Wahgunyah Speedway provided another night of great family entertainment on Saturday (March 15th) with Mulwala racer Nathan Shortis claiming the big victory in the fifth round of the Goulburn Ovens Sedan Association Blue Shed Services series whilst Sydney visitor Gary Bowyer won the latest round of the Victorian Grand Prix Midget Masters series. Local Corowa man Micheal Fleming-Robertson won the supporting Standard Saloon category final, all on Cellarbrations Wahgunyah race night.
Six heat races plus a pole shuffle were run by the Goulburn Ovens Sedan class before the line-up could be established for the feature event of the night, their fifth series round of the current season for association members. Marty Bassett won heat won in a terrific battle with his main competitor in Nathan Shortis whom was caught up in a incident with Alex Gouveia whose engine expired with Shortis clipping him on the way through. Gouveia hit the concrete wall, however his night was done due to the engine failure.
Ross Maclean from the regional city of Corowa won heat number two by almost half a lap, Ben Schmetzer won the next, Shortis the fourth whilst Justin Brockley in the Mitch Watts race car he was steering, seen the engine bay go up in smoke. Maclean was victorious again in the fifth with Shortis claiming the final qualifying heat win. The pole shuffle final battle came down to Maclean and Shortis with Maclean coming out the victory to claim pole position for the final.
For the first five laps Shortis held the lead of the race in front of Maclean with Ben Schmetzer in third, his brother Tommy in fourth and Brock Cunningham in fifth. Nothing changed until lap fourteen when Maclean’s race came to and end with Shortis leading Ben and Tommy Schmetzer, Cunningham and Brandan Lovell to the finish.
Terry Brown a recent feature event winner in the Grand Prix Midgets started well with a first up heat race win over visiting Sydney racer Gary Bowyer in heat one of three for the class after Paul Perry the early leader spun himself out of contention. Matt Kamolins and Jesse Nicholas claimed the following to heat race wins before the fifteen-lap final for the little mostly 1000cc engine powered class. In the second heat Mark Cecil lost a wheel and that put him out of the race. Johnny Rouse did not get to start the final with a flat tyre being spotted by Stewards and Rouse being directed infield to watch the feature race. Bowyer led every lap in the final to win by almost half a lap of the huge Wahgunyah Speedway with Kamolins second then Paul Perry, Shawn Ward and Brown.
In Standard Saloon action Corowa-Rutherglen Speedway Clubs number one Standard Saloon competitor Micheal Fleming Robertson won all three heat races contested. With the third heat the closet when he was challenged by Yarrawonga based racer Trevor Evans. After trailing Evans on lap one of the final, Fleming-Robertson assumed control of the feature race to lead Evans to the finish line with Rhyse Lavender and Keith Cattermole following behind.
Racing at Wahgunyah returns on April the 26th with a national and state title. The Grand Prix Midgets will hold their national title with competitors from Sydney and down the coast to Goulburn heading into town to race the Victorians, whilst the Late Model Sedans often big powerful 400 to 454ci powered race cars on the schedule for their Victorian title. Drivers from New South Wales, Victoria and maybe other states will be in Wahgunyah for that one. Dirt Modifieds with their 360ci engines, Hot Rods with their 350ci engines, Junior Sedans, Goulburn Ovens Sedans and Humpy Holdens will complete an event not to be missed.
Corowa -Rutherglen Speedway Club would like to thank the wonderful season supporters,
Max Maclean Hardware
Club Corowa
Maverick Marine
Q.A Kitchens
Quantum Printing
Crowie’s Paints
Blue Shed Self Storage
Celebrations Wahgunyah
Hi Tec Oils Albury
Mobil Corowa
McRae’s Wodonga
Abacus Energy
Upton Engineering
Federation Steel
Edge FM
Sonaray Lighting
DMT Speedway Media
Corowa Meats
Jackie & Vern Parker Photography
Trewe Building & Construction
Corowa Smash Repairs
Dunn’s Cranes
Rod Stones Automotive Rutherglen
Ducks Race Shop
East to West Data
Brocks Welding
Stevo’s Painting
Corowa Furnishing & Floors
Aricks Corowa
MForce Security
Hume Bank Albury
Written by
Dean Thompson
DMT Speedway Media
For Corowa-Rutherglen Speedway Club