Jarrod Waters an Mick Kiraly also enjoy that winning feeling.
One thing that has been obvious this season is Rusty Hickman’s expression of joy when he wins or even podiums, he has been ebullient in his happiness, where others who are beaten are solemn and, dare I say, sooky, while merely smiling for the camera’s.
That was taken to another level when the Bendigo racer ventured north-east to his favourite track, B&S Earthworks Timmis Speedway Mildura, for the South Australian 410 Sprintcar Championship.
After leading from start to finish to take a half second win over veteran Luke Dillon and former Classic champ Brock Hallett, Hickman let loose with celebratory donuts that went on seemingly forever.
Hickman set the races fastest lap on lap 1 before the dry track deteriorated even more and was the only driver to record a 12 second lap.
Hickman started the 30 lap A-Main alongside another son of a gun in Todd Moule who held second place for the first 4 laps before the vastly more experienced Dillon took the position.
Moule would eventually fall back to 5th place as 6th starting Hallett completed the podium ahead of 7th starting Ryan Jones who had absolutely no tread left on his rear tyres.
Pre-race favourites Jamie Veal, fastest qualifier Cameron Waters, Lochie McHugh and Matt Egel were all out without a lap being run and a red flag was called after only 3 racing laps to refuel cars who’d actually done more than a feature race of roll around laps under the caution flag due to the number of wrecks, incidents and stoppages.
In the modified Production sedans it was a similar story with Australian Champion Jarod Waters leading all 20 laps of the small field to beat Ty Galley by over 20 seconds with Angelo Halacas close on Galleys tail. Wade McCarthy was the only other car on the lead lap with only 3 other finishers.
The AMCA Nationals had a depleted field but all six cars finished the race with Mick Kiraly just under 4 seconds ahead of Shannon Hilder after 15 laps. Adrian Jones, Darren McCarthy, Brydon Bradley and Malcolm Crick completed the race.