best way possible with a heat win. . Same could be said for Schatz who dominated heat three by the entire length of the front straight. He made for an American 1-2-3-4 as Justin Henderson, Swindell and Kody Kinser all filled those spots respectively. Heat four was a clean win for Dillon back in the Diamond Bay WA26 before Farr and Dobson put on a slide-job show for the honors in heat five. Farr was able to get the upper hand. Matthew Dumesny charged Brian Mann for
the win in heat six but Mann was able to hold on in a tight battle. Heat seven was the heat race of the night as Hirst, McFadden and Trevor Green were all three wide at one point battling for third. Green came out the goods over Hirst and McFadden who had driven from eleventh. Bud Kaeding was the eventual race winner over Kerry Madsen. Trey Starks won heat eight as Schatz didn’t quite have the same speed through traffic. He did have a tremendous battle with Swindell but could only manage sixth after starting from the back. Danny Smith took out heat nine before Tim Rankin took out the tenth and final heat. The fifteen laps of the C-Main was an eventful one as Jake Smith’s right rear tyre caught the turn two wall and rolled. Two laps later Matthew Dumesny was clipped coming out of turn four and sent into a serious number of rolls. The car caught the catch fence twice as it twisted and turned through the air. A chunk was taken out of the top of the roll cage but Dumesny was somehow able to walk away from the incident. Transferees into the B-Main were Wright, Jay Waugh, Sheldon Brady and Wanless who came from the rear to grab fourth but was later forced back two spots for passing on the infield. Geoff Ensign was then put through.
article
Blaney shot away to an early lead in the B-Main before getting caught up in lapped traffic and cutting down a right rear. Hickman was the eventual race winner over Will Carroll, Daniel Pestka and Johnston who drove from the back around the top to the amazement of the fans. The first of two Australia-America Challenge features was set to be a stunner as Schatz would start out of fourth. Dillon and Tim Kaeding were off the front row with McFadden out of three. Dillon got the jump with Schatz working the top and then the bottom in the opening laps to slot himself into second. It took Schatz only four laps to hit the lead when he passed Dillon on the bottom out of turn four. Farr was the first one to bring the race to a halt when he rolled in turn two after getting it wrong and collecting the wall. The field was brought back to walking speed a few laps later when Jamie Maiolo spun his #99 machine. As half race distance approached the bottom began to take rubber and Schatz was stuck to it with eleven laps to go as he approached a wall of lap traffic. Schatz was committed to the bottom as McFadden closed in for the lead. Schatz was still unable to get around the lap cars and with seven laps to go coming off turn four, McFadden was able to get his nose underneath Schatz, get the drive and launch himself into the race
lead as they got to turn one. McFadden was able to work through the traffic and extend his margin over Schatz as he came to the line and took out night one of the Classic. Schatz held on for second with Green in third whilst Dobson led home a six way fight for forth which consisted of Kaeding, Dillon, K. Madsen, Hirst and Sides. They covered positions fourth through to ninth respectively with Swindell completing the top ten. McFadden mentioned after the race that he was running without a Jacobs Ladder for most of the race after knocking it out in the first few laps after contact with the back straight wall. Schatz was looking forward to the final night after admitting
he was beat. “I didn’t expect the track to take that much rubber. I got it right on the slick and James did a great job and he did a clean pass. We did the best we could to-
The proud Aussie crowd join the Premier Speedway Officials to stand tall on parade the flags of their nations.
our national day (January 26th) as Donny Schatz and Brooke Tatnell proudly
FANS POINT OF VIEW
night, but we just got beat it’s as simple as that,� said Schatz. McFadden now led the points on 558 just two points clear of Dillon and a further four back to Kaeding. Schatz ended night one fourth in points, 28 off McFadden. Night 2 Warm conditions greeted the second lot of drivers set to contest the Classic on the Saturday. The track was a lot slower and many big names were caught out with a late pill draw in qualifying as the track began to slicken off. Mollenoyux set QuickTime with an 11.700 which would have only put him fourtieth quick in comparison to night one. McMahan was second ahead of Max Dumesny third. Lines
was the only man that drew a late pilled that pulled out a successful lap time which put him forth. A lot of big names made contact with the turn three/four wall. They included, Sweet, Pittman and Stewart. Stewart hit the wall so hard that the team had to change the torque tube before the heats. Mollenoyux dominated heat one from pole ahead of Troy Little and Ian Loudoun. McCarl started on the outside front row in heat two and ran around the outside of McMahan into one and led the field down the back straight. He went onto take the win over Ryan Jones and McMahan. Max Dumesny and Meyers enjoyed a fantastic side by side battle for the win in heat three. Dumesny got the upper hand running the bottom and took heat three honors. Fan favorite Lines left the field for dead in heat four. Anderson spun on the opening lap in heat five. Tatnell continued his unfortunate run of bad luck and had nowhere to go and collected Anderson. Tatnell suffered front wing damage but was able to keep going. Veal worried the opposition with a stunning drive in heat five to take the win. Stewart finally put a win on the board for his Classic Tour in heat six before Gravel was pinged for contact after
article
a controversial pass during heat seven. Egel ended up taking the win. Sweet got caught in drama in the opening lap of heat eight. He had a slight moment in the center of turns one and two and as he was trying to gather himself up Ricky Maiolo and Muir made contact. Sweet spun and suffered a flat left front. Maiolo was also forced into retirement as Muir continued and collected a sixth place finish. Glen Sutherland took the win ahead of Adam King who put on a show as he went around half the field on the restart on the topside of the racetrack. Tatnell went from sixth to first on the opening lap to win heat nine whilst Jake Tranter took out heat ten as Lines struggled through traffic and could only manage ninth. Sweet lingered down towards the tail of the top five in the C-Main before coming on strong and driving to the front to win the race. Gravel gave him a run for his money but couldn’t hold off Sweet. Darryl Campbell and Tranter took the final two transfer spots into the B. Tatnell started off the pole for the B-Main. Stewart started fourteenth and tagged the one/two wall on the opening
lap before pulling out later on. Sweet was the hard charger and was up to tenth by the end of the opening lap. By lap ten Sweet was up to third and then second as he worked his way under Anderson. Sweet hit the lead momentarily but couldn’t hold it as he got held up with lap traffic on the bottom side. So the transferees were Tatnell, Sweet, Anderson and Danny Reidy. Feature time and Max Dumesny proved that the old boy has still got it by starting off position one with Egel alongside. McMahan and Veal would start off row two followed by Meyers and Little. Egel got away to an early lead but it was Veal making the early progress. He worked his way underneath Dumesny, and then on lap four worked his way to the race lead as he passed Egel on the bottom.
Blurb Req “Next year I’m writing my name in big bold letters on my deck Early afternoon arrivals sit back and listen to the pr
quired k chair in case I forget where I put it.� - Brian Van De Wakker.
reliminary entertainment rocking away on the infield.
Veal then pulled away as Meyers now worked his way to second with a pass underneath Egel. The first caution was flown on lap nineteen when Egel unfortunately had an engine expire whilst running well inside the top five. The red was then out two laps later as Anderson got high in turn two and rolled. Meyers’ chance to try and catch Veal came as the officials decided to throw an open red, so teams were allowed five minutes to work on their cars. After a frantic five minutes it was back to green and Meyers went for it in turn one. He threw it down to the bottom of the track but Veal was to dominate on top and drove away from Meyers. However with six laps to go Veal had a heart stopping moment as Muir suffered a collapsed front end and came down right in front of Veal. Veal had to throw the car sideways to miss him and was lucky to escape. Same could not be said for Mark House who collected the slowing Muir. The green was thrown with six to go but Veal drove away from the rest of the pack once again with a strong car on top and in doing so, came across the line to collect night two honors at the Classic. Meyers held on for second whilst Dumesny claimed third. Pittman, Lines, McMahan, Tatnell, Sweet, McCarl and Hannagan completed the top ten. Veal was pumped up after the race and mentioned on the podium, “It’s just a dream come true. I’ve been watching this race for years and to win was just about keeping focused. I was happy to keep up high and it was just easier to go around the top.” The win for Veal meant he now sat fifth in the standings on 534 heading into the final night. Night 3 The top 100 remaining drivers all returned for the final night of racing at Warrnambool that would see one man or woman stand the tallest at the end of the night and call themselves the Classic Champion. It was a sellout crowd, and after hot laps and the playing of the national Anthems were done, it was straight into ten grueling heat races to determine the grids for the features. Moving from fourth to first Murcott took out heat one. Highest point scorer heading into the final night McFadden could only manage seventh whilst Kerry Madsen was one of the biggest movers from seventh to third. McCarl was second. Stewart pulled together a heat two winner ahead of a brilliant battle for second that went the way of Egel ahead of Jamie Maiolo, Ryan Jones and Nick Lacey. Courtney got it wrong in heat three, again. The young American slammed the turn one wall and flew through the air. Courtney was lucky not to roll but walked away
with a bent car. Wright took the win over Pestka and Mollenoyux. Blaney took out heat four whilst Max Dumesny and Cross had a great slide-job battle for fifth. Lee Nash held off a fast finishing Veal in heat five. Rankin won heat six before Little tagged the turn three wall in heat seven and had a gentle roll. Sweet put behind a disappointing night two to win heat seven. Kris Lacey won heat eight as Green ran elbows up as he pulled slide-job after slidejob to take third after starting eighth. Gravel took the honors in heat nine as Tatnell kept rubbing the wall off turn two getting some extra drive. James Hennessy won the final heat of the Classic. Brady won D-Main 1 as Nick Lacey looked strong but couldn’t get around Liam Williams for third to have a shot at a transfer. Rod Matthews took the final transfer spot. Brad Maiolo made a great start in D-Main 2 but contact with Lumbar later on in the race put pay to any hope of a transfer spot. Dennis Jones won ahead of Rowell as Ensign tried to launch around the outside of Rowell on the final lap but just couldn’t pull it off. Hennessy wrecked in C-Main 1 as Mitch Foster and Brady also got caught up. Rankin pulled a full 360 down the front straight to miss the carnage in front and somehow pulled a wheel stand over the cars to not make any contact. This was probably the comedic/astounding moment of the Classic. Ryan Jones won by half a lap with Kevin Titman second followed by Taylor Milling and John Vogels taking the final transfer spots. C-Main 2 saw some big heavy hitters as Reidy and Gravel squared off the front row before Gravel got the upper hand and took the win. Reidy second, Stewart third and Hickman fourth. Tatnell dominated B-Main 1 ahead of Mollenoyux. Blaney was third and Anderson got the upper hand of a three wide battle to take the final transfer spot. Hard luck story was Dobson who pulled off in the middle stages whilst running second with mechanical dramas. Lines dominated B-Main 2 whilst Gessner, Sides, Murcott and Sweet all had a tremendous battle for second. Sweet tried his luck after starting seventh but couldn’t manage the final transfer spot and had to settle for fifth. And so the stage was set for the fourty lap finale. The twenty four drivers were introduced to the fans, strapped into their cars and went four wide. The fireworks went off and the atmosphere was incredible. Veal was off pole ahead of Tim Kaeding, Green and Dumesny completing the first two rows. As fast as the green flag was flown, the yellow was automatically out. Veal was
given a warning for jumping too early. They tried it again and this time we were green. Veal got a great jump and lead through one and two. Schatz who had so far been quiet on the final night of action was squeezed up high on the start and lost a number of positions after starting back in twelfth. Tim Kaeding made his move in the early stages getting underneath Veal in three and four, Dumesny followed suit on lap seven as Veal went from first back to third. The track had been prepped before the feature giving more grip to the bottom of the racetrack and sadly making it a one lane track. Every car was running down low in a follow the leader precession. No positions changed as drama struck on lap thirty one. Farr, Schatz and Pittman were having a tremendous battle just inside the top ten and as Schatz went to go around the outside of Farr into turn one he clipped Farr’s right rear which catapulted Schatz head first into the turn wall. Schatz flew through the air and landed cage first back in the middle of the track. He was lucky not to be collected by anyone else as he came to rest. As a hush fell over the crowd, Schatz miraculously walked out of the car even though his #15 was destroyed. After lengthy repairs to the catch fence, and another open red, Kaeding led the field to the green flag once again. The leaders caught traffic with a few laps to go as Dumesny closed in. Back in position six, McFadden was trying to make the top work and he looked to possibly have it covered until he continuously struggled for traction off turn four and fell back to eighth. No one could work their way around Kaeding as he went on to claim the 42nd Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic. His celebration was possibly more exciting than the race itself as he did two hot laps around the track with only one hand on the wheel as he was holding the checkered flag in the other. Then Kaeding pulled four incredible different lots of highly fast donuts before finally losing control and rolling down the
front straight to the roar of the crowd. The clips on YouTube show it all. Kaeding was over the moon as he continued to fist pump the air as he won the race for car owner Sean Dyson. Kaeding won over Dumesny and Veal and in the process pocketed $30,000. After just missing out on the win all week, Kaeding couldn’t believe he won the big one. Kaeding mentioned after the race, “I wasn’t expecting that to happen. In the race I never once left the bottom. I didn’t expect to have the week I’ve had. It was one of those weeks with no expectations. This win will be awesome for me as I go into a new season back home.” Car owner Sean Dyson was even more pleased to have won the Classic. The small team from Singleton in NSW brought Kaeding to Australia and it was a decision he will never look back on. “I’m still pinching myself that we’ve just won the Classic. Two years ago I was just sitting in the crowd. Then I came home and said to my wife I want to do this and go and race that Classic. We bought the KPC Chassis car that Jason Meyers raced here two years ago and now really the rest is history. TK did an amazing job the whole time he’s been here,” Dyson said. It was the Cinderella story; just a small team from NSW took on the biggest race in Australia and came out on top. No one could fault Kaeding’s performance, and in particular his remarkable celebration. Kaeding and Dyson will now always be known as Classic Champions. Now the challenge is open, can they defend their crown in 2015?
Brett Swanson
Sydney’s New Speedway ? News and information about a proposed new motorsport track in Luddenham, NSW, situated between Penrith and Liverpool and not far from the much lamented Oran Park, has been publicly available for some time with a website and a facebook page and articles on various car orientated forums and websites. In a recent article on caradvice.com. au by David Zalstein it was even stated that the concept, Known as Luddenham Raceway, had officially been approved and should open sometime this year. Information available states the main attraction will be a 1.25km track of between 8 and 10 metres wide that will be used for track days, time attack events and driver training set on a 100acre property which features significant elevation changes. Additionally there will be an outdoor hire go-kart track of around 600 metres in length. What does all this have to do with speedway? Well what the so far publicly available plans, drawings and photo’s allegedly don’t show is that it may also include a new dirt track speedway to rival Valvoline Raceway. HighLine sources have revealed that
????? the development application did in fact include provision for a speedway as part of the complex. This could be just the shot in the arm that the Sydney Speedway scene needs as it can never be good for competitors when there is a lack of competition amongst rival venues. Other reliable sources have also advised HighLine that this is not the only potential new speedway being planned for the Sydney area, but more on that in a future issue. All of this is coming to light amid a flurry of rumours that Barry Waldron, owner of the East Coast Pipe Lines Sprintcar Racing Team, is in negotiations to buy, or has bought, the licence to operate Valvoline Raceway. As they say, watch this space.
2013 Review
Trevor Green Takes Emotion Images: Jigsaw Photography
Brian Van De Wakker
S
outh Australia’s Trevor Green won the 2014 Scott Darley Classic at Valvoline Raceway in dramatic fashion when many of the top contenders shredded their rear tyres after the track took rubber. The two night event was an emotional one as the Sydney fraternity stopped to remember Scott Darley who had his life cut short at the venue back in October 2008.
nal Scott Darley Win
Night one was dominated mostly by American Jason Sides. Sides lead all but the final one hundred meters in the twenty five lap feature when he spun his car coming off turn four when Californian Tim Kaeding had a look underneath Sides on the final turn. Sides got the car caught on the cushion and looped the #7 before coming to a stop on the infield. The spin meant Sides finished twenty second for the race and was classified a lap down. Kaeding was pumped to win the night one feature and stopped in front of the turn one hill to celebrate with his fans. The race was set for an American one-two when Brad Sweet crossed the line second, however Sweet was later disqualified from the race as he failed to go to the scales after the feature. Robbie Farr was then credited with second and Trevor Green with third. Son of the King, Kraig Kinser was fastest man in qualifying before round one heat wins went to Kaeding, Farr, Green and Grant Anderson. Kaeding was highest point scorer heading into the final night of action, and after a moving tribute to Scott Darley in turn four, the stage was set for more heat racing. Points ccumulated heading into the feature are ever so important at the Darley Classic as the top points scorer has the option to start out of nineteen (Scott Darley’s racing number) and
Having the world’s best ev Kinser as part of the Scott ed even more lustre to what much sought
ver Sprintcar racer Steve Darley Memorial, just addt is already a significant and t after event.
article
race for $19,000 or start out of position one and race for $10,000. Second for Kaeding in heat one all but guaranteed him as the highest point scorer and therefore he would have the option to start out of position nineteen or one. Ian Loudoun returned to Parramatta for the Darley race driving the second Garry Rush car alongside Ben Atkinson and put a win on the board coming across the line first in heat two. Green took out heat three whilst American Dale Blaney won heat four and Roddy Bell-Bowen heat five. Courtesy of his disqualification on night one, Brad Sweet had to start from the back in the C-Main. It was Max Johnston who was the early mover in the C. Johnston also started from the back and was running the topside of the race track. Johnston made his way into a transfer spot before the front wing of his car collapsed then later had a right rear tyre go flat. Sweet was too good and came from the back to take the win in the C-Main. Sweet then started from the back in the B-Main and ran consistently around the top side of the race track to work his way up to first and take the transfer into the A-Main. It had many people thinking that Sweet could win the feature from the back. Danny Smith, Roddy Bell-Bowen and Peter Bourke were the final transferees whilst big names such as David Murcott, Danny Reidy, Marty Perovich, Grant Tunks and Carl Dowling all missed out. As the fourty lap feature was about
to begin, Kaeding announced he would start the feature from position one and not take the challenge to come from nineteenth and race for $19,000. He said he would play it smart from the front especially with the slick conditions the drivers were going to be faced with. The track was black and the drivers were ready, Kaeding and Farr would start on the front row, followed by Green and Darryl Campbell off row two and Blaney and Steve Kinser would make up row three. Kaeding made a tremendous start on the bottom whilst Farr spun the tyres and fell back to sixth. “The King” Steve Kinser had had a quiet Darley weekend so far, but all of a sudden he came alive at the right time of the weekend. Kinser made the best of the starts moving his way up to second by the end of lap one. Kaeding and Kinser were side by side for the race lead on lap five. Kaeding was on the bottom while Kinser ran the top, and as they came off turn four to begin lap six, Kinser took over the lead. Having started twenty first, Brad Sweet was already up to fifteenth by lap seven and was making a charge towards the front. The battle for the lead was on once again, Kaeding had switched and gone to the top. On lap ten out of turn four, Kaeding got the drive off the exit and worked his way around the outside of Kinser to re-take the race lead. Kinser tried the slidejob in turn one two laps later but it didn’t work as Kaeding hung tough around the outside. Kaeding now built up a margin as Kinser lost momentum.
By half race distance the track started to take rubber on the bottom side of the race track. All cars decided to run the bottom as Sweet was already up into the top ten. It took thirty laps for the race to see its first caution. Ian Madsen had blown a right rear tyre and stopped on the back straight. This would be just the first of multiple amounts of tyres that would blow due to the nature of the track. Farr had made his way back up the field and into third, but as the race went back green, he and Blaney came into contact and spun themselves around in front of the entire field. Max Dumesny and Ben Atkinson both had nowhere to go and were caught up in the four car pileup. With eight laps to go, Green had a look down the inside of Kinser into turn three. As he did so, Kinser’s car snapped right and pulled up on the exit of the pits. Kinser blew a right rear tyre as well and was out. With eight laps to go the restart order was Kaeding, Green, Anderson, Loudoun and K.Kinser. Loudoun was the next one to go with a blown right rear coming off turn four with six laps remaining. Shaun Dobson was having a lunge for the top five when he had a right rear go, then with just five lap remaining, race leader Kaeding fell foul to the tyre drama blowing a right rear coming off turn four. That handed the lead to Green. As more and more cars were slowing due to right rears going, Green
Image: Jigsaw Photography
somehow hung on and came across the line to take out the Scott Darley Classic. Anderson had a very successful Darley campaign coming home second with Kraig Kinser completing the top three. Sweet came home for a remarkable forth after driving from the back of the C-Main. He was followed by Campbell, Justin Henderson, Sides, Roddy Bell-Bowen, Brett Aprile and Danny Smith. An inspection of Green’s right rear
after the race saw that the belts were showing on the tyre and that it would’ve been lucky to last another lap. Green was very emotional on the podium as he was a close friend of Darley’s. This race meant so much to him, to win it and dedicate it to Scotty was something Green has always wanted to do, and now he had finally achieved that.
Image: Jigsaw Photography
Image: Jigsaw Photography