Jaimi Barber has claimed her second state Ladies Standard Saloon Victorian title crown with victory at Alexandra Speedway Club (March 22nd) ahead of a class field leading to the finish line the four-time former champion Sarah Meakins and Zoe Young. Barber came through after the unfortunate end to majority race leader’s defending champion Ally Morrison and then first title hopeful Courtney Meakins, claiming the win in front of family and friends.
Other winners on the night include Alexandra born and raised Will Fallon in Top Star Junior Sedans, Australian champion Justin Paull in Compact Speedcars, his nephew Jai Hallett in New Star Junior Sedans, Daryl Hickson in Dirt Modifieds, Victorian champion Brad Warren in Wingless Sprints, and Josh Service in Sports Sedans.
Almost twenty competitors lined up for the Ladies Standard Saloon title night proceedings where Katie Meyer after working her way through the field from the back, Courtney Meakins twice, Ella Sheedy, and Ally Morrison twice won qualifying races for the twenty-lap title race.
Both Morrison and Meakins whilst leading the race suffered mechanical issues ending their quest for victory. Morrison’s was as a result from damage after hitting the concrete as she weaved through traffic, then getting tangled up with another competitor. Other drivers exiting the title race included Meyer whose engine bay went boom and up in smoke, Maddi Bransgrove who slammed the wall, and then Courtney Meakins whilst leading when her car started to run hot leaving a cloud of steam from the under the bonnet.
This allowed Barber to assume control of the race for the final six laps as she led to the finish Sarah Meakins, Zoe Young, Ella Sheedy and Caroline Allen.
After the race Barber was thrilled whilst acknowledging the early race leaders. ‘Ally and Courtney were the strongest tonight. They won the most qualifiers and led the race. I feel their heartache at not finishing. I had a good car though and I thank those that help me, and the result is deserving of their efforts and support. Well done to the other podium Ladies and let’s do this again next year right?’ Shared Barber.
In Junior Sedans racing, the Top Stars and New Stars competed together through the evening. Will Fallon and Jai Hallett won two qualifiers for their respective sub-categories whilst Axel Robinson and Cruz Abela claimed victory in the other. Fallon the current South Australian champion then stamped his class on the final with a huge win ahead of Robinson and Luke Morrison, whilst Hallett was too good for Abela and Chaz Fallon.
In Dirt Modified action, a class that has not competed at Alexandra since the conversion from the former Hot Rod class it used to be, provided high speed action many local motorsport fans had not seen before. The open wheel 360ci engine powered class thundered around the track most of the time on three wheels through the turns, with Mornington Peninsula racer Daryl Hickson proving to be the class driver.
Hickson won both qualifiers before defeating son and father competitors Marcus and Steve Reddecliffe. The latter returning to racing after around twenty years away from racing.
Australian Compact Speedcar champion Justin Paull from Millgrove then won the final after both he and AJ Wiles shared wins in qualifying. Duane Cordina and Wiles both led the final with Paull snatching the lead with two laps to go before crossing the line with the win from Wiles, Cordina, Bowen Donkers and Aaron Stubbs.
Victorian champion in Wingless Brad Warren was racing for his Lilydale based car owner Steve Garlick in front of Steve’s home crowd and friends for the first and only time this season since winning the state title together in Horsham.
However, the Warren/Garlick combination could not taste victory in qualifying as Ricky Mills, Michael Graham, Esther Thomson and Nathan Orton shared those wins. Michael Conlan from the Mallee then led the first eleven of twenty laps in the feature event before Warren picked him off to go and record the feature win from Conlan. A rollover during the race involving Daryl Coon and Jordyn Sinni put those two out of the race early, Ben Hodge, Mills and Ricky McCubbin.
Josh Service from Eastern Suburbs area then shared qualifying wins with Rhys Meakins in the Sports Sedans before leading all fifteen laps in the final to win ahead of Bree Simpson, Lachlan Pottage, Kimberley Smith and Cobie McGraw. The three Ladies sure to be amongst the title chances in the upcoming Ladies Sports Sedans Victorian title. Service picking up another victory at his favoured home track.
Alexandra provides more race action on April 5th with the Ladies Sports Sedans Victorian title plus all club classes.
Alexandra and District Speedway club thank and acknowledge the following valuable supporters;
Alexandra & Yea Pre-Mix
Alexandra Panels & Towing
AusBuilt Rural
Beach Earthmoving
Bendigo Bank
Belkblast Protective Coatings
Custom Transport Equipment
Donnaz Underground
Eastern Suburbs Locksmiths
Elite Racking Installs
Endeavor Petroleum
Exhaust Fix Lilydale
Fallon’s Bus Services
Fineblade
Foodworks
Highline Racewear
Ismail’s Building & Construction
LS Quarry
Matthew & Sons Drilling Services
Metro Tow
Outer Eastern Steel
Pakenham Towing
Precision Race Parts
Raslarr Engineering
Revegetation Victoria
S&N Builders
Smooth Suspension
Town & Country Tennis Courts
Tritech Lubricants
Tyrepower Alexandra
Victory Lane Racegear
Wandin Heavy Haulage
Waverley Exhaust & Brake Centre
Yenckens Hardware Alexandra
Written by
Dean Thompson
DMT Speedway Media
For Alexandra & District Speedway Club