Bairnsdale Speedway Association in partnership with the Victorian Speedway Council have held a successful Victorian title for the Junior Standard Saloon competitors at Bairnsdale Speedway with support from Melbourne IT Support.
Travelling from his home in the Wangaratta region Bryce Leek led a successful night for Ausbuilt-Hill Racing with Bailey Hill making it a one-two result for the team with River Paterson finishing in third.
Other winners on race night included Broderick Stray in Sports Sedans, Jordan Haley in Division 2 Hot Rods, and Jacob Vuillermin in Standard Saloons all from the Latrobe Valley area and members of the Rosedale Speedway Club.
Involved in race night for the title was Victorian Speedway Council President and title representative Aaron Meakins, the original Junior title winner twenty-seven years ago and Chris Stewart as an assistant Steward who won the title the next two seasons after Meakins.
Each driver competed in three of the six qualifying heat races. River Paterson claimed victory in heat one in what would have been a new ten lap record for the Juniors at Bairnsdale, however it was bettered later in the evening. Dyclan Sweet, Hunter Carey, Chase Ingram, Bryce Leek and then Bailey Hill the teammate of Leek who set a new ten lap record for the Junior Standard Saloons at 3:31.750
Thirty laps awaited drivers in the ‘Melbourne IT Support’ Junior Standard Saloon Victorian title race with Chase Ingram, Leek, Hill, Tom Braz, Cooper Joynson, and Carey the top six starters. When the green flag unfurled Ingram led lap one and it took until lap four before Leek moved into the lead. At the ten-lap mark Leek led Ingram, Hill, Carey, and Braz. Braz was the first of the pre-event favourites to exit the race with car issues. At lap twenty with ten to go Leek was leading Hill, Carey, Ingram, and Joynson.
Paterson pushed forward in the last ten laps moving from outside the top five and into third place by lap twenty-nine, however he didn’t have enough for the two ahead of him with Leek winning by over two seconds from Hill, Paterson, Ingram, and Joynson. Leek the first winner from the Drouin Speedway Club since 2012.
Adults also raced in their Standard Saloons on the same program with almost thirty competitors in attendance competing in three heats each of the nine to be raced. Mark Miles, Kane Gibson, and Jack Yeomans won the first-round races. Miles began the second round first heat race with Bairnsdale member Josh Thomas, and then Jack Braz completing the round as winners. Finally, Andrew Miles, Jacob Vuillermin and a second Bairnsdale member Gus Argoon won heat races in round three.
Twenty laps was the distance in the final for the Standard Saloons where Vuillermin began from the front of the field with Mark Miles. Behind them were Andrew Miles, Argoon, Alan Danks and Noah Greaves. Vuillermin made the most of his pole position heading through lap one as the leader with Miles brothers Mark and Andrew right behind. Yeomans was the first driver starting outside the top five to move into it on lap four.
Halfway through the race Vuillermin still led the field over Mark Miles, Andrew Miles, Yeomans and Argoon. With five laps to go, Vuillermin still could not be headed Mark Miles, Andrew Miles, Yeomans and Argoon. The lead group brought the field to the finish in the same order with Vuillermin picking up another win at Bairnsdale. Mark Miles and Andrew Miles rounded up the top three podium. Yeomans locked in the fourth spot in front of Argoon.
Division 2 Hot Rod competitors also were on the program. Jordan Haley the current Victorian champion claimed the win in the first of three qualifiers. Fraser Crittenden from Lakes Entrance was a winner in the second before Haley won again in the third and final qualifier. Haley started the fifteen-lap final from pole position and got a great start to lead Jason Seymour and Rob Tatterson. At the five-lap mark Seymour was still pressuring Haley the leader. Tatterson was holding onto third in front Fraser Crittenden and Beau Stuchbery.
Stuchbery a Junior in last season moved into third place on lap eight, Tatterson slipped back to fourth with Crittenden back to fifth. At the end of fifteen laps Haley completed the win from Seymour, Stuchbery, Crittenden, and Tatterson.
Sports Sedan competitors also got a taste of Bairnsdale Speedway with a small field keen to see the class take off in East Gippsland. Bobby Devine won the first heat race and then Broderick Stray won the next two heat races. Stray would also go on to win a final over eight laps from Bernie Franklin and Leigh Mitchell.
Racing returns to Bairnsdale Speedway on February 24th with the VSC Sprintcar Victorian title, Ladies Standard Saloons, Open Standard Saloons and Unlimited Sedans competing in a state series round.
Bairnsdale Speedway Association would like to thank their Business Partners for their support.
A1 Trailers
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Active Sound Services
ARB Bairnsdale
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Aussie Septic Solutions
Bairnsdale Autobarn
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Bairnsdale Radiators
Bairnsdale RSL
Bridgestone Service Centre Bairnsdale
Buchan Towing
Cranes Asphalt
Dennison Quality Roof Restorations
East Gippsland Locks and Keys
East Gippsland Plumbing and Drainage
East Vic Hydraulics
Eastern Signs and Designs
Egee Printers
Eureka Garages and Sheds
Eye Care Plus
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Gillicks Bus Lines
Gippsland Treated Pine
Gippsland Truck Centre
Granite Rock Quarries
Great Southern Kitchens
Kennedys Trailers
Lake Land Ice
Lakes Tile and Carpet Centre
Logue Auto Wreckers
M & S Laity
Mitchell Valley Excavations Pty Ltd
Patties
Phaselink Electrics
Rivera Concrete
Riviera Automotive
Riviera Trailers
SKIDZ Driver Training
SS Auto
Tambo Waste
Tim Bull
Todd Plumbing Supplies
TRFM and Gold 1242
Wayne Trinder Plumbing and Gas Fitting
Westpoint Motors
WGI Earthmoving & Heavy Haulage
Written by
Dean Thompson
DMT Sports Media
For Bairnsdale Speedway Association